Daniel Hand High School (DHHS) will host an official TEDx event on March 10. TEDx events are similar to traditional TED talks, which strive to share ideas worth spreading; however, they are self-organized and involve local speakers presenting to local audiences.

Hand Senior Rebecca Wahl, who helped organize this event, said the theme of the talk is “That Makes Two of Us.” According to Wahl, sponsoring the talk is an effort to ensure her classmates can participate and provide their perspectives, as well as create a platform for as many diverse voices as possible.

“I am a total fan of TED talks and TEDx talks because they are inspiring and funny and are just a great way to learn. Their motto is ‘ideas worth spreading,’ so I was looking to try and promote that theme. I have always liked the statement, ‘that makes two of us;’ it automatically makes me feel better because it takes away the fear that I’m the only one experiencing it. And though the problem itself may not be solved, it still lets people know they aren’t alone in this. So, a TedX talk is basically a local gathering where live speakers present a new idea or perspective regarding their community, which comes from their own personal experiences and their passions or professions… and pulling out a big idea that they can share with an audience.”

Wahl said the event's goal is to bring together a diverse group of people across a variety of disciplines to share their ideas and experiences with the greater community. According to Wahl, the organizers are seeking people from a variety of backgrounds with different perspectives about life, interests, or “big topics.”

Currently, there are a number of speakers already scheduled, including students, teachers, mental health professionals, scientists, and performers, according to Wahl.

“The event itself is catered toward high schoolers, but any topic that someone thinks would be valuable to share with our community is welcome,” said Wahl. “As individuals, we all come from unique backgrounds, but instead of these being separating factors, how can we use the diversity of our identities to bring us closer together? In essence, the theme of 'That Makes Two of Us' is deriving big ideas from individual experience and sharing those ideas with others.”

According to Wahl, this is the inaugural TEDx talk at Hand, and she credits DHHS Principal Anthony Salutari as a motivating force behind the project.

“This is what is so exciting about this. This is the inaugural TEDx talk of any sort here at Hand. Mr. Salutari has been amazing. He is a huge proponent of inspirational speakers and in bringing speakers from the community to inspire the students here, which he does very often, and which are very impactful. So this is the first in Madison, so I think it’s a big deal for the community, and I’m very excited about it,” said Wahl.

The sign-up for speakers is close to the deadline, but anyone interested should follow the links below for more information or to submit a proposal to speak. Speaker slots can run from three minutes to as long as 18 minutes.

The event has limited seating but will also be broadcast live online and will also be recorded for future viewing as well.

For more info, visit tedxdanielhandhs.com, ted.com/watch/tedx-talks, or email roosz@madison.k12.ct.us