Theme: Building Bridges

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).

Upper Saint Clair High School
1825 McLaughlin Run Rd
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15241
United States

Anoushka Barve

Student

From a young age, Anoushka and her peers around her have always been surrounded by social media, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic where the only form of communication was through perfect, edited images and likes. Constantly being surrounded by these, she became aware of how other women, including herself, set unrealistic expectations based on what they saw on their screen. Even outside of the narrow world of social media, this issue of impractical standards has made a mark on girls and women globally. Seeing friends and family affected by this issue inspired her to be an advocate for helping women overcome their toxic perfectionism. She will discuss perfectionism's harmful impacts on women, its various influences, and solutions to overcome this mindset for anyone who struggles with toxic perfectionism or knows someone who is.

Ansh Goyal

Student

Ansh Goyal is a senior at Upper St. Clair High School. An immigrant from India, Ansh's world changed at the age of 12 as he had to learn to adjust to a whole new culture and schooling system. Being used to the straightforward system from India, Ansh was overwhelmed by the sheer number of opportunities he received in the US. Yet, with some help from his parents and friends, Ansh was able to overcome this challenge to become a successful High School student. As he moves on to study Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, he hopes to share with others his knowledge about survive and conquering high school.

Ashe Sobel-Drum

Student

Since before anyone could remember, Ashe has always been interested in public speaking and sharing their opinions. As a result, one of the very first clubs they joined as a freshman was the competitive speech and debate team where she has been competing on for the past 3 (upcoming 4) years. Throughout their time competing however, Ashe has witnessed several instances in which the voices of female competitors are either inherently belittled or silenced. In her TEDx talk, she brings these issues to light and explores the history tied to silencing women specifically in the public sphere. Drawing on her own experiences, historical significance, and the stories of several female competitors ranging from freshman in high school to freshmen in college, Ashe shares the experiences of what it means to be a female public speaker, and the challenges they have faced and overcame for centuries in a much needed Girl Talk.

Patrick Pinchinat

Student

Patrick Pinchinat, an Upper St. Clair High School senior who intends to study linguistics in college, wants to explain how the variety of English spoken by many black people in the U.S. is not only correct but also valid in its own right. Patrick's native dialect of English can be seen in movies, tv shows, music, etc, and is still often deemed improper or vulgar slang. Patrick is excited to discuss the historical, linguistic, and cultural significance of his native dialect to the world and prove that it deserves as much respect and recognition as the golden standard for American English does.

Prachi Chetlur

Student

Since she was little, reading has been a huge part of Prachi’s life. She loves nothing more than curling up and getting lost in a good book. However, over the past few years, people, especially teens, have been reading less and less. Through her talk, Prachi hopes to explore a topic that she believes isn’t discussed as much as it should be, educate her peers and community on why reading is so important, and encourage people to make reading for pleasure an important part of their lives. Prachi is a freshman at Upper St. Clair High School and participates in choir and Speech and Debate.

Sydney Montgomery

Student

Sydney is a sophomore at Upper St. Clair High School. They have been diagnosed with anxiety and depressive disorders. Sydney talks about how they deal with stress and anxiety about the future, combining personal experiences with insight from others on how to overcome their worries. With this talk, Sydney hopes to share insight on the bridge between teen years and college, and the anxiety that comes with it.

Ujal Gautam

Student

Ujal is a junior and loves Speech and Debate, helping with the school's literary magazine Montage, and being president of Upper St Clair High School's chess club. He has a range of hobbies but in whatever he does, he is always looking to make the most of his time and so his talk is about maximizing your time and ability in whatever you do.

Yasmeen Zalloum

Student

Yasmeen Zalloum is a senior at USC High School who has been deeply connected to Palestine throughout her life. Her family originates from Palestine and she was raised in a household that instilled in her a strong sense of cultural identity. As a result, Yasmeen feels a strong personal connection to Palestine and has dedicated much of her time to educating others about the culture and history of the region. Although Yasmeen noticed that many people had limited knowledge about Palestine, thus she was determined to be a voice for her community and share her experiences and insights with a wider audience.