Fifth graders at Grand Avenue Elementary School are preparing to take the stage for a public annual TED-Ed Student Talk event on May 7, giving them a platform to share original ideas about “Smart Habits. Strong Spirits” and build confidence as speakers.
At a March 24 Board of Education meeting, four students previewed their speeches, offering a glimpse into a program school leaders say is designed to elevate student voice and encourage critical thinking around how they will shape the future.
The nonprofit famously known as TED, Technology, Education and Design is also known for sharing impactful conversations. The program began with adult speakers but has extended to students ages 6 to 18 in 2012. pre-K STEAM teacher Paul Weiss brought it to Grand Avenue.
“Tonight, you will hear from members of our TED Club,” Principal Samantha Diaz said. “Students utilize the habits of mind to innovate, create and share their ideas with others. Our students have a lot to say, and we are so proud of them.”
The club, facilitated by Weiss, encourages students to develop and present “through lines,” or central ideas, in speeches modeled after TED Talks. The program focuses not only on public speaking, 16 essential dispositions that cultivate critical thinking, problem solving, and reflective learning. Grounded in the Habits of Mind framework.
Each Students then took the podium to preview their talks; each centered on a personal idea about their individual passions and interests. This experience helps them explore ideas that are authentic to their own personal experiences, Weiss explained.
Emmily Jimenez, 10, focused on the idea that “kids have big ideas,” explaining how TED Talks help students develop a central “through line” and grow into thinkers and leaders.
“When adults ask us questions in school, sometimes they just want one right answer,” Jimenez said. “But a TED Talk is different. It starts with a through line — one important idea that connects everything you say. My idea is simple: kids have big ideas, and when we share them, we grow into thinkers and leaders.”
Brithany Salguero-Portillo highlighted the “habits of mind” students use in the process, including persistence, empathy, flexibility and clear thinking.
Braxton Garcia-Becker said giving students a platform helps build confidence and curiosity, adding that with the right support, “you might just hear the future speaking.”
Xili Durant Romain, another student speaker, tackled the theme of resilience and growth through personal experience. She will speak about “failing forward,” using the image of a collapsing LEGO castle to show how mistakes can lead to improvement.
“Failing forward is like a cheat code for life,” Durant Romain said. “Instead of quitting, you learn something.”
Ahead of the board meeting, Diaz said that when Durant Romain arrived at Grand Avenue Elementary School, she spoke little to no English, as her first language was Haitian Creole, but has since made significant progress.
Weiss emphasized that the program is about more than presentations, describing it as a process that helps students develop confidence and a sense of purpose.
“Imagine a classroom where an 8-year-old stands in front of an audience and says, ‘I think the world should think about what I’m about to tell them,’” Weiss said. “That is the spirit of the TED-Ed Student Talks.”
