What do a digital citizenship expert, a team of 4th Grade poets, a 20-time Moth StorySLAM champion, and young artists-activists have in common? They are innovators in their respective fields, and are using their creativity to boldly make a difference in local and global communities. They are sharing these ideas at Spindrift, a TEDx event hosted by TEDxTheCountrySchool on April 23 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

At Spindrift, the first-ever TEDx Youth event planned and organized by students at The Country School, you will hear from speakers who will bring their different ideas and areas of expertise in TEDx talks to the shoreline community. TEDxTheCountrySchool, a team of current students working with Country School alumna Marina Sachs '07, has collaborated all year to design and plan Spindrift, a day-long event focused on empathetic action, diverse ideas, equitable outcomes, and the power of play.

Selected by the TEDx team as the theme of the conference this year, the word Spindrift means the perfectly symmetrical part of an ocean wave, the crest of the wave that forms just as the wave is built up enough before it breaks. It's also the ocean spray that comes off the top of the wave, affected by the wind and how tall the wave is. Metaphorically, it's an analogy to the present moment – the exciting time that we're living in, our young age and how we're poised to make the future into something incredible, how our past experiences affect who we are now and how we can use them to make a better version of ourselves for the future.

This day will include amazing talks given by speakers, and attendees can expect to get involved with tons of hands-on stations! Want to get your hands dirty? You can be a part of our tree-planting initiative in celebration of Earth Day. Love playing with LEGOs? Jump in on our big LEGO building station. Ever been to a musical instrument petting zoo? We'll have one here!

Speakers include: Storyteller and Novelist Matthew K Dicks, Tech Ethicist David Ryan Polgar, Singer-Songwriter Geordann Daguplo, Poets from the 4th Grade at TCS, Children's Author Katie Davis, and more!

Register and learn more at www.thecountryschool.org/tedx. This event is open to the public, all ages are welcome, and the event is wheelchair accessible. A suggested donation of $10 per person would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made online or at the door. Please contact TEDx@thecountryschool.org with questions.

Founded in 1955, The Country School is a coeducational, independent day school serving students in PreSchool-Grade 8. Students in Kindergarten-Grade 8 have been working to plan this TEDx event all year. The Country School is located at 341 Opening Hill Road in Madison.