Theme: A House Divided

June 16th, 1858. Three years before the beginning of the American Civil War. Facing a group of thousands of state delegates, Abraham Lincoln remarked, “A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.” Indeed, it couldn’t. In fact, it would take a bloody Civil War to bring an end to the issue of slavery between the north and the south, ushering in a new era of American history characterized by a new birth of freedom.

This new birth of freedom, however, has not been characterized by perfection. Debate and division still characterize much of the United States and the world at large, whether that be on Capitol Hill, in which party partisanship is growing ever clearer, in cities, in which the fusion of various cultures creates ethnic and racial tensions, or in research facilities, in which debates among researchers abound over the future of engineering, science, and technology.

Now, with our nation and our planet experiencing a critical turning point, it is up to our society to comprehend these debates. To resolve these disputes. And most importantly, to determine how to move forward -- together.

For if we don’t, we run the risk of living in “A House Divided.”

Brambleton Middle School
23070 Learning Cir
Ashburn, Virginia, 20148
United States

Arjun Kohli

India's Youngest Professional Magician

Arjun Kohli is one of India's youngest Professional Magicians who's only 17 years and started magic when he was just 10 years old. He absolutely loves mystifying people all the time and is here to give a talk on Magic as an emotion.

Blaine Bartlett

Executive Coach, Management Consultant, and Leadership Development Expert

Blaine Bartlett coaches and consults worldwide with leaders, executives, companies, and governments. He has personally delivered programs to more than 300,00 individuals and has directly impacted more than one million people worldwide. As a member of the Transformational Leadership Council, a Board member of the World Business Academy and an ordained Knight of the world's oldest humanitarian organization Blaine is uniquely positioned to speak about healing divisions in the world. The primary focus of what he does is built upon a foundation that focuses on a way of doing business he describes as Compassionate Capitalism. This is an economic model for ensuring that the workplace of today and tomorrow allows individuals, organizations, society and the planet the opportunity to thrive in a generative and sustainable manner. Because business is the most pervasive force on the planet today, business has a unique and primary responsibility for uplifting the quality of all life on the planet.

Cynthia Ma

Environment Activist

Cynthia Ma is a sixteen-year-old junior at McLean High School, VA. She founded her personal environmental blog “LetsTalkEarth” not only to share environmental perspectives and ideas with others but also to advance her own understanding of the complex planet. Most recently, she published a research article considering the efficacy of different erosion prevention methods and the impact of erosion on the environment after a ten-week research project with the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District. She is looking forward to beginning a new long-term project with the district this winter, and she encourages others to stay curious and research their interests too. Whether it’s when working with the U.S Department of Agriculture or when implementing environmental programs in schools, Cynthia always wants to empower others to understand human interactions with the environment, and she hopes that her Tedx talk can help you do just that.

Milenka Sharovikj

Mountaineer, Rock Climber, and Paragliding Pilot

Milenka Sharovikj is a 48-years-young mountaineer and outdoor enthusiast whose life path goes from mountains to meditation and back, and puts her on a quest to help others live life to its fullest, with all the adventures, the joy, and the excitement that it brings. Mountains have been the driving force for Milenka for the last decade and they have become her best teacher as well. Her mission is to share her knowledge gained from the mountains with as many as possible, so when they, too, face their blizzard and feel like turning back or giving up, they have the courage and the commitment to take the next step. "Life is a game to be played not observed" is Milenka's philosophy, which she hopes to become everyone's philosophy. As a mother of 2 teenagers, a pharmacist, and a coach, all aspects of Milenka's life center around peak performance and achieving one's highest potential.

Pennie Quaile-Pearce

State Registered Nurse

Pennie Quaile-Pearce has over 22 years experience as a State Registered Nurse in various specialties finishing as a Senior Clinical Lead in Trauma and Intensive Care Nursing. She later re-trained as a Homeopath and founded and launched Acorn to Oak "The International School of Energy Medicine" where she teaches and inspires others to grow their own unique inner potential, so they can live impactful lives that bring the changes the world needs now.

Rowan Haffner

Youth Activist & Community Leader

Rowan Haffner is a 16-year-old high school student from Westchester, NY. He loves volunteering, soccer, and speech and debate. He is passionate about youth activism and the importance of using your own voice. Rowan loves giving back to his community and hopes his talk here will inspire others to challenge norms and find their courage.

Sara Connell

Author and Master Coach

Bestselling author and master coach Sara Connell has dedicated her life to helping those with a story or message make a positive impact on the world. She's been featured on Oprah, The View, Katie Couric and her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Elle, Parenting, Good Housekeeping and many publications. She is the founder of Thought Leader Academy- an organization devoted to changing lives through published writing and speaking.