Theme: Agents of Change

18 speakers will give 17 TEDx talks at the first TEDxYouth@Wilmington Conference on Sunday, April 2, 2017 at the Anna Raskob Auditorium in Ursuline Academy, 1106 Pennsylvania Avenue, Wilmington, DE 19806. Students, alumni and faculty from 5 area schools including Ursuline Academy, Mt. Pleasant High School, Tatnall, Delcastle Technical High School and Burlington Township High School were chosen from a large pool of applicants to give these TEDx talks . Each talk will explore an Idea Worth Spreading and will range from 5 to 18 minutes in length. There will be three sessions each lasting 90 minutes with a one hour break between each session so guests can interact with these 18 speakers. Lunch and refreshments are included.

Ursuline Academy
1106 Pennsylvania Ave.
Wilmington, Delaware, 19806
United States

Abby Larmore

Student

Abby is currently a sophomore at Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, Delaware. She has grown up in a tight- knit family and spends her summers participating in various water sports and activities. Abby is very involved in sports participating in field hockey, indoor track, and lacrosse. She also spends vast amounts of her time volunteering at the Food Bank of Delaware. Abby plans to attend college to pursue her future endeavors involving politics and social welfare.

Alcia Francis

Student

As a senior at Burlington Township High School in New Jersey and a TeenSHARP College Ambassador, Alcia is deeply passionate about young people and the opportunities they have to realize their full potential. That is why she launched the inaugural College Application Month at her high school, a project that provided hundreds of students with critical information about the college admissions process. She also enjoyed working as a junior athletic trainer, playing viola, and providing technical support for her school’s theater. This fall she looks forward to embarking on her college journey in pursuit of a doctoral degree in physical therapy.

Alphina Kamara

Student

Alphina Kamara is a student at Mt. Pleasant High School with big dreams and aspirations. Alphina comes from an immigrant family that came to the U.S. in search of a better future. However, without a good understanding of the American education system, Alphina’s family struggled to paint the pathway to her dreams. Luckily, Alphina became selected as a scholar with TeenSHARP, an organization that partnered with her Brandywine school district, among others, to prepare talented students of color like Alphina for top-tier colleges. Finally, Alphina believes that she has the resources and the know-how to reach her full potential. Through TeenSHARP Alphina was able to meet the first female Congresswoman from Delaware Lisa Blunt Rochester and even shake heads with Delaware’s own Vice President Joe Biden. Finally, she became a Challenger with GripTape, an organization that encouraged her to engage in a deep study of homelessness and host a banquet for the homeless people.

Amy Xu

Student

Amy was born as the only child to her family in Shenzhen China, near Hong Kong. Before she came to America, she was an art student in her high school in China. She now lives in Wilmington, Delaware with her host family. Amy is in her  junior year at Ursuline Academy. She likes traveling and has helped organizations serving people with disabilities and elder care centers during her travels in Europe and Australia. While in Malaysia, she volunteered teaching aspects of the Chinese culture in several elementary schools for a week. At Ursuline, she is a member of the dance and tennis teams and has joined the Global Community Club, Model UN and the National Art Honor Society Club. She is a piano student and also very active in art classes having had previous fundamental drawing and painting experience.

Areeba Khan

Student

Areeba is a senior at Ursuline Academy who enjoys tennis, Model UN, and traveling the world. This past year, she visited Toronto, Istanbul, and Dubai. Ethnically Pakistani, she is fluent in Urdu, basic Arabic and Chinese, and likes to think she knows French. The proud daughter of Muslim immigrants who are Doctors, Areeba and her family are the epitome of the American dream. Her summer was spent at Georgetown University where she enrolled in the Honors International Relations course taught by the Dr.. John Davis, where for three weeks, she studied, debated, and met with the nation's top political and business members.

Carly Palkon

Student

Carly Palkon is a current high school student at Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, Delaware. She grew up and resides in Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, where through her local public school, she was exposed to and developed a love for music. When Carly is not busy with TEDx or school activities, she enjoys reading, volunteering at her local youth center, and playing her saxophone. She is looking forward to attending college and plans on becoming either a journalist or a human rights lawyer.

Chase Reid

At the intersection between innovation and imagination, we find Chase Reid. Featured in Technical.ly, an East Coast online tech magazine, a junior at the Tatnall School, Chase has already begun his entrance into the world of technology. Active in all facets of high school, ranging from Science Olympiad and Model UN to Coding Club, Chase pushes himself even deeper into what interests him by exploring, learning and creating. Chase considers himself an artist, his art being technology. First exposed to the computer at the age of 4, he began programming at the meager age of 9. Now fluent in over 5 programming languages, he has created a wide range of tools and applications including Lyre, a web application that detects emotion within your face and recommends songs based on how you’re feeling and the RFID access system for his school’s makerspace. Chase is leading a new tech venture known as Creme, an upcoming app he denotes as being the crusade to transform the hookup culture and regain face-to-face interaction most commonly cultivated at cafes. He now finds himself both captivated by the intersection between humanity and machine intelligence and motivated to make it a reality.

Elijah Jones

Student

Elijah Jones is a freshman at the Tatnall High School, located in Wilmington, Delaware, where he is a representative of his 9th grade class. His extracurricular activities include varsity football, chess, robotics, culinary and all things STEM. He also studies French and is working to master the French Horn. Elijah was a participant in the LYTE (Leading Youth Through Empowerment) Scholars Program based at the Thomas Edison Charter school. Now he is training to become a College Access Ambassador with TeenSHARP. His awards include 2012 National Chess Champion, 2015 Fox's Master Chef Junior Philadelphia Semi - Finalist, 2017 Science Olympiad Delaware top ten winner in electric vehicle. In his TED talk Elijah will discuss the inequities in the public school system. He will juxtapose his experiences at an elite private school and a public middle school and unpack the notion of access and its importance to helping youth reach their full potential.

Emountey White

Student

Emountey White is a junior at Delcastle Technical High School and a College Access Ambassador with TeenSHARP. She is enrolled in the dental assisting Program at her school, where she is working towards her dream of becoming a Pediatric Dentist operating her own practice. She applied to a school that would teach the basis of dental are, which is the least, respected but very crucial part of the dental field and become a dental assistant. While she is miles away from her dream of being a Pediatric Dentist she is only step from her next milestone, which is her certification exam. Dentistry isn’t the only thing that her life consists of... her family is a big part of her life. She is highly involved in her school and community. She is a member of National Honors Society, Student Council, Girl’s Basketball Team and Track and field. In her TED talk Emountey will grapple with the culture of fear Americans have around making mistakes.

Erin McNichol

Artist

Erin McNichol, a ten-year faculty member at Ursuline Academy, teaches art and innovation. With experience in both corporate communications and advertising agencies, Erin combines this expertise in marketing with visual art specifically painting, design and mixed media. Erin has been active as a studio artist, teaching artist, and education committee member at The Delaware Contemporary, a board member and CabSummer teacher at Cab Calloway, and shows artwork locally. She began her art career in Luxembourg, Europe where she started her Face to Face © series of city landmarks. Her latest work in Innovation came from a partnership with 1313 Innovation and University of Delaware. Erin designed a curriculum for Innovation that blends both communication arts and an on-line Entrepreneurial course.

Grace Nordmeyer

Student

Grace Nordmeyer is a sophomore at Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, Delaware, where she has lived her entire life. She has grown up with a strong faith that has led her to volunteering at local organizations including the Ronald McDonald House and her church. Grace also is in the school’s club, Project Unify, where she volunteers at Special Olympics events. Starting at a young age, Grace found her love for sports. She grew up playing volleyball, basketball, and softball but recently changed to playing volleyball, track and field, and golf. Grace plans to attend college and has a goal of being a Physical Therapist, while continuing to explore new life experiences.

Jane Krukiel

Student

Jane Krukiel is a sophomore at Ursuline Academy, where she has been attending since 1st grade. Originally from Delaware, she has lived in England and Georgia. After high school, she hopes to pursue a globally focused career. With her TEDx talk, she hopes to inspire youth to overcome depression and other mental illnesses with confidence, strength, and power. In addition to doing a TEDx talk, she has competed numerous times in the Delaware Poetry Out Loud state finals and enjoys volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House.

Jane Lyons

A sophomore at Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, Delaware, Jane Lyons is no stranger to the plight of those less fortunate in her community. Jane has served many community organizations that support homeless, addicted, post-conviction citizens who are trying to find their way back to a life of dignity and independence. This exposure from an early age has graced her with a strong appreciation for her blessings, as well as the motivation to fight for the rights of adjudicated youth who crave a second chance to become productive members of society. From these efforts Youth Overcoming Obstacles was born. Jane has served her church as an altar server, youth lector and a Thanksgiving project coordinator, and her church community has been extremely supportive of her community initiatives. Jane’s work with the Delaware Community Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Board and Ursuline’s Mock Trial team have provided potential new avenues for reducing recidivism. Whenever possible, Jane combines her love of lacrosse, field hockey and running with her community initiatives, including 5K races and summer sports camps. Jane represents Ursuline on the Varsity Lacrosse, Field Hockey and Winter Track teams. Jane plans to play Lacrosse in college, and to pursue her dream of becoming a psychiatrist.

Jessie Falasco

Jessica Falasco is a high school sophomore at Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, Delaware. She is a very involved student at school and plans to attend college after high school. At the moment Jessica is very interested in fashion. She also loves volunteering at local organizations such as Friendship House, where she has worked to support people in transition. She has also volunteered with Westminster Presbyterian Church’s Vacation Bible School, where she works with young children. Jessica one day hopes to live in New York City and have the opportunity to travel the world. Although she is uncertain about what she wants to do in the future, Jessica hopes to help people and the planet in some way, shape, or form.

Maya Showell

Student

Maya Showell is a Freshman Psychology major at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Soon, she aspires to include a Spanish minor. In 2016, Maya graduated from her alma mater Ursuline Academy. Upon graduation, Maya received the Neilia Hunter Biden award for qualities shown through service to her country, community, and fellow Americans. Being a pioneer of kindness and change in the world is what keeps her going. Through volunteering with organizations such as Special Olympics Delaware, Girls on the Run, and the Dude Be Nice Ambassador program, Maya is able to spread her message of acceptance, unity, and expression. Making a positive impact on someone’s life is always the main goal!

Molly Clark

Student

Molly Clark is a student at Ursuline Academy of Delaware in the graduating class of 2020. She is a member of Student Council and Project Unify, serves as a Student Ambassador and is on the winter track team and both school and club soccer teams. Molly is involved in various service projects that she participates in with her church and school. She enjoys volunteering for athletic programs like Special Olympics and TOPS (The Outreach Program of Soccer). Both programs work to build confidence for individuals with special needs through sports. Molly is an advocate of equality for everyone. She enjoys researching women’s rights and has done several projects on that topic. One of her favorite projects was on Title IX where she created a website on this very important amendment. Her most memorable moment while working on that project was when she interviewed the “Grandmother of Title IX,” Bernice Sandler.

Morgan Thornton

Student

Morgan Taylor Thornton is a student at Delaware State University where she majors in Mass Communications. As a young child, Morgan has always had a passion for people and being an agent of positive change. Through her community service and leadership initiatives, she has worked to promote a message of compassion and unity among all people from all different communities in our world. As Tupac Shakur once said, “I am not saying that I am going to change the world, but I can guarantee that I will spark the brain that will.” Morgan is a proud alumna of Ursuline Academy as well as a devout volunteer with Special Olympics Delaware.

Yara Awad

Student

Yara Awad is a junior at Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, Delaware. Each summer Yara travels to the Middle East, where she visits her family in Jordan and goes on volunteer trips delivering food to starving families in the desert. In Jordan, she visits orphanages where she has financially adopted a young girl whom she continues to mentor overseas through social media. Yara has brought back this love for serving others to the states by serving as Junior class President at Ursuline. Yara has passion for singing and has been a member in multiple ensembles, including the Delaware Allstate Choir. Yara finds joy in participating in track and field as well as mock trial, where she has been awarded two gavels for best attorney.