Theme: Who Knew?

TEDxKids@SMU is a one-of-a-kind experience and the first ever TED style conference for kids. Middle school students in 6th, 7th and 8th grade from across North Texas will come to SMU’s campus to engage with big ideas and great conversations. This day is dedicated to kids; adults are asked to sit in the balcony while high school volunteer hosts sit with the students on the main floor. During the breaks the energy and raw curiosity of 550 young minds all in one room is contagious: ideas are presented on stage then debated with the speaker, partners demonstrate the latest technology and teach creative expression, and all the while future leaders are being formed. The experience is free of charge and in return each student gives 4 hours of service back to their community. Now that’s an idea worth spreading!

McFarlin Auditorium
6405 Boaz Lane
Dallas, Texas, 75205
United States

Bridge the Gap Chamber Players

Building Community Through Music

Bridge the Gap Chamber Players is a non-profit organization run by SMU students who wish to make a positive difference in Dallas by bringing many different types of music to the community through public performances and educational programs. Flute: Annabelle Kim | Oboe: Audrey Yu | Clarinet: Jakob Lumadue | Bassoon: Miranda Macias | Horn: Samuel Park, Katherine Rossmiller & Joshua Rosenbaum | Trumpet: Brian Boydston | Trombone: Braden Wallace | Violin I: Harrison Schumann & Nicholas Baker | Violin II: Hana Kim, Jonathan Hodges & Marta Bratkovic | Viola: Francis Ramas & Julia Baca | Cello: Daniela Castro & Maddie Mullen | Bass: Jeff Tullis | Percussion: Jacob Hord & Matt Shaw

Alejandra Ramos Gomez

Bilingual Teacher and spoken word poet

Alejandra Ramos Gomez is a Mexican-American educator and spoken word poet born in Juarez, Mexico. She received her BA in Political Science and Linguistics from the University of Texas at El Paso and is a Masters in Bilingual Education graduate student at Southern Methodist University. Alejandra is a Teach for America DFW alumna and works as a bilingual Pre-K teacher at an elementary school in Oak Cliff, Dallas. Her contributions abroad include serving as a Teacher Development Facilitator with The Education for Sustainability Project in Galapagos at Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, and as a Project Manager for AIESEC in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As a writer and spoken word poet, her work can be found in three anthologies with the Writers’ Association in Juarez, Mexico, and Pasos en el Norte, an anthology by the Rotary Club.

Annabelle Toe

Respect Advocate

Arman Razaali

Eagle Scout and recipient of the President's Award for Educational Excellence

As an aspiring investment banker, Arman too is searching for his definition of success. His talk is a product of the TED experience having last attended TEDxKids @SMU in 2014 as an 8th grader. In the three years since, Arman has become an Eagle Scout and worked at various corporations, where he has continuously been faced with the question: “What Do You Want to Do When You Grow Up?” After formulating what he believes is the perfect response, Arman hopes to share his idea with the TEDxKids audience this year. Arman is currently a 11th grader at the Imagine International Academy of North Texas, with a passion for film-making, soccer, and economics.

Ben Jones

Dean of Dallas Zoo/s Wild Earth Academy

Benjamin Jones grew up in south east Texas spending much of his childhood happily lost in the Big Thicket, adrift along the marshes of the upper Gulf Coast.He graduated from Texas A&M University with bachelors and master’s degrees in the sciences then worked for Arthur Andersen as a business analyst. Ben served the National Audubon Society in multiple roles including state director of education for Texas and center director of the Trinity River Audubon Center. For 12 years he has served the Dallas Zoo in various capacities and now as senior director and dean of the Wild Earth Academy. In this role, Ben is responsible for the creative and strategic direction of the Academy including initiatives to monitor urban wildlife, engage people in conservation action, restore wildlife habitat, and cultivate the next generation of conservationists. Interested in science, education, and conservation, especially as they intersect; Ben is passionate about nature as a context for life-long learning.

Danish Dhamani

Co-Founder Orai

Danish’s vision is to empower everyone around the world to overcome their fear of public speaking and to become a better communicator. As a first generation immigrant, for whom English is a second language, the fear of public speaking haunted Danish throughout his early life. By constant practicing and coaching, he soon realized that people are not born public speakers; instead public speaking is a learn-able skill. This is what inspired Danish to create Orai, a mobile app that uses artificial intelligence to improve your speaking ability.

Destiny Rose Murphy

SMU undergraduate student and competitive ballroom dancer

Destiny Rose is triple majoring in Political Science, English, and Philosophy as an undergraduate at SMU with the hope of someday becoming a United States Supreme Court Justice. In her free time she is Editor-in-Chief for the Honors Magazine Hilltopics, and competes with SMU's award winning competitive ballroom dancing team. She is currently struggling to learn how to cook food that is both edible and not nutritionally poisonous. You can see what she's up to now at her website destinyrosemurphy.com

Jonathan Jones

SMU graduate student and author

Jonathan Jones is a speaker and bestselling author of the book,PROCESS:14 Surprisingly Simple Behaviors to Skyrocket Millennials to Success. Speaking from schools and college auditoriums, to church sanctuaries, to wherever they can be found, he challenges students and millennials to embrace entrepreneurship. Jonathan brings a message of inspiration and transparency as he tells his story. He is also a graduate student at SMU.

Mary Orsak

Founder of Non-Profit Story Power

Mary Orsak is a current senior at The Hockaday School in Dallas, Texas. She also founded her own nonprofit, Story Power Inc., and serves as the chair of the Dallas Youth Commission and on the Mayor's Task Force on Confederate Monuments.

Torrence Robinson

President and Founder of The Compelling Why

Trevor Burke

Passionate environmental advocate for the Blackland Prairie

Trevor Burke’s exuberant passion for the environment truly exemplifies this environmental slogan. Although only a Junior at St. Mark’s School of Texas, Trevor’s environmental efforts have had far-reaching effects. He was recently honored in Salt Lake City as one of three National Youth Finalists for the 2017 Outdoor Inspiration Award sponsored by the Outdoor Retailer Association.He currently serves on the National Youth Leadership Council of EarthEcho International, a nonprofit organization founded in honor of legendary explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau on the belief that youth have the power to change our planet. Trevor also serves as the National Conservation Chair for the National Society of the Children of the American Revolutionwhere he is responsible for planning and promoting conservation programs for local societies across the United States. In his spare time, Trevor enjoys Boy Scouts and science-related activities.

William Waters

A student of media and stereotypes

William Waters is a junior at Plano West Senior High School and a very involved member in numerous extracurricular organizations. He is a leader in Student Council, founder of the school's Black Student Union, and a delegate for the Plano West Model UN. He enjoys acting, playing basketball, and writing in his free time.