Theme: Invisible

There is so much that happens around us that is invisible. The influences of culture, politics, body language, neuroscience, feelings... all these seem invisible. But there is also the other type of invisible, being invisible in a room full of people, in a school full of children, in a book full of faces. This invisibility has profound effects on the way we interact with each ourselves, others, and the world around us.
This year we are looking for speakers who are pursuing innovation in their particular field of study, and have a passion for making the world a better place. This event will focus on how we balance what we do for the betterment of humanity not just with scientific and design thinking but with empathy and connection to the global community. We are looking for people who have actioned projects, have conducted peer-reviewed research, are active in their pursuits (dance, music theater) and who want to share their idea to INSPIRE others to make change. How do you play with the idea of invisibility?

LEVEL5
Shekou International School
Jingshan Villas, Nanhai Rd Shekou
Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518067
China

Betty Lu

Student

Student at SIS

Brittan Aebischer

Artist

Brittan Aebischer is a conceptual artist and designer who has been living and working in Shenzhen for almost seven years. Brittan holds a bachelor’s degree in art from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho, with an emphasis in graphic design and fine art, and a Masters in Teaching from George Fox University of Newburg, Oregon, with a teaching certification in K-12 art. His work is beautiful, smart, and philosophical. The image, the icon, the abstraction of shape and line, all coalesce in the work which utilizes both assemblage techniques and mixed media on canvas to convey surreal and abstract picture-scapes; often depicting figures and distorted landscapes.

Catherine Xu

Student

Student at Shekou International School

Chris Gadbury

Educator and Author/Illustrator

Chris Gadbury has developed a specialist approach to understanding and solving global challenges whilst promoting student agency and creativity. Chris interprets world issues through narrative stories using triangles, squares and circles. His simplistic interpretations of current events are designed specifically for Primary Year students and are being used as problem solving tools by schools around the world.

David Sheppard

Educator and Tech Coach

David Sheppard has been in elementary education for more than ten years. With a passion for student voice and agency, he has incorporated creativity, technology and fun into teaching and learning. With a Master's degree in Elementary Education and having taught in both the US and in China, he is always encouraging students to challenge themselves and to “fail forward”.

Emma Lin

Student

Elementary student at Shekou International School.

Felix Hennigar

Student

Elementary student at Shekou International School.

Hwan Seung (Kevin) Cha

Student

Student at Shekou International School

Jennie Soh

Student

Student at SIS

Jess Kuemmerlin

Coach

Jess Kuemmerlin has been fascinated with Personal Development since he was a teenager, Jess has invested years of time and resources to find out how one can take the steps to become a "higher version of self" where anything is possible. A problem solver and mathematician by training, Jess works as a coach at Shekou International School. He works with teachers, students, parents, and admin to problem solve, be creative, and add the most to users.

Kitty Lin

Student

Student at Shekou International School (SIS)

Natalie Chan

Education Activist

Natalie Chan is an educator, engineer, film producer, adventure-seeker, entrepreneur and a Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum. Chan’s curiosity in education was sparked from the realization that there is a disconnect between the focus of schools and what the real world demands. After three years in the corporate world, she decided to dedicate her life to solving the gap between schooling and employment, helping people find their life path with passion and equipping them with the 21st Century skills to succeed. After five years of research and experimentation in education, which includes teaching at a progressive school in Hong Kong and receiving a Master of Education from the Hong Kong University, Chan founded OWN Academy in 2016.

Nathan Lu

Student

Elementary student at Shekou International School.

Nga Man (Vivian) Xiao

Student

Student at SIS

Rebecca Chang

Student

Student at Shekou International School (SIS).

Rebecca O'Brien

Street Artist

Rebecca O'Brien has always created art (drawings, oil paintings) for friends or family as a hobby. It was at the beginning of her second year in China (3 years ago) when a friend put a spray can in her hand and urged: “Just try it.” That was the moment when everything began to change. She started escaping to the [“de facto” legal] tunnels and underpasses around Shenzhen, often painting with other local and international graffiti writers and artists. Rebecca has since also traveled to several countries in Latin America, Europe, and Asia, decidedly leaving her visions behind her as a footprint. Rebecca signs most of her street pieces “NFN8” [NФN∞, “infinite]. Look for her artistic works on Instagram: @nfn888. Since June 2016, she is project manager at an artist residency in northern Shenzhen that hosts amazing artists from around the world.

Seojin Park

Student

Student at SIS

Shian Joo

Student

Elementary Student at Shekou International School.

Soeun (Jessie) Park

Student

Student at SIS

Stefan Karlsson

Equity Activist

Born in Sweden, Stefan has been living in Asia since September, 1995 (Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam and mainland China). The last 18+ years he has been living & working in Shenzhen, mainland China. Stefan helped to create a social initiative called “I Home” bringing migrant families together at direct Suppliers. Through this initiative he has helped large companies improve employee retention rates and re-discover the human value of workers.

Trey Hobbs

Communications Coach

Trey Hobbs has been a lighting designer for theatre productions, an actor in South Carolina and Chicago, a teacher, a theatre divisor with Pacific Performance Project (east) and Theatre Unspeakable, the voice of a litany of carton animals, a director of dubbing at Fantailed Animation, the founder of Shenzhen Stories, and most recently, the Communications Coach at Savannah College of Art and Design’s Hong Kong campus. All of these opportunities have brought Trey into situations where he has been honored to view, collect, and be a part of so many powerful stories. He is grateful to be sharing his story on the TEDxYouth stage and excited for the many stories he gets to intersect with along the way.

YeSeo (Kelly) Yu

Student

Student at Shekou International School.

Yijoo Choi

Student

Student at Shekou International School