Theme: better questions

TEDxYouth@ISPrague marks its fourth annual event with a half-day of diverse talks and performances from students between the ages of 15 and 26. Ideas come from the fields of music, biology, politics, education, technology, circus arts, and survival.

International School of Prague
Nebušucka 700
Prague, Praha 6, 16400
Czech Republic

Bella Adamova

mezzo-soprano, improviser

After years of struggling with the demands of classical singing, Bella discovered the art of improvisation. What can we learn from this way of making music? Can classical musicians grow by learning to improvise? An improvising mezzo-soprano born in Groznyy, Russia, Bella grew up in Prague, torn between, and surrounded by, many cultures. This helped foster her surprising versatility as a musician, often occupying unique spaces between genres. Having completed vocal studies in London and Cologne, she is currently studying and improvising at the Basel Music Academy in Switzerland.

Jackson Stoner

history nerd, political thinker, student

To many, the flaws in democratic systems are increasingly apparent. In this ultimately optimistic talk, Jackson identifies three key flaws and suggests there are solutions to each. What would we need to do to fix democracy? Jackson is a self-proclaimed history nerd who has always been fascinated with world history and global politics. Growing up in a diplomatic family, Jackson has already lived in the US, Japan, Thailand, Germany and the Czech Republic. He is presently in his final year of high school.

Jesse Li

technology critic, global issues thinker, student

Jesse critically examines the near-future, when artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning may cause major disruptions to the ways we work and live. Are we ready? Can we prepare? Jesse was born in Prague to parents who immigrated from China following the Cultural Revolution. Since owning his first Gameboy, Jesse has has a keen interest in technology and digital development. When he joined Model United Nations at school, his interest in politics also grew. Now in his final year in high school, Jesse is looking forward to studying global issues in university.

Jihyeon Kim

history student, critical thinker

Who chooses what students learn about history? How are those decisions made? Jihyeon explains the traditional education system in South Korea, and how it has often led to Korean students’ uncritically learning history. She examines the reliability of some textbooks schools have recently been pressured to use, arguing that students should think more carefully about the ways their education is being shaped. Jihyeon is a South Korean student presently in 10th grade. To date she has lived in South Korea, the US, and the Czech Republic. The idea for her talk emerged from questioning and comparing the public education system in South Korea to that of an international school.

Jody Druce

aspiring scientist

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria pose an increasingly serious threat to human health. This talk addresses the path by which modern society has arrived at the current crisis, and suggests a surprising potential solution. Could humanity do away with antibiotics and, instead, disrupt the ways bacteria communicate? Jody is South African but grew up in Tanzania and the Czech Republic. His international background has shaped not only his worldview but his appreciation of science as a force that is truly global.

Lara Anderegg

survivor, student

Sometimes it seems there is only one road to follow. And sometimes it leads where we don't want to go. That is exactly what happened to Lara and her family, when she was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and began an urgent search to find a matching bone marrow donor. In this personal talk, Lara describes how she and her fiercely determined parents set out to find a crossroad. Born and raised in Prague by her Swiss parents, Lara attended a bilingual Czech-English elementary school before joining the International School of Prague. She was diagnosed with leukemia shortly before her 11th birthday. She is now an Upper School student in the 11th grade.

Marek Mičan

juggler

Marek’s original performance marks the first time ISP’s TEDx stage has expanded for this art form, which includes rings, balls, and clubs. Original electronic music for Marek's performance was composed by Vladimir Sorokin, AKA Quok. Marek grew up in a small town in the Bohemian highlands. When he was eight, a friend brought around a ‘diabolo’. Excited to learn new tricks, Marek searched the Internet, where he gradually discovered the world of juggling. Marek has continued to develop this centuries-old art form since that time, exploring the ways ordinary objects can take on lives of their own.