The task was to deliver a presentation that was both meaningful and rich. Their theme, as is the theme of this TEDx event is, “A Catalyst for Change”. 170 students delivered presentations as part of the curriculum in their English course. Of those, 10 were chosen through a combination of peer selection, performance quality and the teacher approval.
Hope you enjoy the evening.
MC’s for the night: Sydney Segura and Dalton Lazich
Sydney: Hello All! My name is Sydney Segura and I am a seventeen year old American student here at ISB. Just last week marked one year that I have lived here in Thailand with my family. I first moved overseas when I was thirteen years old, and traveling has quickly become a passion of mine. Other passions of mine include soccer, art, reading, and spending time with my family (especially my dog Henry!). A personal goal of mine recently was to get past my fear of public speaking, and tonight is the test…fingers crossed!
Dalton: My name is Dalton Lazich. I’m a 16 year old and am in the 11th grade student at ISB. I moved to Thailand for my freshmen year and I have loved being here. I do cross country, basketball, and track. Some of my hobbies include running, traveling, and obviously MCing Ted Talk events.
Name: Pawarisa (Pancake) Hetrakul
Title: Be Yourself
Bio: Pawarisa (Pancake) Hetrakul is a Thai 17 years old, who is currently a Junior at International School Bangkok. At school, she is involved in outdoor athletics, including varsity football and tennis. In her free time, she enjoys dancing and taking photos. She aims to convey the positive and negative aspects of collectivistic society to Thai people.
Blurb:
Growing up in Thailand, I have learned to conform to the expectations and societal norms. As a result, I struggle with what it actually means to “be yourself”. The idea of collectivism is rarely discussed in Thailand, but as I have moved from a Thai school to an International school, I have learned to see the difference in people with individualistic traits and collectivistic traits.
Name: Anna Stanley
Title of talk: Poetry Matters
Bio: I’m Anna Stanley and I am 16 years of age. I come from both England and Serbia, but I’ve lived in Thailand for a large part of my life. I thoroughly enjoy films, (my favorite being- “The Perks Of Being A Wallflower”), reading, writing and exploring criminology. I also get very attached to books and sitcoms such as, “That 70’s show.” I am an aspiring screenwriter and poet, driven by the study of film and English.
Blurb: For as I long as I can imagine, I’ve always felt passionate and moved by poetry. Its changed my life by giving me purpose, a sense of belonging as well as a platform for self-expression. I believe that in today’s modern society, poetry is under-appreciated or disregarded. My main intention in this oration is to convey that poetry should be nurtured and understood, as it can effectively articulate all aspects of the human condition.
Name: JeHyuk (Jerry) Cho
Title: Are AIs posing a threat to humanity?
Bio: JeHyuk Jerry Cho is a junior at the International School Bangkok. With a passion for technology, science, and mathematics, he is part of the HS Tech Club, ISB Tech Council, and has participated in math competitions. Jerry also enjoys public speech, shown through his performance at the World Scholars Cup events. He thinks this TED Talk is a perfect chance to merge his two passions together.
Blurb: Jerry’s TED Talk discusses three reasons why AIs could potentially be dangerous. Unlike the popular trend of embracing the new technological advancement, Jerry offers an iconoclastic perspective on AIs. Instead of giving a concrete solution to the asserted problems, the author concludes the essay with a suggestion.
Name: Tee Monsereenusorn
Title: The Emotional Language of Music
Bio: Hi, I’m a 17-year-old Thai student currently spending my tenth year at the International School of Bangkok. I have an immense passion for music, having played the piano and the saxophone since the ages of 6 and 11. I also currently perform with the high school jazz band as the lead saxophonist. In my spare time, I participate in a variety of sports including swimming and badminton and enjoy listening to jazz music.
Blurb: Music is a powerful language that we were all born with, yet often overlooked as nothing more than a simple pastime. In reality, music holds the ability to portray elaborate stories filled with complex emotions. In my talk, I outline many different ways in which music can be used to benefit our everyday lives, whether it is using music for therapy, to enhance performance, or as a way to express ourselves.
Name: Nikki Ling
Title – Quiet Confidence: Follow the Introverted Leader
Bio: Nikki is a 17 year old Australian. She was born in Texas, and from there, moved to China, South Korea, and now Thailand. When she’s not snuggled in bed reading, you can find her playing the piano or making DIY crafts. She strongly believes that everyone has the capability to lead and inspire others.
Blurb: Our society today perceives leaders to be the most charismatic and sociable people. However, not many recognise that introverts are also extremely effective leaders that can influence others. They can become the quiet leaders of our world. This talk encourages all to stop pushing the idea that in order to be a successful leader, a person must possess the qualities of an extrovert
Name: David Lim
Title: Why The Arts is more important than you think
Bio: David moved to Thailand when he was four, and has attended ISB for twelve years. Throughout this time, music has always been an important part in David’s life. He has been a Cultural Convention delegate for the past three years, in which he was grown both personally and musically. David would like to take this chance to remind his peers of the numerous benefits that the arts can offer.
Blurb: ISB is a school that prides itself of its balanced support for the arts, the athletics and the academics. Unfortunately, we as a student body do not share this concept. Countless research has proven that the arts can help us develop skills that are coveted in the workforce. To achieve success in the future, students should take advantage of the opportunities that are provided for us by the arts program.
Name: Lulu Schmitt
Title: Suicide: Let’s talk about it in the RIGHT way
Bio: Hi my name is Lulu Schmitt! I’m 16 years old and I’ve been going to ISB since Kindergarten. Although I am German I don’t really consider Germany my home since I was born in Singapore and was brought up in Thailand. I speak several languages including German and French. At school, I’m involved in various activities including Volleyball, Badminton, ESP and Helping Paws.
Blurb: Over these past years the taboo surrounding suicide has lessened. We have started to initiate conversations about suicide, however, sometimes the media’s discussions may be harmful to us. My talk addresses a TV show, 13 Reasons Why, to show how it is an example of how the media needs to be more careful. We must continue talking about suicide, but the media needs to change the language and imagery used in their conversations.
Name: Kohei Yasui
New Title: Net Neutrality and Internet Freedom
Bio: Kohei is a 16 year old and a junior at International School Bangkok. He is native Japanese but has lived in New York, USA for 8 years before moving to Thailand in 2014. His first language is Japanese but is more fluent in English. He’s loved using the internet and playing video games throughout his childhood.
Blurb: The internet is one of the inventions by mankind that has dominated today’s society. The internet is a free and open platform for all people to experience to the fullest extent. Freedom on the internet is key to grow as a society. This is why the recent movement in the United States that aims to repeal Net Neutrality, a principle that supports an open web, is dangerous. The purpose of this presentation is to express that people need to show the true nature of how dangerous this can be to society and why a bigger movement is necessary.
Name: Alina Chan
Title: The Power of Yes
Bio: Alina Chan is a 16 year-old, who was born in Bangkok, Thailand and is currently studying at the International School of Bangkok (ISB). She enjoys travelling, taking photos, laughing and playing tennis. She loves to spend time with family members and friends during the holidays and is always looking forward to new experiences with them.
Blurb: Some of us in this world who are struggling to “Say Yes”, “Step out of our comfort zones” and to “not be afraid of making mistakes”, are probably tired of hearing these cliche phrases, so they might only hear to that one sentence, and shut their ears from listening to the explanation. That was the case for Alina, but through her experiences, she was able to finally open up her ears and say ‘Yes”. In which Alina will give light to those who are still struggling with this issue, and hopefully open up their ears to finally and truly understand, “The Power of Yes”.
Name: Poon Singhatiraj
Title: The Art of Good Political Discourse
Bio: Poon Singhatiraj is currently a Junior at the International School of Bangkok. His favorite classes include History and Geography. After living in the U.S. for seven years, he has come to enjoy learning about American politics and global affairs in general. In his spare time, he enjoys playing badminton, discussing world issues, and spending time with his cat.
Blurb: In a world filled with passionate political opinions, people are bound to clash with one another. But why does this happen? What are the catalysts for such division to occur? These problems are harmful to progress, and it is important to ask ourselves these questions in order to find solutions to bridge this gap.