Theme: Wish it, Dream it, Do it.

ISM’s second ever TEDxYouth event took place on Saturday the 15th of October, and it was a great success. We are all delighted with the attendance and had a fabulous time throughout the afternoon. This year's theme of “Wish it! Dream it! Do it!” Allowed for 9 fabulous and inspirational speeches from our speakers of ages 10 to 17, whom we are all very proud of. During the event, the audience got a chance to share their own aspirations for the future which included wishing for a healthy planet and, from one of our 8 year old audience members: living until 105 years old. As well as this, the audience was able to enjoy some wonderful snacks provided by our dedicated catering. On top of all of this, Colette Marx-Nielsen put together a number of sensational musical performances which entertained and livened up the spectators. We are extremely grateful to our sponsors, Amberlake Partners, Hill Robinson and Talent Reimagined, and the PTA for their tremendous support which allowed the event to take place.

About the theme: Dreams, wishes and aspirations are all part of our lives. However, from childhood to adulthood, dreams become extremely different. Not only that, their meanings are often deeply embedded within each dream, making it hard to decipher. One could also say that we should question on whether or not we should act on dreams, or question the whole way we consciously dream.
With such a broad topic, we look forward to seeing the variety of takes from our speakers, on this common theme and how they will inspire each audience member!

International School of Monaco
10-12 Quai Antoine 1er
Monaco, Port-Hercule, 98000
Monaco

Alexandra Vlad

Student

Hi! My name is Alexandra Vlad and I am ten years old. I was born in Nice, though I live in Monaco and my family comes from Romania. I have 2 siblings and 1 dog. My hobbies are climbing trees, playing football and most importantly, art. I joined TEDx to improve my confidence on stage like most people and possibly to help me defeat my slight stage fright. Also, I want to improve my ability to really express myself. In the past I have sometimes been afraid to express myself because I thought that nobody would really listen to me, but it’s such a relief to speak and to know that everyone is listening to me.

Amael Anwar

Student

Hi, my name is Amael and I am Swiss. I am a Year 13 student and have been in ISM for the past 2 years. I have a wide range of interests outside of school from tennis or scuba diving to playing the guitar or, even, flying planes. When I heard the school was having a second TEDx event, I was absolutely thrilled. There was though the fact that I have a love-hate relationship when it comes to public speaking. Over the years, through MUN (Model United Nations), I’ve slowly built up my confidence, growing from an extremely introverted 11-year-old to now, where I feel more serene when I’m in the spotlight. I’ve also always been a fan of TEDx speeches, as the angle one takes on an issue is really unique and characterises that individual on their own. When ordinary people like you and I start listening to someone reveal their way of thinking, it can either motivate them or entertain them, but the important thing is that it reveals a new perspective and outlook on how to see certain situations.

Amali Benner

Student

My name is Amali Benner. I am in year seven and I love reading. I also love talking. In fact, a lot of my friends call me a chatterbox because I talk so much. But I recently learnt that talking just for the sake of talking is rambling and purely a waste of words. So I joined TEDxYouth to, like most people, improve my speaking skills. I think TEDxYouth is interesting because you can talk about things that mean something to you or to other people. People will listen to you and hopefully learn from the things you have to say.

Amelia Banks Clark

Student

My name is Amelia, I'm 11 years old and I'm in Year 6. I am English but was born in Monaco. I am a keen show jumper and am jumping internationally at 1m 15cm, which is extraordinary for my age. Participating in extracurriculars is really important to me because it extends and encourages me to be the best version of myself. I wanted to join TEDx because it seemed exciting and I love debating and writing pieces. The communication skills that I will learn here will be extremely helpful in the future for jobs, further education and when meeting people from foreign countries. Moreover, I have been doing LAMDA for most of my life and I like standing up and speaking, as I have lots of practice doing it. It is also important for females to be given opportunities to make a mark on the world and have their voices and opinions heard. I have really enjoyed the preparation in the weeks leading up to the audition. I am really happy that I was accepted as a speaker for TEDxYouth

Céleste Schofield

Student

My name is Celeste Maximiana Schofield, and I am 12 years old. I love rock climbing, and I LOVE eating lemons! I love animals, too. Another thing I love is reading. Why I love it so much is because when you read a book, if it’s a good book, you suddenly feel as if you have plunged into a freezing pool, rise up out of the other side and suddenly your character changes and then poof(!) you are the heartbroken young Student in The Nightingale and the Rose or you are the old man from Old Man and the Sea! You get to discover all the different planets, Countries, Continents, and even different universes! The reason I wanted to join TEDxYouth was because I felt that all the people around the world who weren’t confident enough to show a talent that could change the world needed a little push, and they will succeed. So, if you are that person, hear this, and know you are loved for who you are and for anything you do :)

Margherita Sparaco

Student

My name is Margherita although my friends call me Margy, I turn 14 in January and was born in Rome although I’ve been raised in Monaco my whole life. Moreover, You could say I grew up at Ism and have always loved public speaking and presenting and this is why I’ve applied to the Ted x public speaking event this year. I feel that opening up yourself to new opportunities is the essence of infancy and I am looking forward to be able to present my thought and ideas on the topic “Wish it,Dream it, Do it”.

Olivia Chisholm

Student

Hi, I am Olivia Chisholm and I am so excited to be a speaker at this TEDx event! I have had the opportunity to participate in other public speaking events such as a speech competition in year 9 and MUN debates but nothing on this scale. I am 16 years old English and South-African though I grew up here in the south of France. I went to a French school where I learnt the language before joining the International School of Monaco in Year 7 . Outside of school I have a multitude of interests and hobbies. I love swimming, hiking and reading in my free time. I also participate in MUN, student senate and International Award although my biggest love is for sciences. I hope that through this speech I will convey my take on this theme.

Solomon Passegger

Student

As some of you probably already know, my name is Solomon. I was born in Austria and I lived there for about seven years in the southern countryside. I am very interested in Cybersecurity and IT in general. I also play some keyboard in my freetime and I am an avid basketball player and swimmer. Now let me talk about why I came to TEDxYouth. I chose to attend the TEDxYouth program to improve my skills in public speaking. I also joined because I knew I would need these skills in future, such as for a future job. I also wanted to be able to present myself and other important topics with great confidence and power to earn a great reputation. This, of course, involves a lot of practice and time, but I think I can overcome these challenges.

Sophia Zweegers

Student

Hello my name is Sophia Zweegers. I'm 12 years old, and I’ll be 13 in May. I am half Moroccan and half Dutch. I speak English, French, Dutch, a bit of Moroccan and I’m studying Spanish in school. Last year I did my first TED talk, and I enjoyed it so much that it became my favourite hobby aside from gymnastics, debating in MUN, Art, Drama/theatre, history, languages and public speaking. I am now in Year 8 and I am attending the International School of Monaco. The reason I love TED talks is because it lets you hear and see different perspectives on one topic, which I believe is awesome!