TEDx Talk Triumphs for Students, Staff & Parents
11th June 25
“TEDx isn’t just an opportunity to speak, it’s an opportunity to make connections.”
The fifth iteration of TEDxKingAlfredSchool saw 15 speakers take to the Main Hall stage to share their thoughts and ideas.
The event is an opportunity for participants to push themselves out of their comfort zones, giving five-minute talks from memory on something they feel passionate about. Subjects ranged across science and sociology, personal passions and wry observations.
Audience member Sreeja summed it up saying, “The range of speakers was wonderful. Having parents, students, staff and Old Alfredians up there together really shows the community side of the school. I just enjoyed every bit of it.”
You can enjoy all the individual talks if you scroll down from here, or grab a drink and sit down to watch all the talks using this handy playlist
This year there were seven students taking to the stage including Bronwen, our first ever Year 11 speaker, who snuck in a fabulous TEDx talk between GCSE exams and revision. Bronwen’s interest in antibiotic resistance stemmed from a stray remark in a science lesson. Her talk looks at what happens next if we can no longer rely on this wonder cure.
Samira had the room laughing along with her as she shared her wry insights on life in Britain in her talk.
Alex took to the stage wearing a pair of dungarees she’d crafted herself to talk about her passion for making things, and the school’s forge in particular.
The title of Lily‘s talk got everyone’s interest and she spoke eloquently about the hidden bias that is ‘pretty privilege’. While the talks themselves were a fantastic finale, the speakers learnt a lot through the process of writing and rehearsing their talks in the weeks beforehand, Year 12 student Lily explained: “I want to be a film director when I’m older, so the skills I’ve learnt here will be useful for pitching ideas. Because the talk is only five minutes, you really have to refine what you want to say, it’s hard!”
Arguing passionately that the stage is the only place where Shakespeare belongs, Finley trod the boards with confidence:
Student Megan, is fascinated by how the devil is represented in film and in life, her interest being sparked by a childhood meeting with a ‘man who could talk to the devil’ or so she thought. She describes the hysteria caused by a range of films in the 70s resulting in a period of ‘Satanic Panic’ in America in the 80s.
New to the Sixth Form this year, Ella has come from a state school education. She feels passionately that private education should not be necessary if the state system works well. She analyses her own preconceptions of what she would find on arrival in the private sector.
Organiser Kara Conti presented all the speakers with the, now traditional, TEDx mug after the event, saying, “I was so impressed by the calm bravery of them all. All their hours of hard work, writing and memorising, truly paid off.”
The line-up featured three KAS teachers this year. First up was Natalie Petzal, teacher and Head of Maths in Lower School. In her talk, she shares the experience of caring for her brother, who has learning difficulties and is unable to speak. She reflects on the challenges of their childhood, sharing difficult and often embarrassing experiences. But she also recalls a pivotal moment when her brother taught her a powerful lesson.
In a talk which sits comfortable next to Alex’s talk about the power of making things, Design Technology teacher and Head of Year 8, Adam Findlay, spoke about the meditative energy created by a group of people working towards a common purpose.
Taking to the stage with her flute in her hand, music teacher Hannah Lang took the crowd on a musical journey with her talk about her own experiences as a teacher and a communicator, and her desire that children have the opportunity to access a wide range of music as part of their education.
Kimberley Oliff Cooper worked at KAS for many years before leaving last year to co-found ThriveNow, a cooperative reimagining secondary education to help young people thrive as learners and leaders in a changing world.
One of the special things about our TEDx event is that it brings together students, staff, parents and Old Alfredians. Taking to the TEDx stage is a level playing field and they all support each other in a way which is wonderful to see.
Our parent body was well represented this year with Rikke Wichmann-Bruun opening the whole event with her talk about taking a leap into the unknown after she turned 50.
Fellow parent Julia Davis, works as a circle holder, creating spaces where people can talk without interruption or judgement. It was while writing her book Circle Holding: A Practical Guide to Facilitating Talking Circles that tragedy struck and circles became a lifeline for her. Her talk is about the power of circles, that helped her in a time when it was difficult to imagine a silver lining.
Alongside being a KAS parent and member of Council, Sophie Ricard is also studying the overlooked strengths of twice-exceptional (2e) children who are both gifted and have learning differences. She calls on parents and educators to move beyond a deficit lens and adopt a strength-based approach that fosters identity, motivation, and belonging.
Our Old Alfredian community was represented by journalist and author Peter York who spoke about the Culture Wars and the idea that there are propaganda initiatives created by very professional mercenaries at the behest of anonymous millionaires and then trailed as if they were Holy Writ everywhere, particularly in national legacy media.
Host and Head, Robert Lobatto said, “It was inspiring to see so many students taking to the stage with such confidence, supporting each other and engaging the audience on their chosen subjects.
Want more TEDxKingAlfredSchool? You can see previous years talks by following these links:
