Youth Redefine Education at
TEDx Columbia Lake Youth Event
In an event that celebrated innovation, inspiration, and education, the TEDxColumbia Lake Youth conference unfolded at the University of Waterloo on October 14, 2023. It showcased the remarkable efforts of young minds on a mission to reinvent education. Organized by a group of passionate students from the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB), the event drew speakers and attendees from across the region, including WRDSB students who shared their inspiring stories and visions for the future.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED created a program called TEDx, which features local, self-organized events to bring people together to share a TED-like experience. TEDxColumbia Lake Youth, where 'x' stands for an independently organized TED event, aims to inspire the next generation of changemakers and leaders to unleash their passions, carve their learning paths, and become catalysts for positive change. The event is part of a broader mission to pave the way for the reinvention of education.
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"It's where innovation, inspiration, and education collide," said Hooman Reza Nezhad, the lead organizer of the event. "TEDxColumbia Lake Youth is the celebration of young minds shaping the future. We want to motivate, inspire, and encourage the next generation of changemakers and leaders to unleash their passions, carve their learning paths, and become catalysts for positive change."
The theme of TEDxColumbia Lake Youth centred around the concept of reinventing education, encouraging young audiences to seek learning experiences outside the traditional classroom setting. The event featured a lineup of expert speakers who shared recent case studies and strategies spanning the personal, societal, and physical branches of learning.
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In a series of thought-provoking talks, speakers at TEDxColumbia Lake Youth touched upon various aspects of education transformation, from personalized learning approaches to the role of technology and the importance of empathy in education. The event provided a platform for young people to explore the many facets of reinventing education, empowering them to be the driving force behind this positive change.
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With the success of TEDxColumbia Lake Youth 2023, the event's organizers and participants have taken a significant step towards making the future of education brighter, more inclusive, and profoundly innovative.
A big congratulations to the team behind the event, including Hooman Reza Nezhad, Yoyo Yuan, Victor Feng, Aasha Khan, Jeffrey Zang, Lauren Hsu, Shawn Xiao, Cathy Liu, Casper Dong, Ayush Malhotra, Liam McNamara, Moulik Budhiraja, David Raicu and David Jora.
#WRDSB Invests in Student Initiatives
TedX Columbia Lake Youth is part of the WRDSB’s ongoing work to Invest in Student-Led Initiatives. This program incentivizes and supports students’ interest and care for their communities. It aims to enable students to create change by promoting their efforts, connecting them with partners and providing them with a platform to share their initiatives.