How Wellingtonians 'Solved for X' with TEDxYouth

Late last December, Wellingtonians showed us all that they had 'ideas worth spreading' in a TEDxYouth event. In the spirit of the renowned TED Talks you have likely seen online, TEDx is a grassroots initiative organised at the community level. Under the theme of 'Solve for X', this completely pupil-organised event featured Wellingtonians as young as year 4 delivering informative and inspiring short-form lectures in which a topic of choice is explored TED Talk style.

Their presentations ran a full range of truly compelling topics. One pupil shared valuable advice on 'Dealing with Fear'. Another explored the ethical ramifications of using human cells in medical research in a talk titled 'Morality and Immortality: The HeLa Cells'. Another discussed the phenomenon of 'Time Dilation'. Yet another delivered a powerful message about conserving our limited resources and how we should be 'Building a Sustainable Future'.

TEDx events present our pupils with a number of excellent opportunities to learn, grow and practice our Wellington Identity and Values. Preparing a talk is a uniquely Intellectual pursuit undertaken Independently with the aim of leaving the audience Inspired.  As it is a completely pupil-organised event, they learn the Value of Responsibility through leadership.

Through public speaking, the pupils learn Courage. It is not easy to stand on a stage before one's peers and parents to share an idea. They stretch their sense of what they can accomplish and they learn to be confident and comfortable in such potentially nerve-wracking situations. This has long-term benefits for our pupils, whether they are interviewing with a university admissions officer or a prospective employer.

But it is as much an exercise in research and writing as it is in public speaking. Our pupils take a deep dive into a subject they are curious or passionate about. They learn how to process their findings into a coherent argument or narrative. They learn the value of Integrity as they strive to present the most honest and accurate version of the facts possible. Adding to this challenge is the TEDx time limit. A talk cannot exceed 18 minutes, so they must learn how to edit their content and package it in a way that makes it compelling and accessible to a diverse audience. In effect, they learn how to clearly communicate a set of complex ideas, yet another skill that will serve them well beyond their academic careers.

Their fellow pupils in the audience have a role to play in this, too. Giving a speaker one's time and full attention is a profound act of Kindness and Respect, two values they all demonstrated admirably.

Congratulations to our pupils — organisers and presenters alike — on a job well done! In case you missed our pupils' exciting TEDxYouth talk 'Solve for X', please click here to visit our gallery of the event.