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).

Mountain View High School
3535 Truman Avenue
Mountain View, California, 94040
United States

Alexis Romero

Does your brain work differently? It's ok, mine does too.

Alexis Romero is a senior at Mountain View High School, a member of the Madrigals choir, and the team captain and assistant coach of the MVHS dive team. Outside of school, she is a lifeguard, dives competitively for Stanford diving, donates a lot of her time doing philanthropic work, and aspires to become a surgeon. In her talk, she will share her story to raise awareness and break down stigmas of learning disabilities in hopes of helping others and showing that success is possible.

Archish Arun

Keeping Passions Close, at a Distance

Archish Arun is a senior at MVHS. After studying classical piano for 7 years, he made the switch to the genres of jazz and pop, cofounding 52prime with Gaurav in his freshman year. Archish is also a member of the San Jose Jazz High School All-stars, as well as other groups with which he gigs around the Bay Area. Outside of music, Archish can be found spending time with his friends, watching Top Gear, or reminiscing on pre-COVID times. Archish and Gaurav will discuss the impact the pandemic has had on 52prime and their music making, in the hopes that their story will inspire others to overcome their hardships, no matter how big or small.

Avi Gerber

My Bias Against Confirmation Bias

Avi Gerber is a senior at Mountain View High School. As Co-President of Conversation Club and Vice-President of the MVLA Speech and Debate club, he loves reading the news and engaging in political discussions. In his speech, he will offer a helpful approach to overcoming confirmation bias when navigating the increasingly confusing process of reading and interpreting the news.

Braeden Atkinson

Does your brain work differently? It's ok, mine does too.

Braeden Atkinson is a senior at Mountain View High School, When he isn’t playing lacrosse or wrestling on the school team, he can be found making something in his garage or backyard. In his talk, he will show the positive impact his learning disability has had on his life, and the ways he has turned his weakness into a strength.

Clara Michaud

Faith

Clara Michaud is a senior at Mountain View High School, and is part of Dance Spectrum, Sunrise Club, Orchestra, and French Honors Society. She has danced competitively for over eight years and has discovered her love for choreographing and teaching in recent years. When she’s not dancing, Clara enjoys spending time in the outdoors and participating in environmental activism. Her dance tells the story of struggling to find and love oneself in a hopeless and dark period in one's life.

David Fishman

Talking fast and slow: how my left brain stole my right arm

David is a versatile, hands-on cloud product and services executive. He is a graduate of Yale School of Management who is energized by hands-on execution and directional leadership.

Ethan Huang

A 4th-grader’s guide to politics and fighting racism.

Ethan Huang is a senior at Mountain View High. When he isn’t procrastinating work by watching youtube videos on x2.3 speed, he is involved in business clubs, speech and debate, and Conversation Club. In his speech he will talk about how the topic Americans have come to dread and avoid—politics. He will discuss the importance and impact of political discourse.

Gaurav Chakravarty

Keeping Passions Close, at a Distance

Gaurav Chakravarty is a senior at MVHS. He picked up the guitar at the age of five years old, beginning his musical journey. After teaching himself how to play, Gaurav started performing around the Bay Area with his father and sister at local cultural performances. Outside of performing and producing, Gaurav loves all things tech, biking with his friends, and he’ll never miss a 49er game. If he’s not collaborating on his next song, he can be found at your local Chipotle. Archish and Gaurav will discuss the impact the pandemic has had on 52prime and their music making, in the hopes that their story will inspire others to overcome their hardships, no matter how big or small.

Izzy Ge

Opening Our Minds

Izzy Ge is a senior at Mountain View High School. When she's not doing school work (or procrastinating), she choreographs pieces for Dance Spectrum, listens to nerdy podcasts, drinks boba, and contemplates the world. It is on her bucket list to fully understand how humans think and interact, and she's starting by asking questions to and understanding those around her.

Julia Gentin

Live for today, don’t schedule for tomorrow.

Julia, a junior at MVHS, runs cross country and track, participates in journalism, teaches voice lessons and always finds the time to read! In her talk, she explores how America's values of efficiency and focus on time are not necessary to lead a meaningful life. Balance can be fulfilled when exuding a "being orientation" and treasuring interpersonal relationships.

Katherine Wang

Redefining Success for Yourself

Katherine is a Senior at Mountain View High School, and is involved in the Math Modeling and Girls Who Code Club at school. Off campus, she has been a competitive Rhythmic Gymnast for 10 years. In her talk, she'll be addressing the overlooked problem of eating disorders and body image issues in rhythmic gymnastics, and how we can redefine success for ourselves in a healthy, happy, and ultimately fulfilling way.

Lucy Nelson

I'm Actually Not Doing Very Well

Lucy Nelson is a senior at Mountain View who enjoys riding horses, solving logic puzzles, and baking bread when she is not working on college applications and studying. In her speech, she will be telling the story of her suicide attempt and hospital visit, as well as providing insight to helping others who are struggling and learning healthy coping mechanisms for suicidal thoughts and ideations.

Maggie Trail

Desensitization in a digital generation.

Maggie Trail is a junior at Mountain View High School doing the CollegeNow program. She enjoys reading and staring at the books she’s amassed, singing with the Madrigals choir, and making spontaneous plans with her friends. During quarantine, she has taken up the guitar, rediscovered her affinity for puzzles, and started interning for Intrinsyx at NASA. When her parents exhibited curiosity regarding the content she consumes for fun, she realized there was much more to explore about the generational differences in explicit content consumption. After conducting a recent survey, Maggie joins us to discuss the role technology and media play in shaping today’s teens and whether or not desensitization has a negative impact on social and emotional development.

Omri Remez

How to Make an Impact, From Scratch

Omri Remez is the Co-Founder of I-For-I and a Senior at Homestead High School. Omri has a wide background of leadership skills as he a counselor for Israeli Scouts and he is also President and Co-founder of both the Jewish Student Union and Spikeball Club at his school. Omri has been playing guitar for 7 years now and teaching for the past three years. He also founded a music talent base group for the Tzofim scout's program which performs with him in front of a crowd of 300+ in the Jewish community center. Within Omri's Talk, he covers a range of approach thinking and how to utilize one's self to succeed within life situations. He covers the art of perspective and how to make a true impact with only the power of our minds and hands. With the same mentality Omri talks about in his Tedx Talk, he has a firm goal of bettering his community and the people surrounding him.

Sonda Frudden

Mistakes we Make and the Practice of Self-forgiveness

Sonda Frudden is a School Counselor for Kindergarten-8th grade students in Pacific Grove, California. She has spent the last 20 years of her career working in a broad range of public school settings. She received her bachelor's degree in Creative Writing from the University of San Francisco and her advanced degree in School Counseling from Saint Mary College. Sonda lives in Monterey, California, with her husband and eight-year-old daughter.

Sudhiksha Lingareddy

Sudhiksha Lingareddy is a 15-year-old Asian-American living in Arizona who enjoys bringing awareness to ideas regarding equality. Colorism has been an issue rooted in society for generations and it is time to break the cycle.

Tiffanie Lai

Hey, hey, are YOU okay?

Tiffanie Lai has contributed to the parks and recreation and first response field for 8 years in Northern California. As an instructor trainer and advocate for staff education and development, she has spoken at different conferences at the district, region, state and national, National Recreation and Park Association level. In 2019, Lai was recognized by California Park & Recreation Society with a "30 under 30" achievement. Currently, she is a Senior Recreation Coordinator with the City of Mountain View, overseeing the program areas of community gardens and Eagle & Rengstorff Park Pool. In her spare time, she is often found focusing on not falling off her bike with triathlon training, and debating which flavour of seltzer water reigns supreme (grapefruit, clearly).