Theme: Impact

Coming from different schools and different backgrounds, the way each UCVTS student defines and views "impact" is different. As each student grows and matures, his or her definition of impact changes, and inevitably, his or her impact on the world also changes. Whether they have a set plan in their life or whether they are unsure where their future footsteps will fall, it is the youth who have the most potential to create an impact on the world around them. So join us in exploring what the youth believe impact is and how impact affects their lives, your life, and the lives of everyone around the world.

Union County Vocational Technical High Schools
1776 Raritan Road
Scotch Plains, New Jersey, 07076
United States

Chi Kin "Nathan" Lam

New Jersey HOSA State President-Elect

Although his first name “Chi Kin” sounds an awful lot like “chicken,” Nathan is no chicken. In fact, he loves taking risks! Whether it is trying to make new friends, giving a speech in front of hundreds of people, or even choosing to leave his home district to attend “The Academy for Allied Health Sciences,” he knows he needs to overcome these challenge to progress in life and grow as a person. Nathan lives his life by the motto: “If you have a Plan B, that means you are not working hard enough for Plan A,” and strives to give 110% to everything he does. Nathan’s favorite pastimes include playing with his puppy, Simba, hanging out with friends, listening to motivational videos, and allowing his imagination wander freely. In the future, Nathan plans to start his own company, dedicated to developing innovations designed to help as many people as possible.

Dev Patel

NJ HOSA State President

Dev Patel is currently a high school student attending the Union County Academy for Allied Health Sciences. As the current New Jersey HOSA State President, he has worked with over 3,500 students across the state who aspire to further themselves as future health professionals. Through organizing annual conferences, he is able to engage with a diverse group of students whom he has grown to learn from and appreciate. Dev has also developed a passion in helping others. By working with cerebral palsy students and teaching young children at his local Hindu temple on a weekly basis, he has learned the importance of connecting to people of all identities. Although he is young, he believes his unique insight of the modern generation juxtaposed with the upbringings of his traditional culture play an important role in his perspective of the world. Treading this careful line, he has found when all else fails, candor, compassion, and humor have kept him strong in these two parts of his identities.

Ritika Sinha-Chaudhuri

Congressional Essay Award Winner

Ritika is someone who does not hesitate to throw herself into uncomfortable situations. With a love of English and history, she wants to study politics and law in the future. She loves writing, debating, and public speaking. Ritika is someone who firmly believes that debating isn’t just about agreeing or disagreeing, it’s about a new perspective and how that perspective changes how you think about that topic. So here she is, brimming with opinions and ideas that you may or may not agree with. Today, she will be speaking about perfectionism, specifically with regards to the college admissions system. Maybe it's something you've thought about, maybe it isn't but either way, let's think about it now.

Riya Bansal

Student Council Secretary

Riya is a lively sophomore at Union County Technical. Currently enrolled in the Academy for Law and Justice, she has a heed for worldly issues and solutions. She loves to express herself in everything she does, from her clothes to her voice. TEDx is an opportunity to combine these two and communicate to a large audience. She has a big heart and loves animals, especially dogs. She has a creative side as well through playing and listening to music as well as partaking in different forms of art. She is involved in a variety of clubs around school and loves to discover new things. Her hopes lie in getting into a field that has real influence in the future.