Theme: Through the Looking Glass

A shift in perspective, a journey into the unknown, an exploration of unfamiliar realms where reality is transformed. From talks to performances, we invite you to deepen your appreciation and explore the need for multiple perspectives in our lives. Join us as we explore our speakers’ perspectives ‘through the looking glass’ to learn what it means for them from different walks of life. TEDx@SAIS Youth is a non-profit conference. Tickets are available at the link in our Instagram bio.

Stamford American International School
1 Woodleigh Lane
Singapore, Central Singapore, 357684
Singapore

David Schneer

English as an Additional Language (EAL) Teacher + Head of Department

Our names carry with them our cultures, family histories and deep personal significance. However, in international schools in Asia, it is quite common for students from non-Western countries to change their given names to Western ones in order to better acclimate to an international school environment. David Schneer encourages students to retain their given names and urges teachers and other students to learn the real names of their students and peers.

Debbie Fordyce

President of Transient Workers Count Too

As current president of local charity TWC2, Debbie Fordyce works with the men who operate the machinery and wield the hand tools to build the city and keep it clean and beautiful, and with the women who mop floors, wash cars, cook meals and care for the children in the households where they are employed. Transient migrant workers, says Debbie, deserve not only to be celebrated but to work in a safe, compassionate and equitable system.

Ishita Anand

President of SAIS High School Student Council

For Grade 12 student Ishita Anand, the biggest learning from globalization is not the tangible items we get, but the values and lessons passed down by our ancestors. One thing she values is sustainability in the intersection of culture and food. Ishita proposes that, when leading a sustainable life, we should learn from our elders and our culture, share it with one another, and develop a united, global, and considerate consumer culture.

Jason Gu

SAIS Grade 9 student

Jason Gu shares his ideas on breaking away from the current mindset. He encourages the pursuit of perfection in a world that may never be perfect, exploring the duality of utopia and dystopia through the looking glass of our perceptions. Jason is a Grade 9 student at Stamford American International School.

Nilambera Pradhan

Studentpreneur + founder of Atoms to Mountains

Millions of girls worldwide will never reach their full potential simply because they will never finish school. Nilambera Pradhan is passionate about the impact of this lost potential on the world, and the lack of support and resources for girls’ education. Nilambera has created Atoms to Mountains, which enables students worldwide to be impactful allies for the cause, with just three simple taps on their smartphones.

Philip Panaino

Global head of cash management at Standard Chartered Bank

Philip Panaino shares three ideas that he hopes students will take to heart as they make their way through the world: value the diverse people around you, stay as humble as Nelson Mandela, and don’t let greed corrupt you. Hailing from South Africa, Philip is passionate about sustainable economics, and his knowledge in the “fintech” sector (financial technology) is matched by his readiness to impart knowledge and his insight into people.

Shengtong (Tony) Lin

First-time arranger of instrumental music

A first-time music composer, 11th-grade student Tony Lin believes that sharing different perspectives from our multiple cultures brings people together. He views himself as a science student, and yet he plays everything from piano to traditional Chinese flute. Last year he tried his hand at arranging Ryuichi Sakamoto’s “Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence,” which was then performed by the SAIS Chinese Ensemble. Tony says music is magical, a universal language of all humankind.

Shreya Jha

SAIS Grade 10 student

Shreya Jha explores the impact of collaboration within the field of One Health and dives into upcoming studies. She envisions breakthroughs such as the artificial pancreas benefitting humans as well as animals. While understanding the similarities and differences between small and monumental feats of teamwork, Shreya discusses the power that collaboration holds and the discoveries following it. Shreya is a Grade 10 student at Stamford American International School.