Past TEDx event

TEDxLeadways School

Learning

Took placeOctober 10, 202610:00 AM - 12:00 PM (GMT-7)
LocationCupertino, California, United States
FormatYouth
TEDxLeadways is a student-led TEDx event that celebrates the power of ideas through this year's theme: Learning. Learning is a lifelong journey that extends far beyond the classroom. It shapes our perspectives, challenges our assumptions, and inspires us to grow. Whether through moments of success, failure, curiosity, or connection, every experience has the potential to teach us something meaningful. This year's event will feature high school speakers sharing personal stories and insights that have transformed the way they see themselves and the world around them. By bringing together students, educators, and members of the community, TEDxLeadways creates a space where curiosity and diverse perspectives are welcome and celebrated. Through authentic storytelling and thoughtful talks, we hope to inspire every attendee to reflect on what they've learned and what they still have yet to discover.

Speakers

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

  • Christine Wang

    Christine is a high school student in the Bay Area with interests in math, science, and speech & debate. She is excited to share her perspective as a young woman in STEM, and her talk explores her experience building self-confidence and learning to find her voice.

  • Deshan Ma

    Deshan Ma is a junior at Basis Independent Silicon Valley. He is passionate about bringing positive impact to the special needs community and leads community projects to educate both kids and parents.

  • Gulmehr Contractor

    Gulmehr Contractor is a junior at Mission Vista Academy High School with a passion for medicine, neuroscience, and learning. She is particularly interested in sports medicine and the ways curiosity, mindset, and discipline shape how we learn and understand the world. Outside of academics, she is a competitive gymnast, content creator, and student researcher who has had her work published in academic journals. In her TED Talk, she explores how artificial intelligence is transforming the way we learn in a world of instant answers, and why learning to think critically and stay curious matters more than ever.

  • Jeson McCarthy

    Jeson McCarthy is an eighth grader at Leadways who moved to California from Cork, Ireland in September 2025. An extremely curious kid, he loves puzzles and digging deep into problem solving. Outside school, Jeson plays viola in a local orchestra, enjoys guitar, and stays active with soccer, swimming, and boogie boarding in Santa Cruz. He also participates regularly in the Anoopam Mission, attending weekly Friday gatherings and youth camps throughout the year.

  • Jonathan Gu

    Jonathan Gu is a junior at Palo Alto High School. He is the Print Managing Editor of The Campanile, the school's student-led newspaper. Through journalism, he's learned a bit more about the power of learning and curiosity. In his talk, he discusses how the rise of artificial intelligence changes the learning process and what the learning process is truly about.

  • Kevin Cross

    Kevin Cross is a senior at Leigh High School. He is a 3 time varsity basketball player and is also a former NASA intern. Kevin spends his free time providing youths with affordable coaching and mentorship programs.

  • Laura Zhang

    Laura Zhang is a ninth-grade student at Valley Christian High School, a competitive table tennis player, and a cross country runner. She earned bronze at the National Championships and co-founded Table Tennis for Seniors, a nonprofit bringing table tennis to senior communities.

  • Luca He

    Zehan “Luca” He is a senior at Lynbrook High School, passionate about making knowledge more accessible. He founded ‘Bright Academy’ to offer free math competition classes for elementary and middle schoolers, reaching over 100 students to date. Enthusiastic about astrophysics, Luca conducts research on solar events, and is the co-author of three conference papers.

Organizing team