Theme: Creating the Future Blueprint

A school-based Youth Event aiming to spark Community, Connection, and Conversation. This event is ran and hosted by students from the school. Along with our speakers, we will be exploring a variety of ideas in a wide range of fields.

Apply to be a speaker:

https://forms.gle/SNRCEDDchBKsz5NEA

TEDxElgin Park Secondary School
13484 24 Ave
Surrey, British Columbia, V4A 2G5
Canada

Adam Han

High School Student at Elgin Park Secondary School

My name is Adam Han and I am a grade 11 student at Elgin Park Secondary. With the little amount of free time I get now, I like to read, play the piano, and watch movies. I am looking to educate myself on various subjects so that in the future, I can use the skills and knowledge I‘ve learned to become a successful entrepreneur. It was in this pursuit that I picked up debate. Since starting it in elementary school, I’ve been participating in debate at a competitive level for seven years. I‘ve felt, very deeply, all the benefits that the activity can bring to someone. I’ve been to all kinds of local, regional, and international tournaments and my goal is to use my speech to show you some of debate‘s magic and maybe even motivate you to try it yourself.

Sarah Yu

High School Student at Elgin Park Secondary School

Hello! My name is Sarah and I am a grade 11 student at Elgin Park Secondary. For many students, including myself, high school can be a very stressful and challenging period. The constant search for balance between academics, extracurricular activities, and the intricacies of social interactions can create an overwhelming environment that takes a tremendous toll on physical and mental well-being. Yet, there is so much more to high school than academics and superficial participation in clubs and committees. Many fail to realize that high school is a precious and unique opportunity that doesn‘t last for long. The journey of self-discovery stems from those crucial five years of a teen’s life — a time where they can explore their passions, challenge themselves, and cultivate essential life skills without much at stake. High school is the place to do everything and anything, building self-identity along the way.

Trish Wagner

High School Teacher (Psychology & French) at Elgin Park Secondary School

Hi there my name is Trish Wagner. I am a mom of three young adults who are Elgin grads and a high school teacher in Surrey of 35 years. I recently went back to school to get my masters in counseling as I realized I needed more tools to help me do this job that I love so much! I am passionate about learning about how to help support others to thrive in this ever challenging world.

Vanny Verma

High School Student at Princess Margaret Secondary

Hello everyone, My name is Vanny Verma – a community advocate who loves to volunteer. I’m currently in grade 11, at Princess Margaret Secondary. Giving back is a very key part of my personality. In addition to voluntary work, I enjoy shopping and also like opening up new viewpoints on the world through travelling. I am affiliated with many different City Of Surrey initiatives. Currently enrolled in Yell program, to empower myself and other youths to take on actions for their future. I am compelled to be a part of TEDxElgin Park Secondary School because I believe in the power of ideas to ignite positive change. My chosen topic, “Spreading Empathy in a Divided World,” is deeply personal. However, the continuous wars in Palestine and Israel have shown how necessary empathy is worldwide. This curiosity motivates me to investigate the ways in which cultivating empathy could help overcome this divided world we live in and create understanding and sympathy.

Victor Zhang

High School Student at Grandview Heights Secondary

My name is Victor Zhang and I am a current Grade 10 at Grandview Heights Secondary. My interests span the fields of Speech, Debate, and Model United Nations as well as physical activities like rugby and weightlifting. Moreso, I have had an ardent interest in the fields of business from a young age. My experience with debate has further allowed me to delve into my interest into business and policies, spending hours going down rabbit holes of corporate policies, finance models, and economic theory. These deep dives have illuminated the pervasive issue of corporate activities infringing on our privacy, particularly concerning biometric and general data. My talk desires to stress how shrouded practices in shadows of the internet will affect you, and what seemingly is a giant of an obstacle, can crumble as mirages when we step forward against this issue.

Yi Zhang

High School Student at Elgin Park Secondary School

My name is Yi Zhang and I am currently a grade 10 student here at Elgin. I have been aware of the chronic trend of juan at our school lately. Juan is when you are working way too hard on something, in order to outperform others in academics, athletics, etc. In other words, juan is the inflation of effort. It is a vicious cycle and can cause anxiety and overwhelming pressure. I have been a victim of juan. It made my life so much more pressured and eventually led to my body breaking down. To create a better future, we need to recognize the effects of juan and stop competing for nothing at the expense of our health.