Theme: Adaptation

This first of many TEDxHeritage HS Youth events highlights a group of dedicated high school students. This events theme of 'adaptation' allows these talented speakers to share their personal experiences and how they've overcome them! Open your hearts and minds to a wide range of topics all the way from relatable high school struggles to rare medical conditions. Join us on this enlightening morning and learn what the hard-working youth of today has to offer in their skills and advice! So, what are you waiting for? RSVP now for a spot in the crowd and don't forget to help yourself to refreshments, sit down, and prepare to be inspired!

TEDxHeritage HS Youth
14040 Eldorado Pkwy
Frisco, Texas, 75035
United States

Arnavi Jain

Student

Arnavi is a junior at Frisco Heritage High School. She wanted to become a TEDx speaker to bring attention to the struggles of legal immigrants as it is one of her biggest passions. Additionally, she strives to create an impact within her community and delivering a TEDx speech would provide her with the opportunity to develop her public speaking skills. By presenting a TEDx talk, she hopes to bring attention to some of these issues and address commonly asked questions such as “why don't you just become a citizen?” She aims to spread awareness regarding the myths of the American Dream that so many people come in search of. Besides the complexities of immigration, she is also passionate about STEM, being a part of her schools robotics team and engineering programs. After high school, she plans to go to college for computer engineering and business, to pursue a career in an aerospace firm. Beyond this, she hopes to travel and continue her public speaking and advocacy journey.

Madilyn Hart

Student

Madilyn is a sophomore at Frisco Heritage High School. She became a TEDx speaker share a topic she is passionate about to a large audience and to join a group of likeminded people while also being able to develop her skills. The topic of her speech are the ramifications of over indulgence of true crime entertainment in our society. She feels that this topic relates a lot to the current interests of teenagers in a way that can help reform our mindsets. In her own life, Madilyn is passionate about informative based writing with a goal to argue a point, as she finds it interesting and enjoyable to state her opinions in an argument. Along with that, she enjoys debating, creating art, sketching, and digital drawing. After high school, she plans to become a legal attorney, and use the public speaking skills learned in high school. Her plans after high school are also reflected in her speech on the topic of true crime, as she is fascinated by the legal side of controversial issues.

Namita Ventrapragada

Student

Namita is a sophomore at Frisco Heritage High School. With this event marking her second year as a TEDx speaker, she believes it is a great way for people to share what they are passionate about and learn from others. She recognises TEDxYouth as an incredible platform for change as it gives a voice to people that are usually not listened to, such as teenagers like her. The topic of her speech is why society should love and appreciate movies. Namita, who grew up watching movies everyday, sees them as a beacon of expression, learning, and exploration. Through her speech, she hopes to share how something so simple can open all of our minds greatly. Namita is passionate about friends, family, reading, writing, medicine- and of course- movies! After High School, she hopes to pursue a career in the medical field, specifically as an anesthesiologist while keeping time for public speaking and spending time with her loved ones.

Ritika Jayaprakash

Student

Ritika is a junior at Frisco Heritage High School. She became a TEDx speaker to spread awareness and become more vocal about the struggles she perceives in her family and society. The topic of her speech is facing psoriasis and the actions to take that could help those living with this condition. She aims to bring attention to this to prevent misconceptions and illustrate the reality of psoriasis especially since members of her family have been diagnosed with the condition. From this, Ritika has learned what true resilience looks like and hopes to further the cause of bringing accessible treatment options to individuals affected by psoriasis. In her own life she is passionate about medicine and healthcare with her mother being one of her biggest inspirations. After high school, Ritika plans to finish her undergrad as a pre-med and go to med school to become a cardiothoracic surgeon while also pursuing journalism.

Saurish Neel Nanduri

Student

Neel is a sophomore at Frisco Heritage High School. His goal in becoming a TEDx speaker is to present his speech and have something to tell to a broad, worldwide audience who may struggle with the topics he discusses. The topic of Neels speech is Indecision. He tells how he has always found himself frozen in the face of big decisions and feels great pressure even in the most trivial-nonsensical situations. As he grows to overcome this mindset he strives to share his experiences that may help others. In his own life, Neel is passionate about playing the piano, making music, collecting synthesizers and instruments, and creating digital projects. After High School he plans to study Computer Science in college.

Varun Koduri

Student

Varun is a sophomore at Frisco Heritage High School. With the empowerment of TEDx, Varun hopes to inspire a new generation of speakers who may be just as reserved and shy as he once was. The topic of his speech is OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), a condition that impacts around 70 million people across the word. Being part of this number himself, living with the condition, he felt it important to share his own experiences. Varun hopes to provide support and understanding to any people living and struggling with OCD that his speech may reach. He is passionate about computer science and medical science. He loves to code new programs and discover new possibilities with programming. He also loves to learn about anatomy and physiology, and the mysteries of the human body. After High School, he plans to pursue a career in biomedical engineering, to help develop and construct medical technologies.

Vikashni Easwaramoorthy Dhanalakshmi

Student

Vikashni is a Junior at Frisco Heritage High School. She wanted to become a TEDx speaker to use her voice to make a difference in the world around her one word at a time. She believes it is a gift to not only have a voice but have one that people are willing to listen to. The topic of Vikashnis speech is “finding peace in the moment.” In our fast paced world today, teenagers, especially high schoolers, struggle with problems like hypercompetition, living up to expectations, and constant pressure many people don't understand. She believes it is important to share her experiences with others and encourage those that may be struggling with similar issues to push for change. Vikashni is passionate about dance, education, spending time with friends, and meeting new people. After highschool she would like to become a compassionate and skilled healthcare professional, committed to advancing equitable access to quality care and improving health outcomes for communities around the world.