Student Milestones Highlight a Standout Season for Saint Andrew’s TED Program

It has been a standout school year for the TEDx and TED-Ed programs at Saint Andrew's School, highlighted by major student milestones on the global stage and the official digital release of this year's presentations.

Recently, Mila Rojas '33 received the distinct honor of delivering her TEDxSaintAndrewsSchool talk at Play@TED, an exclusive event held at the TED World Theatre in New York City. This one-day summit gathered a diverse group of thinkers, creators, educators, and innovators to explore how play serves as a vital catalyst for learning, creativity, and human connection. In her talk, entitled “Why Everyone Needs to Play!”, Mila challenged the traditional boundaries between childhood and adulthood. She encouraged children to remind adults to step away from their schedules and play, while inviting grown-ups to reconnect with their younger selves by asking, "What did you love to do when you were 11 years old?" The presentation resonated deeply with the international audience, moving many attendees to tears and inspiring them to prioritize reconnecting with family members through play.

In tandem with this achievement, Merritt Kanzer ’28 has been awarded a global scholarship to attend the TED Summer School this season. Merritt was selected as one of the top entries from a pool of over 2,000 international students who entered the "Learning to Be Heard" competition. Her submission to the competition was a compelling argument for reducing the stigma around disability and was remarkably distinct, weaving personal anecdote with a takeaway that earned her a place among the top entries worldwide. Building on the foundations of the TED-Ed Student Talks program at Saint Andrew’s, Merritt will join the intensive virtual cohort this summer. This pathway allows her to collaborate with an international network of peers from home while working directly with TED-trained coaches to transition her work from classroom discovery to professional mastery.

As of this week, the playlist from the 9th Annual TEDxSaintAndrewsSchool is now live and available for public viewing, offering the community a chance to watch the full lineup of student speakers. Click here to access the playlist. 

These individual achievements and the launch of the annual playlist underscore the ongoing success of the school's public speaking initiatives. Ultimately, these programs do more than teach presentation skills; they provide Saint Andrew's students with a global platform to articulate their ideas, engage with international peers, and speak with true purpose.

 

Photo by Jasmina Tomic / TE