Originally Posted: June 3, 2016
After a year of planning and preparation, a group of students hosted the first TEDxGreenhillSchool on April 2.
The idea stemmed from a weekly tradition started by Greenhill upper school science teacher Chris Bigenho, who started emailing various TED Talks each Tuesday. These quickly became known as TEDTuesdays.
Last fall, senior Kevin Wei approached Bigenho with the idea of starting a TED club. When asked what that would entail, Wei proposed the group meet and watch their favorite talks … and host their own TEDx.
“At Greenhill we have a culture that’s very focused on learning and curiosity,” executive director Wei said. “A lot of students are familiar with TED and what they do and are curious about knowledge.”
It wasn’t long before the gears started to turn, and what was once an inkling became a full-steam-ahead machine. Students researched various speakers they were interested in featuring and ensured they were adhering to the TEDx regulations.
“What’s wonderful is the whole thing was student driven,” said Head of Upper School Laura Ross. “All [the administration] really did was secure the venue. [Wei] really helped us because TEDx has strict procedures.”
The event’s theme, New Horizons, reflected new takes on old ideas, said junior Cole Forson, who will take over as executive director for next year’s TEDx event.
Four speakers were featured, sharing their expertise on topics such as fracking, water on Mars, race and history. Speakers included Brian Stump, professor of earth sciences at SMU; Byron Sanders, vice president at U.S. Trust; and John Hoffman, physics department head and associate dean for undergraduate students for the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the University of Texas at Dallas. READ MORE