Theme: Live Your Best Life

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).

Kerr-McGee Auditorium of the Meinders School of Business on the campus of Oklahoma City University
2501 N. Blackwelder Avenue
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73106
United States

Abigail Boatmun

Student at Durant High School

Live to understand the power of choice. Rhetoric or Research: The Scientific Validation of the Sayings That Make My Eyes Roll. I will be talking about the research behind common sayings in my household. “Yet is the most important word” and “Choose your comparisons wisely” will be the two focused on. It will incorporate Dweck’s fixed vs. growth mindset and Duckworth’s grit research along with Emmon and McCullough’s research on comparisons and gratitude.

Alexa Russell

Student at Pryor High School

Live with purpose. I’ll be talking about the most important and insistent question you’ll ever have to answer in order to live your best life: “Why?”

Baruc Lara

Student at the University of Oklahoma

Live to serve others. I am speaking about how to better yourself to better others: I will touch base on the habits and mindset to go about improving yourself to build a better life for others.

Bri Sanders

Student at Byng High School

Live to be yourself. I will be discussing mental illness and why it’s so important to combat the stigma surrounding it. Not only does it affect how we can live, but how those who are uneducated about it can live around us. I’m beyond excited to be able to change the perspective of how mental illness actually affects day to day life, as well as bring light to the darkness surrounding those diagnosed.

Cavin Shambles

Student at Vinita High School

Live to be healthy and happy. I will be discussing science-based nutrition and the real power behind the BMR (Base Metabolic Rate) to living a more healthy and successful life. I was like many others who tried countless diet plans that promised quick results yet I as delved deeper into science-based nutrition I discovered what really worked.

Chloe Dean

Student at Broken Arrow High School

Live to connect and equalize. My talk is concerned with food deserts and food insecurity. While we are concerned with “living our best life,” it is important to recognize how our communities struggle wholistically, and we must look to ways to improve. Minimizing food insecurity and building a healthier, more equal, society for our people begins to level out the playing field begins. It all begins with awareness and efforts to meet our communities most basic needs.

Enoch Porter

Student at Ada High School

Live to relax. I will be talking about how to live a “Stress-Free Life.” In life, you’re always going to get stressed out about things, but I’m going to talk about how to deal with stress in your life so you can live your best life.

Gardner Roby

Student at Crossings Christian School

Live to be the first you rather than the next someone else. I’m talking about living your best life for yourself and not anyone else.

Jakob Lavicky

Student at Stillwater High School

Live to be yourself. A Perception is a reality. What we believe about ourselves is what we become. If we can control the way we perceive ourselves, we can create our own reality, form the events that take place in our lives, and decide what kind of world we live in. If we can be empowered to believe in ourselves, we can unlock countless doors in life, achieve anything we put our minds to and make the world a better place. I will work to empower people to live their best lives by answering two important questions: how can we control the way we perceive ourselves and how can we be empowered to believe in ourselves? I will discuss topics that must be understood about perception and self-belief. My goal is to uplift people and encourage them to do great things they would have otherwise not done. There is so much potential locked within countless people. All these people need to begin unlocking their potential is to give them the knowledge that they can use to empower themselves.

Jayke Flaggert

Student at Choctaw High School

Live to inspire. A “Why” is the driving force behind anything that you attempt to accomplish. If you have no purpose, although you may accomplish great things, you are missing out on the important personal growth that comes with affixing your actions and drive to something bigger than yourself. This talk will take a brief analysis of influential, relevant people who made history and prove that although they are known for their impressive feats, they only could achieve those goals through a strong and direct “Why” or purpose. People like Gandhi, Oprah, Shakespeare, MLK, Plato, Da Vinci, and Einstein- although each accomplished amazing feats- all had one underlying motive that was essential to the success of their goals.

Joseph Lilliard

Student at Miami High School

Live to make the money of your dreams. I’ll be going over the things that you don’t want to do when your making to beat the markets. Teens should know how the stock markets work because we are the future of the finance world.

Luke Akers

Student at Classen School of Advanced Studies

Live to be in the moment. My talk is about how we, as a society, are addicted to social media and how, whether if we realize it or not, it can actually do more damage to our mental health than we know. I will be sharing my personal experience, and talking about ways that I have cut out social media and how it has improved my life.

Luke Kerr

Student at Deer Creek High School

Live to love the planet as you would love anything else. I will be talking about the power an individual has in making changes to combat climate change. Change comes from the bottom up, and if we expect our legislators to take action, we must show them that we are taking action, too. I will be talking about strategies and tips for individuals to take in their daily lives to live more sustainably and how regular people can make a real change for our planet.

Macy Bush

Student at Skiatook High School

Live to be positive. I will be speaking about is how a positive mindset affects your mental health. I truly believe that having a positive mindset in each day can improve everyone’s life. My hope and expectation for my talk is to inspire others to truly capture the mentality that is positive thinking. If we all take on the challenge of optimistic thinking and live to think positively we can enhance our lives, our communities, and overall the world.

Maggi Dansby

Student at Latta High School

Live to include others. I will be speaking about the idea of youth in the Inclusion Revolution. Not only will our peers with disabilities benefit from a hint of kindness and an open door to opportunity, but so does the rest of the community without special needs. The theme of this TEDxYouth series is “Living Your Best Life”, this should apply to EVERYONE. No one can live their best life if they are excluded from the same opportunities and friendships that everyone else has. We need to focus on the love, not the disability.

Max Salcido

Student at Oklahoma State University, OKC

Live to encourage. Often when I meet new people and introduce myself using my preferred pronouns, I am told: “you are the first trans person I have ever met”. While many people have seen representations of the trans and gender non-conforming community online- even more have probably heard negative stereotypes or caricatures about us- few have taken the time to research, understand, or interrogate their internalized notions of gender identity. I will be talking about the ways in which we can grow our humanity and our compassion by learning to ask ourselves tough questions and hold ourselves responsible for our toxic thoughts and behaviors.

Maya Shadid

Student at Classen School of Advanced Studies

Live to be happy. Preventing addictions in teenagers is the key to lessening the burden on the communities of America. My suggestions will offer you an expensive way that will benefit you for years. Without addiction, a person is able to live their best life.

Stone Yang

Student at Bartlesville High School

Live to learn. My talk conveys the necessities of pursuing knowledge for the sake of cultivating the mind. Knowledge is not just about getting through school with passing grades, rather it is about developing an understanding of the world around you. Acquisition of knowledge is what drives innovation within yourself and the community.