In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Pickering College
16945 Bayview Ave.
Newmarket, Ontario, L3Y 4X2
Canada

Damian Larice

Grade 12 student at Pickering College

Damian Larice is a 17-year-old, grade 12 at Pickering College. Humor and comedy in today's society is something he is very interested in. This is not the typical humor you may think of, but absurd humor. He will talk about how "Modernist pieces are changing societal conventions". Reading The Stranger by Albert Camus has opened Damian's knowledge of philosophy and English. His presentation will talk about the meaning of absurdism, the meaning of "meaning", what affects this type of humor has had on him and what it could have on you.

Gabrielle Robinson

Grade 12 student at Pickering College

Hello, my name is Gabby Robinson. My presentation is about my birthmark, something very near and dear to me. It is something that is a huge part of my life and has been a huge part of my life since I was much younger. My birthmark has always played a substantial role in my self-confidence and how I viewed and presented myself to others. I also know that often times scars or marks hinder self-confidence. In my presentation, I will talk about the science behind birthmarks, some interesting fables about birthmarks and finally some words of encouragement for girls with scars or birthmarks. By the end of my presentation, my goal is to help young girls realize that our imperfections do not define us.

Katherine Starr

Grade 12 student at Pickering College

Katherine Starr is a Grade 12 student at Pickering College. She is currently enrolled in the Gold Level of the Duke of Edinburgh Award, is a competitive athlete, and is a world level Debate and Public Speaker. Over her high school career, she has been an active volunteer for the Special Olympics, Southlake Regional hospital and most recently, has started an action project advocating for the victims of Human Trafficking in Canada. Katherine is extremely passionate about advocating for women and instilling confidence in our youth. Her topic will explore the continuous fight for gender equality, how we can learn from female leaders, as well as how to empower women to defy the odds and lead on the global stage. Katherine is excited to continue pursuing her passion of Politics, International Relations, and Global Policy at University next year.

Kathy Wang

Grade 11 student at Pickering College

Kathy Wang is a grade 11 student at Pickering College in Newmarket, Canada. She is a competitive dancer and has received first place in international awards. She is also a competitive piano player who is working towards her Associate Diploma certificate from Toronto Royal Conservative of Music. She is an active member of the school's Math Club, and also the secretary of the Debate and Public Speaking team at Pickering College. Since her and her family immigrated to Canada in 2014, she realized the difficulty for student immigrants, and has a passion for mitigating the problem.

Mustafa Emre Basaran

Grade 12 student at Pickering College

Mustafa Emre Basaran is a grade-twelve student at Pickering College. He is very interested in the fields of computer science, mathematics, physics, and aerospace engineering, and hopes to pursue computer engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology after high school. His most recent research focuses on analyzing the effects of Ontario's three nuclear power plants on the province's stream water quality in comparison to other human activities.

Phillip Carson

Grade 11 student at Pickering College

Phillip Carson is a high school student at Pickering College and an avid competitive gymnast. He has worked for years trying to develop and perfect his abilities, giving him a lot of experience with both success and failure alike. Dealing with failures is invaluable to improving as a person and achieving your goals, so he encourages everyone to continue to refine this skill throughout life.

Shyam Subramanyam

Grade 9 student at Pickering College

Shyam Subramanyam is a grade-nine student studying at Pickering College. Shyam is an active member of many of the school's teams and clubs such as the Debate Club, the Math Club as well as the Junior Boy's Basketball Team. Shyam was the Valedictorian of his graduating class of grade-eight. He has also participated in a regional competition in Ontario for spoken word. Shyam is interested in mathematics, science, economics and law. Shyam is passionate about how much we have in our lives to be grateful for, such as our geographical luck. He refers to this luck as a "Lottery Ticket" and speaks to help encourage others to make an impact with their fortunes from their "Lottery Tickets".