TEDxNewtons Grove Youth

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Ariana Toor

  My name is Ariana Toor, a grade 11 student at Newtons Grove School. I am interested in self- betterment and growth, constantly looking at different outputs in life, which can help inspire this generation. I aspire to better myself for the future as well as help others overcome challenges. I began public speaking at a young age, but only became passionate about speaking in grade 8 When I realized the impact a great speech can have on a person. These past 4 years, I have spent improving my writing and creativity skills. Over the years, I have also learnt to express my thoughts and ideas with confidence, contributing to my growth in becoming a strong speaker.

• Dylan Puri

  My name is Dylan Puri, and I am a Grade 12 student at Newton's Grove School. I want to shift away from the notion that the future is something that simply "happens to us" and realize that even as the dominoes fall faster around us, we can still set our future in motion—one decision at a time. As I've observed the world around us, I've also noticed a quiet trade-off nobody talks about: we're optimizing everything while accidentally optimizing the human parts that make life worth living. An AI revolution might be inevitable, but realize that there are two paths that can be forged: those who get swept away and those who learn to steer.

• Hala Elabbassi

  My name is Hala Elabbassi, and I am a grade twelve student at Newton’s Grove School. I am interested in exploring the diverse ways that technology shapes modern life and redefines social norms—especially the way we understand boredom, attention, and what it means to live meaningfully. I grew up a deeply curious child, always searching for something new to learn. Yet as I’ve grown older, I’ve become more aware of how easy it is to slip into a static, distracted world and lose the ability to notice, explore, and truly be present. Public speaking did not always come easily to me, but through consistent effort and reflection, it has become a space for growth that I am excited to share with others.

• Harvir Toor

  My name is Harvir, and I am a Grade 11 student at Newton’s Grove School. I have always enjoyed public speaking, as it allows me to share my thoughts and experiences with others, in an attempt to hopefully have them learn from them and take away valuable lessons. When I give a talk on stage, I get the chance to reach the audience through honesty and reflection.

• Isabella Thompson

  My name is Isabella Thompson, and I am a Grade 12 student at Newton’s Grove School. When I think about the future and what the world will look like in the next 10 years, I question how people growing up in the next generation will form a sense of identity in a world shaped by constant influence.

• Kismet Dhuga

  My name is Kismet Dhuga, and I am in Grade 10 at Newton's Grove School. My favourite subjects are math, science, and English. Outside of school, I stay busy with karate, Muay Thai, and boxing, and I also work as an assistant teacher in an advanced math program where I help teach younger students. Public speaking is definitely not one of my strongest suits, but I love it nonetheless. I find myself drawn to public speaking and expressing my opinion, even with the nerves that come with it. It challenges me to express myself clearly, go out of my comfort zone, and improve my confidence, which are important aspects of life, not just public speaking.

• Rita Jindal

  I am a Grade 11 student at Newton’s Grove School. Over the past few years, as I’ve grown and gotten closer to the age where I needed to think seriously about what my future would look like, I found that a lot of discourse geared towards the future was one which was incredibly negative and almost nihilistic. I soon found that these ideas began to infect my own belief of what the future was going to look like, giving me a rather grim outlook on the next ten years. Though this discourse isn’t completely invalid, by reflecting more on the past and our current circumstances, I realized just how often it is blown out of proportion, and just how much we have become anchored in negativity. In my TEDx Talk, I wanted to further explore this idea and understand that our future, regardless of how daunting or uncertain it may be, doesn’t have to be something that we must think negatively about. Through reflection, mindset shifts, and meaningful action, we can begin to take control over our own futures and not let certain circumstances or fear of change cause us to reject this future we haven’t even gotten to experience yet.

• Sfiyah Alli

  My name is Sfiyah Alli, and I am a Grade 10 student at Newtons Grove School. I absolutely love the arts, whether it’s music, visual arts or drama. I really enjoy things with a creative aspect, as they allow me to think outside the box and paint a picture of my own choosing. I want to express who I am and what I believe in, using my passion to inspire others, the way others have inspired me. I have been public speaking since I came to this school in Grade 7, and have loved the opportunity to have a presence on stage. Public speaking has given me the chance to take my thoughts and turn them into something meaningful, acting as a connection to the audience, not as a presenter, but as just another human being.