Theme: Harmony in Diversity: Navigating Tomorrow's Tapestry

TEDxYouth events present creative and insightful conversations through extraordinary live performances. They are spoken by, organized by, and aimed at young people. We bring TEDxYouth to our community through Walter Murray Collegiate with the intention to introduce new ideas and open up new doors to the adolescents around us!

The speakers of TEDxYouth@WalterMurray are excited to share their insight on our theme, “Harmony in Diversity: Navigating Tomorrow’s Tapestry”. This brilliant group of minds hopes to spread their ideas to change the world in a variety of ways. From the workplace and finances, to politics and the beauty industry, they are excited to inspire you to improve life for both yourself and others!

The Workplace of Tomorrow: Impacts of Automation on Future Jobs - Abhinav Menon
Why We SHOULDN’T Teach Our Kids To Save - David
Polarization in Canada - Louis-Pascal Guérette DeVink
Vilifying Ideological Opponents - Joti Gokaraju
The Importance of Art - Medha Sarma
The Unsung Truth of ‘Sustainable’ Cosmetology - Obii Udemgba

About the Team:
TEDxYouth@WalterMurrayCollegiate is organized by a group of passionate high school students scattered across Canada who believe in creating positive change to the world with their own hands. Each member of the organization had worked fervently and tirelessly for this event. With their diverse backgrounds and abilities, there is no doubt that TEDxYouth@WalterMurrayCollegiate will be complete TED’s mission to Spread Ideas, Foster Communities and Create Impact with nothing short of elegance.

About the Executive Organizer:
Shixuan “Nini” Li is the licensed Organizer and Executive Producer of TEDxYouth@WalterMurrayCollegiate! She’s currently a Saskatoon student attending Walter Murray Collegiate in senior year with an unrelenting passion for the fine arts, sciences and public speaking. After making her own TEDx speech in 2022 at TEDxYouth@PickeringCollege, she introduced “Ideas Worth Sharing” to her school system in Saskatoon, 2023, aspiring to discover and motivate the future leaders of the world. She cannot wait to further inspire the people around the world!

About the Co-organizer:
Lisa Kalesnikoff is very excited to be the teacher liaison and staff organizer for TEDxYouth@WalterMurrayCollegiate. It has been her pleasure to work with and teach gifted students in Saskatoon for the past seventeen years. She is excited to see where this year’s organizing committee takes this special adventure for academic discourse and growth. Being both a learner and a leader fuels Lisa’s personal energy and drive for continued higher learning.

About the Executive Producer:
Caleb Waldschmidt is currently a sophomore student at Walter Murray Collegiate who loves writing, literature, running and engineering (amongst other things!). Always driven to make a difference, Caleb was a member of the Post-Production team for our TEDx event in 2023. He is thrilled to inspire more people as the Executive Producer this year!

Walter Murray Collegiate Auditorium
1905 Preston Ave S
Auditorium
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7J 2E7
Canada

Abhinav Menon

Debater, High School Student

Abhinav Menon is a high school student at Aden Bowman Collegiate. Curious and driven, he is an IB student with successes in debate, model UN, and science fairs. His interests span badminton, flute, and reading. As a youth on the cusp of entering the workforce, Abhinav will discuss how automation tools are changing the future job market. Innovations in AI and robotics have sparked conversations on the stability and availability of jobs in various industries. Abhinav noticed how current discourse is affected by popular culture, fear, and frustration, and believes it is crucial to have a precise understanding of present and future automation tools. He hopes to participate in discourse that empowers youth to pursue their passions and career choices.

David Delisle

Amazon Bestselling Author, Entrepreneur, Real Estate Investor, Public Speaker, Father

David Delisle, is an Amazon bestselling author, entrepreneur, real estate investor, speaker, and most importantly, Dad. He is a contributor to Entrepreneur, Yahoo! News, Business Insider and more. At age 11, David made his first investment. By 20, he began investing in real estate and was retired by 40. In his TEDx speech, David challenges the conventional by explaining why we SHOULDN’T teach our kids to save. Instead he introduces a completely different way to think about money. He’ll illustrate how we’re often inadvertently teaching our kids the endless consumerism we’re hoping to avoid. By embracing mindfulness and prioritizing what’s truly important, which he terms The Awesome Stuff™, David suggests breaking free from the perpetual pursuit of more and fostering a healthier relationship with wealth.

Joti Gokaraju

Debater, Scientist, High School Student

Joti is a Grade 11 student at Walter Murray Collegiate. He is a debater, having placed in the Grand Finals of the International Competition for Young Debaters 2022, and a science enthusiast, being awarded a Silver Medal at the 2021 Canada-wide Science Fair. In his spare time, he can be found at the basketball court, playing badminton, or catching up on the latest books. Through his TEDx Speech, Joti will unpack the growing movements that reject and antagonize those with ideological differences. He hopes to explain that issues such as cancel culture, “woke” wars, and political antagonism are mere symptoms of a broader cancer. The root of these problems is the increasing vilification of political and ideological opponents – viewing them as not “people with different opinions” but as “people with the wrong opinions who must be silenced.” Joti presents his vision for a brighter future, requiring a shift in mentality from us all if we want to build an ordered, progressive society.

Louis-Pascal G. DeVink

Francophone, High School Student

Louis-Pascal G. DeVink, a student at Walter Murray Collegiate, is a proud francophone. He is also passionate about mathematics and politics. In his TEDx speech, Louis-Pascal will be talking about polarization and how Canadian politics have become ever more divided in recent years. He will speak to the increase in partisan sorting, performance politics, and media sensationalism. Without dwelling too much on the big-picture issues, he will delve down into what these shifts mean for the individual Canadian youth in the context of democracy, explaining the possible consequences in the future, and what’s happening now. Louis-Pascal is becoming increasingly worried at the distrust and desperation with regards to our political system. In his talk, he will try to lift the spirits of youth, all the while stressing the urgency of taking action to make a more democratic Canada for the future.

Medha Sarma

Artist, Writer, High School Student

Medha Sarma is a Grade 11 student at Walter Murray Collegiate. She leads the WMC Book Club, is an editor of the school paper, and is set to have her work published in Windscript Literary Magazine. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, sketching, and spending time with friends. In her TEDx speech, Medha will be exploring the topic of why art is important today. Art has always been a vital part of the human experience, not only as an aesthetic, but as a portrayal of emotion and a method of personal connection. However, Medha has noticed how art has become a field that is often undervalued. Those who choose a career in art tend to face judgment, and art programs regularly lack sufficient funding. Through her speech, Medha will examine how perspectives and treatment of the arts have changed over time, and why it is crucial to value art going forward.

Obii Udemgba

Community Leader, Volunteer, Public Speaker, Blogger, High School Student

Obiajulu Udemgba (Obii), is a grade 12 student at Walter Murray Collegiate in Saskatoon. She is a young community leader who demonstrates a keen interest in community service through active volunteerism supporting social justice, animal rights, and environmental and community capacity-building causes. She was a speaker at the 2023 Threads Conference: Cultural Conversations. She has written blog articles for many organizations and has also received prize money for her efforts. At this event, Obii will speak on the ever-growing impact of the cosmetology industry on natural environments and societies, and the value of personal responsibility. Obii seeks to share an honest perspective on the issue, encourage others to reflect on their personal decisions regarding their use of the finite resources that we too often take for granted, and ultimately, advocate for a paradigm shift within the realm of the beauty industry.