Theme: Risks and Rewards

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

123 Cambridge Street
Burlington, Massachusetts, 01803
United States

Curran Dee

Student

Curran is an accomplished third grader in Connecticut who is passionate about digital access for all students everywhere. At the age of nine, he is an international speaker, a guest blogger for Angela Maiers and has co-moderated three Twitter chats on digital citizenship. Unfortunately, he only has access at home which makes him an advocate for connected learning in classrooms around the world. By the first grade, he started blogging at home as a way to complete traditional assignments at school. He wishes he could learn with the world at school like he does at home. He plays hockey, baseball, lacrosse and golf in his free time and enjoys building in Minecraft and learning how to code. He blogs at Around the World With Curran and you can follow the mother/son Twitter account at @CurranCentral.

Eric Johnson

a Teacher, a Writer, and a Founder of the non-profit organization, EraseMeannes.org

Eric is a 6th Grade Teacher at LaSalle Elementary for the School City of Mishawaka Public School District. An Education contributor to several web outlets, including The Pragmatic Progressive and Blue-Route.org. He is a voice for educational access and equity for girls, championing opportunities to amplify their voice and interests to reach their potential. Founder of the non-profit, EraseMeannes.org, his organization seeks to help students make the connection between the choices they make and the legacy they leave behind by asking “How do you want to be remembered?” EraseMeanness.org’s message of kindness, empathy, and legacy has reached over 30,000 students on six continents. Eric is An advocate to the inaugural cohort of TED-Ed Innovative Educators, a global group of educators that will collaborate on innovative and inspiring projects over the course of their year together.

Jeffrey Bradbury

An ASCD Emerging Leader, Google Certified Teacher, Google Education Trainer, PBS Learning Media Digital Innovator, Microsoft Innovative Educator, Microsoft Surfice Expert, a Speaker, a Writer, a Podcaster, a Broadcaster, Consultant, and an Educational Media Specialist

Jeffrey Bradbury, author of Kidblog: An Introduction to Blogging With Your Students, is the creator of TeacherCast.net, TeacherCast University, and Educational Podcasting Today. He is an ASCD Emerging Leader, Google Certified Teacher, Google Education Trainer, PBS Learning Media Digital Innovator, Microsoft Innovative Educator, Microsoft Surfice Expert, speaker, writer, podcaster, broadcaster, consultant, and educational media specialist. He is currently the Coordinator for Technology Integration for the Westwood Regional School District in New Jersey. In 2012, Jeff was recognized as one of top 50 educators using social media at the first ever Bammy Awards and has been nominated three times in the category of Innovator of the Year. Jeff is the host of the TeacherCast Podcast, Educational Podcasting Today and the TechEducator Podcast. Outside of TeacherCast, Jeff also hosts and produces podcasts for the New Jersey Education Association and Morgan’s Fund and the ASCD Podcast.

Julie Becker

Student

Julie Becker is a senior at Westford Academy in Westford Massachusetts. Julie has been extremely active in her school and community throughout her years of high school. She has swum on her school’s swim team all four years and has contributed to the winning of the State Championship 3 out of those 4 years and has obtained captainship in her junior and senior year. She has also be an avid student council member serving both on her school’s council as well as on the Northeast Massachusetts Association of Student Council executive board. Another strong interest of hers is the DECA business club that is offered at her school. Outside of school, in her community, she is involved in a laughter yoga club. She has recently been trained and certified to teach laughter yoga and has been teaching classes of her own as part of her senior year capstone project. No matter the school she attends in the fall, Julie will be studying nursing. Overall, she is a lover of life.

Kerry Gallagher

Director of K-12 Education for ConnectSafely and a Digital Learning Specialist

Kerry is a Digital Learning Specialist at St. John’s Prep in Danvers, Massachusetts. She is also the Director of K-12 Education for ConnectSafely, a non-profit program dedicated to educating users of connected technology about safety, privacy, and security. Kerry is on the TES Global Teacher Advisory Board and is the High School Coordinator of the Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Student Leadership Institute. Previously, Kerry taught middle and high school history in Massachusetts and New Hampshire public schools for 13 years. She was best known for her paperless collaborative classroom model. She has also helped her schools develop student-driven technology integration programs. Kerry is the 2014 recipient of the Yale-Lynn Hall Teacher Action Research Prize. She is a 2015 PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovator. Kerry was recognized by Google and the Family Online Safety Institute with the 2015 Outstanding Achievement Award.

Marialice Curran

a Speaker, an Educator, an Author, and the Co-founder of the Digital Citizenship Summit.

Since 2010, Dr. Marialice B.F.X. Curran, has been focused on helping students to think and act at a local, global and digital level simultaneously. She has developed digital citizenship courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level, provided K-12 professional development in the positive and practical use of social media and technology, and is the co-founder of the Digital Citizenship Summit. She was named one of the Top 10 Digital Citizenship bloggers to follow in 2014 by Common Sense Media, serves on the leadership team for the Digital Citizenship PLN through the International Society for Technology in Education and also co-founded the digital citizenship (#digcit) chat on Twitter in 2011. Dr. Curran is recognized as a leading expert in digital citizenship and has presented nationally and internationally.

Nathalie Falcao

Student

Nathalie Rodrigues Vaz Falcao is a junior at Montrose School. Nathalie is the Vice President and one of the “Founding Sisters” of her school’s MUN (Model United Nations) club. She is also an active member of her school’s NHS chapter and alumni of the Massachusetts HOBY chapter, an organization that builds teenagers as leaders and well as inspires them to give back to their communities. She recently founded a bakery business with her sister called “Not Really Twins Bakery”. Nathalie was a speaker at her school’s International “Girls Aspire Leadership Summit” in November 2015 and spoke about the mental preparation before giving any presentation. She has also participated in TyE (The Indus Young Entrepreneurs) Boston 2014, she has developed an eye for viewing the unique capabilities that every single person supplies. She looks forward to sharing her ideas on how to view yourself as a person rather than a piece of the cosmic puzzle to anyone and everyone around her.

Patrick Larkin

Assistant Superintendent for Learning for Burlington Public Schools in Massachusetts, former high school principal, and the founder of the Connected Principals Blog

Patrick Larkin is currently the Assistant Superintendent for Learning for Burlington Public Schools in Massachusetts and also serves as a Senior Consultant for EdTechTeacher. Prior to this, Patrick served 15 years as a building level administrator at the high school level. In 2012, he was selected as one of three national Digital Principal Award winner by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Patrick led his school in the transition to a 1:1 environment for the 2011-2012 school year as Burlington High School became one of the first schools in the nation to distributing iPads to all staff and students. He is active presenting to colleagues on the benefits of educational technology for administrators, teachers, and students. In addition, he is an avid blogger and a proponent of social media to better engage teachers, students, and parents in the education process. Patrick is also one of the founders of the Connected Principals Blog.

Senila Yasmin

Student

Senila Yasmin is a senior at Wakefield Memorial High School (WMHS) who has helped to create the Wakefield Memorial High School “Technology Connection”, also known as WHSConnect. Senila participated in the Student Help Desk program three years ago and has been in the Technology Integration class since its inception. Senila has also worked with the WPS Technology Department during Summer vacation, and participated in the WPS Technology Council. Senila has also formed the Wakefield Memorial High School Academic Advisory Council, which is a council that ensures students and teachers have a say in the academic offerings at WMHS. The council works with administration to improve academic life at WMHS, and runs several activities to prepare students for life after high school. She helped to implement the Bring Your Own Device Initiative at the high school and 1:1 Program at the middle School. Senila has worked tirelessly in the past four years to create more student-centered environment.

Starr Sackstein

A Journalism Teacher, an Author and a Speaker

Starr Sackstein currently works at World Journalism Preparatory School in Flushing, NY as a high school English and Journalism teacher where her students run a multi-media news outlet at WJPSnews.com. In 2011, the Dow Jones News Fund honored Sackstein as a Special Recognition Adviser and 2012 Education Updated recognized her as an outstanding educator. In 2012, Sackstein tackled National Board Certification in an effort to reflect on her practice and grow as an educational English facilitator. After a year of closely looking at the her work with students, she achieved the honor. She is also a certified Master Journalism Educator through the Journalism Education Association (JEA). Sackstein also serves at the New York State Director to JEA to help serve advisers in New York better grow journalism programs. She has also a author or various technological books. She blogs on Education Week Teacher at “Work in Progress”.

Timmy Sullivan

Student

At 17-years-old, Timmy Sullivan, a senior at Burlington High School, has distinguished himself as a bi-lingual international speaker and freelance agent, landing himself professional work opportunities with pioneering brands in the educational technology industry. Fusing his passion for language with his admiration for public education, Sullivan craved an educational environment central to student’s individual passions. After researching trends in education, as well as current educational movements, Sullivan began advocating for personalized learning environments and student voice in education. Throughout this process, he has recognized the incredible impact of appropriate technology integration, and has worked to impact the digital learning community as well.