Theme: Looking Foward '22morrow

Speakers at this event focused on how we can improve our world, first by acknowledging the nature of the problems facing society, and then by re-evaluating the approaches that have been used thus far. By using the past as a roadmap for the future our speakers hope to inspire action, particularly from young people, on a variety of issues facing our world.

Saddle River Day School
147 Chestnut Ridge Road
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 07458
United States

Anissa Basu

Student

Anissa Basu is a high school sophomore who loves spending time with friends and family, learning new languages, traveling, her dog, and the color pink. Today she will talk about cyber security and internet safety techniques.

Emily Sharff

Student

Emily Sharff is a fifteen-year-old freshman and passionate pianist who loves learning new things, making friendship bracelets, and passing the time with her pals. Today, she will speak about gender inclusion, with a focus on how our understanding of gender is overdue for an update: it's time to include non-binary genders in our framework.

Jade Gardy

Student

Jade is a seventeen-year-old junior whose love of literature has inspired her to speak today about the benefits of reading.

Jane Ma

Student

Jane Ma is a high school sophomore who loves art and travel. A lifelong procrastinator, she will talk to you today about why we procrastinate and how we can break the habit. This is her first year as a TED speaker.

Josephine Brooks

Student

Josie Brooks is a fourteen-year-old eighth grader who loves to learn, dance, and draw. She is an especially passionate oboe player and will speak to you today about the connections between math and music, with a specific focus on how the study of one is correlated with excellence in the other.

Laura Hollis

Teacher

Laura Hollis is the Director of Technology at SRDS. This is her eighth year advising the TEDxYouth@SRDS group, which she helped to establish and which has continued to nurture. She attended the 2019 TED Women conference and has experience taking SRDS students to volunteer at the TEDxMidAtlantic event in Washington, D.C. She is continually impressed by the bravery and wholeheartedness exhibited by those brave enough to write a talk and bold enough to share it.. She will be speaking to you today about her personal connection to bees and what we can all learn from these resilient creatures.

Mason Lusk

Student

Mason Lusk is a thirteen-year-old eighth grader who loves school, public speaking, and the great outdoors. An avid reader, skier, and harpist, nothing compares to Mason's passion for sailing and surfing. His love of aquatic activities has inspired him to write a talk about the environmental importance of the Great Barrier Reef and the dangers associated with its breakdown.

Maya Kalendar

Student

Maya Kalender is a fifteen-year-old nature fanatic who loves hiking, skiing, and pretty much anything that takes place outdoors. Her love for planet Earth has impelled her to speak to you today about the connection between climate change and infectious disease.

Rebecca Jarrett

Student

Rebecca Jarrett is a recent graduate of the University of Virginia, where she attained a dual BA in Media Studies and American Studies with a concentration in popular and visual culture. Rebecca will be continuing to Charlottesville in the Fall to pursue her master's degree and to play her final season as the captain of the UVA women's soccer team. She attended SRDS for grades K-8 and is excited to return to her old stomping grounds to speak about the power of telling stories.