Theme: Ripple

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Old Scona Academic
10523 84 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta, T6R 0P1
Canada

Annika Chrapko

Student

From a young age, Annika Chrapko has been passionate about the environment, helping others, and making a positive impact. She is a Grade 10 student involved in many activities and organizations such as the City of Edmonton Youth Council, Edmonton's Community Helpers Program, and Edmonton Youth for Climate. Being connected to people and nature has given her plentiful subject matter for her TEDx Talk, which is about the life-giving importance of bees to people and the planet. Not only has Annika done physical work in a beekeeper's suit, she has also been on the economic side of the equation. Alongside her family members, she sells the output of the family's farm through small businesses. Part of those businesses requires having a well pollinated orchard - thanks to the bees! Although bees seem small and insignificant, they have a huge impact on the environment and economy.

Ari Kapoor

Student

Ari Kapoor, a grade 11 student at Old Scona Academic, is interested in every course, every experience gained, and every person they meet. They have a deep interest in the fine arts and performing arts ever since they discovered the unique opportunities to spread messages. The knowledge Ari gained from multiple disciplines enabled them to learn so much beyond academics, driving them to make a difference not only by influencing other people's actions but also their mindsets. After all, they believe that the minds of people are an entire world on their own and are highly capable. In their talk, they will be discussing how overthinking is a gift and how humans can use this gift to encourage change and control in their life. Aside from learning about themselves and encouraging others to do the same, they also love helping others by volunteering and taking on initiatives.

Dequawn Brown

Student

Challenging the status quo is the only way to step into the future. Questioning constantly and proposing alternative solutions to existing problems and asking why along the way provides insight into the unknown and protection against ignorance. As a student, soccer player and programmer, Brown navigates the difficult subject of addressing one’s environment and its influence on the trajectory of one’s life and work. Dequawn Brown has a passion for programming, team sports and debate and has found himself great success in these areas locally and nationally. Dequawn Brown is a STEM instructor and course manager at Black Boys Code Academy, an academy focused on breaking down the barriers into programming for especially, but not only, black youth. Brown takes great pride in his leadership and interaction with youth across the world as the CTO of Marketyze and captain of the u17 Albertan Provincial Champion soccer team. Although, like most of the world, he calls it football.

Ghalia Aamer

Founder and CEO of TalkMaze

Ghalia Aamer is a 20-year old social entrepreneur and community leader. As the daughter of two immigrant parents, she believes that her parents immigrating to Canada before she was born was her greatest privilege. However, with that came an astounding amount of expectations - those that others put on her and even those that she has for herself. Ghalia’s talk will explore her ongoing journey of navigating the fact that she can’t live up to all those expectations and how no one can. Ghalia is passionate about advocacy for youth entrepreneurship and represents Canada as Policy Lead and Delegate at the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance Summit. As the Founder and CEO of TalkMaze, Ghalia works with hundreds of students across the world empowering them through public speaking and debate programs.

Jackie Cai

Student

Jackie believes the world is lathered with addiction feeding services, in which many slip under the eyes of common users. In such a world of chaos, he recognizes the common struggle to happiness and the facades of joy people grasp onto that are provided through their phones. This realization made Jackie think about people that choose to remain addicted but also the qualities that make others capable of breaking free. As an athlete, filmmaker, and coder obsessed with self-improvement, Jackie shares his experience detoxing addictive "dopamine" apps and finding lasting happiness in daily life. He chooses to stray from the norm and hopes that others will do the same to lead more intentional and decluttered lives.

Julianna Huang

Student

Punctuation is the fundamental foundation for all literacy, yet we often find one punctuation tool neglected. Fascinated by the history, present, and future of the semicolon, Julianna discusses the reasoning behind her decision of becoming a semicolon activist, as well as why you should become one too! As a humanities oriented Grade 10 student, she is passionate about speech, debate, and essay writing, and has published countless Mandarin articles in "The Chinese Journal." Julianna not only finds interest in her academic studies, but has also represented Team Canada in the 8th World Kungfu Championship and won gold. However, her ambitions don't stop there. Believing in justice for all, Julianna proves through her TedX talk how she is more than merely a semicolon activist.

Sayem Ali Ahmed

Student

Today's discourse on racism tends to defer responsibility to "the institutions" or "systemic barriers" with limited evidence of how this is the case. For activists this is frustrating, for antiracist skeptics it's concerning, and for racists it's empowering. As a student, debater, and youth advocate, Sayem Ali Ahmed uses this example to explore some of the institutional pressures on how our discourse addresses issues of systemic inequality. Outside of school and work, Ali is fascinated by the far recesses of the universe as much as he is by the mechanics of our earthly microcosm, and has a keen interest in manifesting this curiousity through words and film.

Yoyo Liu

Student

Yoyo is a grade 11 student with a little bit of interest in everything. While exploring her future paths, she realized that like many other students, it became hard for her to find *the* path that she wants to take. Concerned about making such a huge life decision at a young age, she began to wonder about the necessity of determining one’s whole life in high school where resources are limited and students are yet to enter the society. She feels that it is necessary for students to understand that there are more options available than those presented, and there is always an “in between” way where students don’t need to give up their passion for another. In her talk, she will be explaining how making connections and linking knowledge together can lead to new discoveries. She hopes to encourage high school students to explore their interests, find a wide range of future possibilities, and understand the importance of interdisciplinary fields.