Breaking Through the Limitation and Confidently Expressing Courage at TEDxYouth@PennSchool 2024

With great preparation and confident performance on the TEDxYouth@PennSchool, the outstanding 18 #HomeOfTheEagles have surpassed over 120 students in the School Round to advance to the Final Round on January 27, 2024.

In 5 chosen themes in this TEDxYouth@PennSchool, the participants had individual reasons for choosing the topic they would present. For Nguyen Ha My, Class IAP-8A, her reason for choosing the theme starts from her experiences in life.

“Everyone wants to be successful, but that is precisely why success is so elusive. In the world we live in, simply wanting something is not enough. To truly excel in life, we must put all our willpower into striving for that specific something. We must work to possess the required abilities, attitudes, behaviors, privileges, and more. We cannot achieve immediate success without effort and development. That’s what my past experiences and mentors (thank you my dear Parents and teachers) have taught me, and I have been abiding by these basic rules ever since. However, I can’t help but feel irritated when I watch people bursting with potential give up completely after a tiny mistake. That’s also the reason I want to share the topic “Unlocking mental health” at this year’s TED Talk. I would go up there and firmly state my beliefs in hopes of advancing to the Final Round and sharing my experiences in a more public manner. Fortunately, I did, which is why I am writing this today. I have never been the most confident person, and I have especially always been sensitive to criticism. This was a massive obstacle and I found myself stricken with worry. Still, I held onto the desire to showcase my opinions and pushed aside my anxiety, knowing that it would all be for a good cause. I think that’s what matters. Believing in what you say. You may be nervous, or you may not be able to speak very well, but as long as you pour all your heart and soul into what you do, you will achieve what you want to achieve. Thank you PennSchool for giving us this wonderful opportunity.” – Nguyen Ha My, Class IAP-8A 

To confidently stand on the TEDxYouth@PennSchool Stage and increase the chances of advancing to the Final Round, Nguyen Ngoc Gia Han, Class VAP-5A, has spent a lot of time preparing for her chosen theme.

“The Ted Talk platform provides an incredible opportunity to express your perspectives on various topics to a diverse audience. Reflecting on my experience, I dedicated extensive effort, practicing my presentation more than 10 times. Initially, my speech ran for around 10 minutes, but I soon realized Ted’s School Round had a time constraint of 5 minutes. Faced with this challenge, I diligently honed my presentation, repeatedly refining it until I achieved a concise 4 minutes and 49 seconds.

In my quest for information, I relied heavily on Google and drew upon my knowledge from books. The chosen topic, “The Impacts of Artificial Intelligence on Society,” resonated with me due to my extensive understanding of AI. Despite the apparent familiarity of the topic, I prepared very carefully, aiming to showcase my best self to the audience.”

TEDxYouth@PennSchool not only provides opportunities for students to enhance their knowledge and learn from their peers but also helps them express their voices and mature after each competition round. This is the perspective of Thai Ha, who participated in this academic playground.

“Throughout this academic year, I have participated in various competitions in different fields, leaving an indelible mark in my heart, especially the memories of the talent search competition – the TEDxYouth@PennSchool 2024 organized by the School to create a playground for students to meet, exchange, and share perspectives and personal opinions on various life topics, while providing opportunities for students to enrich their knowledge and skills in debating, presenting.

TEDxYouth@PennSchool 2024 brings interesting and practical topics to enhance comprehensive education quality, create an intelligent, healthy, and beneficial playground for students, enrich teaching and learning activities at school. It creates a forum for learning exchange, enriching knowledge and experience, allowing students to challenge themselves, express their thinking abilities, and gain expertise in various fields such as ethics, lifestyle, living skills, practical skills, while guiding students to seek and dominate knowledge, build habits of self-study, and creativity in the learning process. After careful consideration, I chose the theme “Unlocking Mental Health.” After a suspenseful and competitive Preliminary Round, the competition selected qualified contestants to enter the Final Round, and I was fortunate to achieve this honor. With self-understanding, in the Final Round, contestants dominated knowledge in common subjects and comprehensive knowledge – society exceptionally.

Throughout the event, students will deliver presentations in English. Each student will choose captivating debate topics and present them within 5 minutes. Each contestant demonstrates their unique style. Everyone is enthusiastic about presenting topics prepared in advance with persuasive content, confident language before the judges and audience. These sections require good communication skills and extensive knowledge of society. Yet, all contestants perform exceptionally well. To support the spirit of the contestants, the audience below cheers enthusiastically. I myself was determined to surpass many students in the same bracket to advance to the Final Round. It is the most honorable and proud achievement I have attained.” – Nguyen Pham Thai Ha, Class VAP-8A

With the goal of supplementing and enhancing skills to help students become talented global citizens, PennSchool always encourages students to overcome limitations and confidently express themselves through competitions within and outside the school. This proactive approach helps students to enrich their knowledge, develop creative thinking, and experience diverse academic activities.