http://tedx.tumblr.com/post/11110086683/tedxredmond-2011

Personally, I believe that it says something about the power of youth that TEDxRedmond is one of the largest TEDx events out there. Why is it that the event created by and for kids is so successful? Through TEDxRedmond, we’re hoping to answer that question.

Six months of hard work, staying up late, five-hour work meetings, constant emails, and frantic preparation came down to one day of 10+ hours for the folks behind-the-scenes. For you, we hope it was a day that you’ll never forget and one that changed your life in some (however small) way.

We want to thank you for taking seven or more hours of your busy Saturday to join us. You could have gone shopping, you could have played soccer, you could have spent that gloriously sunny day doing anything else, but you chose to spend it at TEDxRedmond, learning and being inspired. Without an audience, TEDxRedmond cannot be what it is today: a platform for kids to be heard and to encourage others to chase their dreams. These platforms are all too uncommon, sadly (think of how many times you’ve heard adults tell you that you’re “too young” to do something), and we believe that the world needs to stop, stand, and listen to the youth, because we are not too young to make a difference.

Each one of our incredible speakers had a common message: that there truly is a spark in all of us. You, the audience — you have that spark. You have the potential to do great things and to change the world for the better.

So now the question is…

What will you do with that spark?

B = Buy tickets. If you’re a parent, and you’ve registered your son or daughter to attend, you cannot just tag along. Parent tickets cost $10 and all parents intending to accompany their children have to sign up as well.

C = Chance to sit in the main room? Remember, all parents will be directed to sit in a simulcast room. How do you get the chance to sit in the main theater? If you are a student 18 or under, you are eligible to sit in the main room. In order to get your chance, you must be among the first 400 students to arrive. Try to arrive around 12:15 for the best chance.

And some FAQs…

What does arriving “on-time” mean? Please arrive by 12:45 at the latest. If you do not arrive by 12:45, your seat will be released to waitlisted attendees.

If I’ve registered my son or daughter to attend, can I tag along? No. Parent tickets cost $10 and all parents intending to accompany their children have to sign up as well. Remember, parents will be directed to sit in a simulcast room.

How do I get the chance to sit in the main theater? If you are a student 18 or under, you are automatically eligible to sit in the main room. You must be among the first 400 students to arrive in order to sit in the main room, however. Try to arrive around 12:15 for the best chance.

Be sure to register for TEDxRedmond by clicking HERE. This will take you to our Eventbrite page, where you can enter your ticket quantity and fill out your information. Note: Although this event is targeted towards kids, we highly recommend that parents and educators attend as well. 

Tips: It’s important to register — quickly — because seats will fill up fast! There’s only a limited number of seats available, and once we fill up all our seats, anyone else who wishes to register to attend will be waitlisted. Also, only registered attendees will receive free dinner following the event. We also recommend that you arrive at 12:00 p.m., which is when registration opens. The first 400 students who register on the day of the event will be granted access to the main theater in which the speakers and performers will be presenting. All other students (and parents) will be placed in overflow rooms, watching the event via live, high-quality simulcast.

Help us spread the word about TEDxRedmond by posting about it and linking to our website, www.tedxredmond.com, on your Facebook and Twitter pages. Use the hashtag #tedxredmond in all your tweets!

Also, you can now download the free TEDxRedmond iPhone app from the App Store. Unfortunately, our app is not available for Windows Phone or Android at this time.

Any questions can be directed to our Formspring page, www.formspring.me/tedxredmond, or info@tedxredmond.com.

See you on Saturday!

Thaddeus Psarris

Using the power of both the statistic and the story, eleven-year-old Thaddeus Psarris has the unique ability to bring a complex issue–global poverty–out of the realm of the abstract. He frequently does volunteer work with his mother in his own local community (he lives in Kirkland, WA)–volunteer work like feeding the homeless, working at a Food Bank, and helping at events such as the Green Living Project film premiere. Thaddeus, a Christian homeschooler, plays the piano and violin, and loves writing, drawing, and computer programming. He also enjoys swimming, reading, and being with his friends.

REGISTER to attend TEDxRedmond by clicking “Register” at the top of the page. Be sure to invite friends and family to attend!

TEDxRedmond will have five hosts this year. Adora Svitak will introduce the event and each section. Priya and Maya Ganesan will introduce individual speakers, and Hattie Yang and Adrianna Svitak will introduce performers.

We also have thirteen new speakers! We are so excited for TEDxRedmond 2011: The Spark in All of Us, and we can’t wait to see you there. This year’s event will be held on September 10, 2011, at the Microsoft Conference Center in Redmond, WA.

We are in need of sponsors/donors to help cover the costs of flying in out-of-state speakers and performers. If you or someone you know would be willing to help out with funding, please email us at info@tedxredmond.com.

See you on September 10th!

Stephanie Engle

Sixteen-year-old Stephanie Engle taught herself photography at age 11 by examining the methods of Ansel Adams and Patrick Demarchelier. She gained in skill to the point where adult photographers chased her out of the horse shows she photographed as the photos she sold compromised their business! From selling 8×10’s for $10 apiece and her contracts to photograph ad campaigns in national equestrian magazines, Stephanie raised $10,000, which she donated to For the Love of Patricia, a Guatemalan orphanage. After finally visiting the children she has supported over the years at the peril of her own life, Stephanie was inspired to create a coffee table book of her photographs of both the orphans and the kids who lived in the dump. The proceeds from this book will improve the children’s living conditions and education, and eventually, support politicians who believe in orphan rights. Today, she continues her advocacy through her non-profit organization RAISE.

Felix Finkbeiner (via Skype)

At the age of 9 Felix Finkbeiner (today, 13) founded the Plant-for-the-Planet Children Initiative. Inspired by 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai, he decided to plant one million trees in each country of the world. Since then, hundreds of thousands of children from 101 countries planted almost 4 million trees and they have been spreading the vision to tackle global problems together as global citizens. They organize planting activities and empower other children to become Climate Justice Ambassadors in one-day-events (Academies). So far,nearly 10,000 children have been motivated. At the opening of the International Year of Forests on February 2nd 2011, Felix and friends represented the views of the children and youth in the General Assembly Hall in New York. In March 2011 Felix was elected President of the first Global Board of Plant-for-the-Planet.

Yoni Kalin and Gawan Fiore

When is a crayon more than just a crayon? Yoni Kalin was eating at Outback Steakhouse when he saw a server throw away perfect, unused crayons. For most people, the story would have stopped there. Not so with Yoni. Challenged by this waste, he enlisted help from his friend, Gawan Fiore, and together they started the Color My World Project. The project is aimed at reusing resources (crayons) to give children an artistic outlet they might not otherwise have. Yoni and Gawan envision a more responsible world where people learn to both reduce their waste and provide equal opportunities for children, regardless of socioeconomic status. The duality of this mission means that they can have a greater impact in their community and across the nation in hopes of preparing a smarter, more societally and environmentally aware generation. Yoni and Gawan see the world as a place where positive and productive change can happen anywhere—there just needs to be a determined individual driving the process. The Color My World Project was a finalist for the 2011 All American High School Service Team, and it has expanded to five states across the country.

Cameron Manor

Twelve-year-old Cameron Manor is one of twelve Discovery Girls’ Top Role Models in North America. Her favorite hobby is hatching butterflies–she loves watching them change from translucent cocoons into living works of art. She was recently appointed Butterfly Caretaker at the Environmental Nature Center in Newport Beach. Through her charity, Cam’s Caring Cakes, she creates and delivers free cupcakes to the elderly. Cam also loves creating fun educational science videos, and is honored that her humorous stories about her adventurous escapades with her older sister were published in an international children’s magazine.

MaCall Manor

A nationally ranked dancer, writer, actress and former Junior Olympic gymnast, MaCall Manor is truly a Renaissance girl. She has guest starred on TV shows (acting the young Faith Hill at the MTV Country Music Awards and little Amanda in “Ugly Betty”) and in televised commercials. She has also been honored at Carnegie Hall twice for her writing, winning a Scholastic silver medal in 2009 and a gold medal in 2010 for her novels. After watching bookstores declare bankruptcy and noticing the demise of reading among her peers, MaCall founded Moonman Reviews, a book review website that re-ignites children’s love of reading.

Conor and Kendall Perrin

Conor Perrin is an award-winning writer, equestrian, and published photographer. In addition to founding PLANETLifeFORCE with his sister Kendall, he writes his own travel blogfor kids. A long time equestrian, Conor shares his love of horses with autistic kids to help them gain confidence and improve their health. He is also a novelist and movie stunt practitioner. Kendall Perrin was one of six finalists (out of 561 entries in the nation) to win a medal from major publisher Scholastic for her novel. Titled Miss Lavender Venumn, it is the witty tale of a spank-a-holic teacher who runs a “School for Happy Orphans.” For her win at Carnegie Hall, she was featured on the front page of the Orange County Register, and a movie producer even expressed interest in turning her story into an animated film. Kendall dabbles in stunts with her brother, and helps autistic kids gain confidence and health through equestrian sports.

Ethan B. Perrin

With an innate curiosity about how things work and an ingenuity to tinker and build, Ethan is a self-learner at heart who spends a lot of his free time at his dad’s electronics table, at a woodworking bench, or researching the possibilities in the world of science. Most recently, an interest in photography led him to explore the boundaries of what can be captured by a lens. First, he rigged his point and shoot camera with a lens to shoot macro images, and then, most recently, set his sights to the sky and became intrigued with capturing images from very high altitudes, and creating the vehicle to make it all happen. Ethan is an 8th grader at Redmond Junior High in Redmond, WA.

Alexander Prior

Conductor and composer Alexander Prior has left a trail of music that stretches around the world, conducting concerts from London to Hong Kong, Copenhagen to Dallas. He served as an Assistant Conductor for the Seattle Symphony Orchestra in the 2009/2010 season. Last year, he was awarded The James Levine Conducting Fellowship at the prestigious Tanglewood Music Centre in Massachusetts. Alexander’s commissions for original compositions began at the age of 12, when he was commissioned by the Moscow State Ballet to write Mowgli, which premiered at the Kremlin to great international acclaim. In 2009, at just 17–an age most students might begin college–Alexander graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory with Distinction and two Masters Degrees (Symphonic and Operatic Conducting, and Composition). In Russia he was awarded The Order of The Blue Cross for his contribution to the national and international arts scene, and for his charitable work—bringing music and the opportunities it offers to countless people, particularly children and teenagers in the poorest areas of the country.

Gabi Santana-Ufret

It’s all too easy for truants (students who continually miss school to the point of breaking the law) to start down a path of lost opportunities and missed chances in life. Thirteen-year-old Gabriela Santana-Ufret wants to change that. An 8th grader at Hamilton International Middle School in Seattle and a first generation Puerto Rican, Gabi is the youngest member of a youth organization called Youth Ambassadors, developing leaders through compassionate service to the community. YAs serve as powerful, “near peer” role models, helping vulnerable students annually get back on the path to fully engaging with learning. Gabi’s experience has taught her the power of listening and deeply connecting with her fellow peers, gaining a deeper understanding of the underlying issues behind truancy. With an exceptional passion and understanding of civic engagement, Gabi has inspired other youth to understand they are part of the solution. She’s particularly committed to curbing the drop out rate affecting the Hispanic community.

Rhiannon Tomtishen and Madison Vorva

As 6th graders, Madison and Rhiannon earned their Girl Scout Bronze Award by raising awareness about the endangered orangutan within their community. In 2007, they made a shocking discovery: the Girl Scout Cookies they had sold for so many years contained palm oil, an ingredient that results in rainforest destruction and loss of orangutan habitat. The two girls launched a variety of campaigns in order to convince the Girl Scout organization to remove palm oil from their cookies. Now juniors in high school, Madison and Rhiannon have worked with a number of environmental organizations on new campaigns and have shared their story through national media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and the CBS Early Show. They are currently involved in a dialogue with the Girl Scout organization, and are working hard to ensure that Girl Scout Cookies are rainforest-safe in the near future.

We are also in the process of confirming more speakers for TEDxRedmond 2011. We have two brand-new additions to our lineup:

Adesuwa Agbonile

Adesuwa (pronounced Ah-Day-Sue-Wah) is a Nigerian-American with a smile that lights up a room. Her daily goal is to make the best out of each day and she goes about it by giving her ALL at work and at play. Her passions at “play” include swimming, writing fiction, singing, dancing, playing the piano and participating in musical theater. She is known to be dedicated, focused, passionate and very curious; traits which have consistently made her an Honors student and an asset on the chess, math, science and robotics teams at her school. A motivator at heart, she loves telling people: “You can be whoever you want to be. Don’t allow yourself to be held back.” At the moment, her dream job is being a mitochondrial researcher, due to her fascination with life science.

Christina Dias

Although posting a short poem at age seven is hardly the life changing experience, the day she started blogging, Christina was drawn to sharing her thoughts, ideas, and perspectives on the world, period. Now thirteen years old, and a freshman at Redmond Junior High, Christina frequently updates her lively blog “Merry Go Round” (created in 2009) with her latest musings and strives to give her readers a more optimistic view on life. Writing has always been a passion of hers, however she is strongly inclined towards the arts in general; playing the violin since she was 7, as well as involved in musical theater, both of which she loves. “It’s all about expressing yourself,” Christina says, “…Never let go of what makes you unique and know that anything really is possible as long as you put your heart into it.”

To sign up to attend TEDxRedmond, click on “Register” at the top of the page.

We are also looking for sponsors/donors to help cover the costs of flying in several out-of-state speakers and performers. If you or someone you know would be interested in donating to TEDxRedmond, please email us at info@tedxredmond.com.

Feel free to share the video with friends and family, and leave us a comment or “like” the video on Youtube. To register for TEDxRedmond, click “Register” at the top of the page.

We are also looking for sponsors and/or donors to make this year’s event possible and to bring you some amazing speakers from out of the state. If you or someone you know would be interested in contributing to TEDxRedmond, please email us at info@tedxredmond.com.

Ellie Shaw Ungar

As fourteen-year-old Ellie Shaw Ungar would put it, “Sailing isn’t the kind of sport every kid signs up for in elementary school.”  With challenges like high wind speeds and capsizing boats (not to mention the incredible amount of toughness required for the sport), competitive sailors have to be mentally and physically prepared. Ellie’s experience comes from several years of practice; she sails Laser and 29er for the Roval Vancouver Yacht Club and Seattle Yacht Club race teams. She has competed at the Optimist Dingy North American Championships in 2010 in Kingston, Ontario and in 2011 in Los Angeles, California.  Ellie is competing in the Laser Radial in such competitions as the U.S. Nationals.

Ray Ushikubo

Don’t let the adorable smile or bowtie fool you–Ray Ushikubo is a formidable musician with an intimidating amount of experience. (His list of awards is probably taller than he is.) The ten-year-old began learning the piano at the age of 5 and the violin at 6. On April 2011, Ray was invited to the NPR radio program, From the Top, as the youngest Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist. In 2009, Ray was invited to perform at the pianist Lang Lang’s concert in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in CA. In July of 2010, Ray won first place in the International Russian Music Piano Competition in San Jose. In addition, he was named the Most Promising Young Talent and rewarded with a performance at Carnegie Hall. Ray is the first student to be accepted into the prestigious Colburn Academy on two instruments–piano and violin. His current teachers are Mr. Ory Shihor (piano) and Mr. Robert Lipsett (violin). at the prestigious. Ray likes math, billiards, and wakeboarding.

SIGN UP for TEDxRedmond 2011: The Spark in All of Us by clicking on “Register” at the top of the page. See you on September 10th!

SPONSORS

We are currently looking for sponsors! If you or someone you know would be willing to sponsor transportation costs (for speakers), the venue, and other costs or would like to donate products or services, please email us at info@tedxredmond.com.

If you would like to sponsor a speaker, we will be rolling out a “Sponsor a Speaker” ticket this year for you to do so.

Follow us on Twitter!

Like us on Facebook!

Ask us questions on Formspring!