TEDxYouth@RVA returns to the Collegiate School this Saturday

Students from three high schools have come together to put on the event, now in its second year.

November 11, 2015; 10:09 AM • by Trevor Dickerson

The Collegiate School, James River High School, and Glen Allen High School seniors have partnered to bring a TEDxYouth event back to the West End. The second annual TEDxYouth@RVA will take place this Saturday.

Since May, more than a dozen local high school students have been brainstorming and collaborating on how to bring together bright minds to give short, powerful talks about ideas worth spreading at the event, according to organizers.

This year’s theme for TEDxYouth@RVA Richmond is “Made in the Future.” Speakers ages 13 to 45 will share personal views, ideas, and insights related to this topic.

“One thing I hear constantly is that our future is in jeopardy if we don’t fix things,” said David Angstadt, a senior at Collegiate who is a part of the organizing committee. “As a society, we tend to focus on the negatives we are, and will be, facing in the future. I can think of no better resource to use to portray a positive view of the future.”

Among Saturday’s speakers will be Dominic Barrett of Shalom Farms, Josh Bailey from the Gray Haven Project, students from Tomahawk Creek Middle School and their e-Nable the Future project, Craig Dodson of Richmond Cycling Corps, Ellen Cockerham of Classical Revolution RVA, and many more.

Interactive demonstrations throughout the day will include the Tomahawk Creek students demonstrating how to assemble 3D printed hands, Luke Tyson of SEW for SOS teaching about his project, Hillary Zell form Studio Two Three teaching screen printing, and a student from Moody Middle School showing his award-winning science project on the effect of dogs on lowering stress in children.

“I think that TEDxYouth@RVA is a place where people all over the Metro Richmond area can come, listen to ideas, enjoy a night of fun with people they have never met, who live where they live and leave with an empowered spirit that will hopefully start to shake the world awake and into action,” said Dorcas Afolayan, a senior at Collegiate.

The event will take place Saturday evening, November 14th, from 5:00 – 9:30 PM in the Hershey Center for the Arts Oates Theater, located at the Collegiate School at 103 North Mooreland Road. It is free and open to the general public, but advance registration is required.