Taylor Phillips
Staff Writer
Kyra Williams
Executive News Editor
The city of Manhattan Beach, the Manhattan Beach Unified School District and the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation hosted the ninth annual TEDx convention in Manhattan Beach on Nov. 3 at Mira Costa where 16 speakers discussed their ideas and stories relating to the theme, “Trail Blazers.”
Each TEDx event is different, and they are fully planned and coordinated independently on a community-by-community basis. In addition to listening to speakers, attendees could watch past TED talks and videos previously recorded at TED conferences around the world at the convention.
“I went to the conference because I like watching TED talks online and because my husband went the last couple of years and enjoyed it,” attendee Kathy Milosevic said. “I think TEDx is enriching for everyone and it takes the conversation to a more meaningful place. My favorite part was listening to topics I know very little about; it’s inspiring and mind-expanding.”
The event focused on leaders who embody the theme of “trailblazers.” One of the speakers at this event was brain surgeon Dr. Susan Harkema. She told the story of how two of her patients overcame paralysis and regained movement in their legs.
“The choice of speakers was really eclectic, and I felt that certain speakers stood out,” junior Leo Schleyer said. “One of my favorite speakers was Jeff Greenspan, a creative director in advertising. He felt that people should have the opportunity to take their own standpoint. I thought it was interesting because not enough people are politically inclined today and undermine the value of individuality.”
More than 800 guests and volunteers filled the seats of Costa’s auditorium, listening to speakers discuss topics including the basis of artificial intelligence, blockchain technology and aerospace technology. In addition, speakers presented on discoveries on how to help paralyzed individuals walk, sleep insomnia and ways to improve sleep quality and new car software that downloads data from a user’s cellphone. Costa seniors Stephanie Sala and Cooper Roth spoke at the event, sharing their experiences and interests.
“It was an amazing opportunity to get to be able to speak,” Sala said. “I feel like my speech went really well. I had to work a little on my speaking skills, so I was given a coach to work with. They really helped me through the whole process.”
Sala shared her experience of being on an improv team and how being able to think on her feet and live in the moment has changed her life. Sala said in her speech that joining Costa’s Comedy Sportz Team allowed her to gain more confidence and become a better listener.
“I want people to take away that listening is a really important skill in life, especially in today’s age with all this information and social media,” Sala said. “We use that skill of listening to really, truly learning about something.”
Roth gave his speech as a poem that discussed how teenagers only feel extremely happy or sad but never feel what it is like to be in between. His message to the audience was that life is not always perfect, and people should accept life for how it is.
“My topic was something very personal to me,” Roth said. “Really, my topic was who I am and the time we are living in. Everyday, I think and talk about the struggles we all have as teenagers living in the digital world. It’s so beautiful and so terrifying at the same time. This is what inspired my talk, the beautiful, yet cruel life of a teenager living in a digital world.”
In addition to watching the talks and performances, attendees visited the Exhibition Hall. Visitors viewed and took part in interactive activities such as a vibro-acoustic sound bath and Chakaya Yoga. Attendees also created artwork for the Joslyn Community Center and had the opportunity to experience a virtual reality world of the Colorado Aqueduct.
Students from Costa’s Advanced Placement Computer Science class presented their Makey Makey Projects in the exhibit hall. The students coded interactive games that visitors could take part in. In the Expo Center Lounge, Costa AP Art students had their work on display.
“Being part of the TEDx event at Costa was a really cool experience,” senior and AP Computer Science student Zach Rosenberg said. “It was really awesome and rewarding seeing people participate in the projects that Costa students created.”
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