In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Seabury Hall - Creative Arts Center
480 Olinda Road
Makawao, Hawaii, 96768
United States

Bryce Tarpey

Seabury Hall Junior Bryce Tarpey is a sixteen year old who enjoys living life to the fullest. Airplanes are his number one passion and he loves all things travel. Having been to eighteen countries around the world, he has a comprehensive knowledge of how different cultures operate. He can smoothly apply his experiences from traveling to his daily life. Bryce enjoys his free time by participating in the Boy Scouts program along with Civil Air Patrol, the United States Air Force Auxiliary, where citizens serve communities. Though not often seen by peers as the most outgoing person, Bryce enjoys the company of friends. He also enjoys photography of mostly airplanes and of foreign countries. Bryce is more of an “outdoorsman” as he enjoys nature through camping, hiking and exploring all around the world. After high school, Bryce plans to attend a university outside of the United States where he will pursue his dreams to become an airline pilot. His favorite cities include Bangkok, Sydney and Amsterdam.

Christine (Han) Davis

Han is an activist for a range of controversial movements. She is the chapter leader for Hawaii’s only chapter at the moment, of Represent Us, an organization that is working on passing an anti-corruption act through each state, and eventually to Congress. Fight The New Drug is currently the most controversial movement she is part of, which is about spreading awareness of the harmful effects of pornography to our mental health, relationships, individuals, and the world. She is also passionate about supporting ethical brands, local farmers, and basically anything hippie. Han’s past has made her develop the drive and ideas to challenge all systems from education, to the government, to society’s beliefs. Her ideas have been put down so much that she has learned to always believe in herself when no one else will, which she believes is important for everyone to do. You will find Han passing out handout cards in local towns, gathering support for the movements she is part of at events around the island, performing in poetry slams, and in the middle of debates in every place. In the future, she is planning on going into either law(to be able to take down harmful industries), sociology, or entrepreneurship. Her advice to youth is to take the courage to be the dream chasers, risk takers, rule breakers, and world changers.

Conan Gentil

Conan Gentil grew up surfing along the shores of Maui and competing in local and national competitions. He has attended Seabury Hall for the past four years and will graduate in the spring. He is very proud of the balance between athletics, academics, and wellness that he has maintained throughout high school. He is a part of Seabury’s cross country team and enjoys the intense races that are both physically and mentally challenging. His friends consider him a “deep” person but he thinks that talking about life is the most normal thing a person can do. He loves learning about all subjects, especially if they compliment his music studies. Comedies are his favorite type of movie and he incorporates humor into every moment of his life. He enjoys talking to people and hearing stories, as well as telling stories of his own. He will most likely spend the next four years studying music in California. During his time in the Golden State he will meet new people, get wetsuit tans, and dream about Hawaii.

Lauren Sieburg

Seabury Hall Senior Lauren Sieberg is someone who simply loves being herself, to the fullest extent of the colloquial phrase. After spending the first eight years of her life in Massachusetts, she moved to Maui, Hawaii, exchanging snowmen and puffy winter boots for soft sand and a pair of flip-flops. Her favorite subjects in school are English and history, likely due to her deep affection for words and stories. She has enjoyed running the Fandom Club at school since her sophomore year; the organization promotes reading and being true to yourself through a mutual appreciation for pop culture. Outside of the academic world, Lauren does her best to let her inner five-year-old shine. She likes to sit back and watch classic Disney movies with friends and family, collects merchandise from her favorite television shows and books (specifically “Harry Potter”), and explores the bibliophilic Bookstagram community. Lauren adores free writing and considers it to be one of the best ways to spend her free time (second only to reading). Her dream is to become a successful fantasy author for all ages and an English teacher focusing on secondary education, both of which she hopes to delve into at Chapman University in Orange, California for the next four years.

Natalia Polinskey

Natalia Polinskey is an optimistic and enthusiastic exhibitionist with a passion for filmmaking and riding horses. She has created over half a dozen films about different environmental issues and hopes one day to do more. While attending Haleakala Waldorf Highschool for a few years now, she has grown and discovered her passion presenting and public speaking, although she still needs and wants a lot more practice and experience. Later in life, this 17 year old hopes to educate others on the harm that has been done and is still being done to our Earth as well as prove how much of a problem ignorance is in our society.

Rylie Matchett

Rylie Matchett is a 16 year old who is very strong willed and passionate. Ever since she was young she has had a very strong love for horses and having both of her parents as veterinarians she has developed a passion for animal sciences and veterinary work. Rylie started competing in show hunter and show jumping at a young age giving her a competitive streak but also very dedicated to her riding leading her to compete at a national level. At the age of 6 Rylie and her family moved to New Zealand where she live for another 9 years before moving back to Maui. Traveling has been a big part of Rylie’s childhood, having family from in New Zealand to California and many other places in the U.S. Traveling has given her a taste of many different cultures throughout the world. Rylie has always been more of an outside person, she enjoys going hiking and going to the beach with friends. Rylie is hoping to attend vet school and return to New Zealand later on in her life.

Will Pang

Will spent his childhood split between the two regions of Hawaii and Eastern Australia, and lost countless hours wandering through the incredible forests and beaches that these two locales have to offer. As he grew up and spent more time on Maui, he was naturally drawn to the ocean and the water sports that make this island a haven for enthusiasts from across the world, like bodyboarding, surfing, and his most recent passion, kite surfing. All of these factors have sparked a passion in this seventeen year old junior to maintain the levels of natural beauty that our island possesses by any means possible. Will is the founder of the soon to be established scuba diving club at the Haleakala Waldorf High School, which serves to educate his peers on the wonderful aquatic world lying beneath the waves through first hand experience. Will is also a member of the HWS Varsity basketball team, and a contributor to the school’s student government. He is enthusiastic about a number of academic pursuits such as mathematics, physics, and the sciences, as well as being a capable artist in his own right. Will’s dreams are to go into international business after college, and one day to bring back all of the lessons that he has learned back to his friends and family back on Maui.

Zofia Kayian

Seabury Hall Junior, Zofia Kayian, sprang out of the metaphorical closet at the age of 13 and has never looked back. Since her celebrated coming out, Zofia became very passionate with human rights for women and LGBTQA+ peeps. To curve her desire to help her community, she is a board member on Maui Pride, an LGBTQA+ non-profit organization that is striving to create a better and more knowledgeable island of Maui. Through this venture, Zofia has the opportunity to help young LGBTQA+ boys, girls and everything in between with their coming out and giving them a safe and welcoming community when they do not have anywhere else to turn. The more experience Zofia acquires and more people from all different walks of life she meets, she becomes even more enthralled to give back to her community. Zofia also volunteers at many other organizations, including: The Maui Humane Society and KAKU Radio Station. Her most recent found interest is photography and videography. She soon plans to start her own YouTube channel where Zofia can express herself and share her thoughts/opinions with the world.