Hosts Ashley Kolaya and Bobby Nweke at TED-Ed Weekend. Photo: Ryan Lash

Ashiana Sunderji offers an inside look at what it was like to attend TED-Ed Weekend in February as one of the 120 students invited to come to NYC.

Ashiana attended the event with 4 other student members of the Encounters TED-Ed Club from Vancouver, Canada. Here she describes what it was like to see the students from the TED-Ed Student Talk community come together, listen to ideas from her peers on the TED stage, and participate with other students in activities and workshops:

DAY ONE

The first day consisted of four sessions, in which we were taught so many new ideas. I wanted to share the aspects that resonated with me the most in each session to ensure that it sticks within the realm of Ashiana’s Home!

Session #1

In the first session, we got to hear a bunch of student’s talks from the TED Stage. They were given by students of many ages from all over the world. I would have to say that my favorite part of the entire conference was probably the interactions that I got to have with students and facilitators from all over the world. I talked to at least one person from Greece, Mexico, London, Russia, Columbia and so many other places making all of the topics of the talks super diverse.

I have been a part of my club for almost two years now as I joined in September 2018. While most of the groups in attendance at this conference were based out of their schools, our club uses TED as a vehicle to understand the history of our faith and the intersections that it has in secular contexts. It was so incredible to come to the realization that every single talk intersected with our faith curriculum.

A talk in the first session that hit very close to home was given by Suzu Kitamura . She gave a spoken word on perfectionism. I am someone who strives for achievement and sometimes my strides are not fulfilled and this is why it is important to look at life through the lens that no one is perfect. I thought this talk was super relevant and I feel that every person in the room, no matter where they came from took something from this piece.

Suzu Kitamura speaks at TED-Ed Weekend. Photo: Ryan Lash / TED

The second discussion that I wanted to share was the conversation with the youngest editor of Teen Vogue: Vera Papisova. As someone who runs their own blog, I thought it was super cool to hear about the editors experience working in that industry. They touched on many relevant global issues and topics, and how they had been incorporated into Teen Vogue. I love how they emphasized the importance of including these topics in such an on-trend magazine, and that a space such as Teen Vogue should educate their readers.

Vera Papisova speaks at TED-Ed Weekend. Photo: Ryan Lash / TED

Session #2

In the second session, we got to see a whole bunch of cool activations. They all included a means of art, which I found to be very engaging. The activation that really spoke to me amongst all of the ones that I got to participate in, was Movers and Shakers. They made art  that can be scanned to reveal a digital 3D like image and story about a person (usually a minority) in history who is not widely recognized for their revolutionary accomplishments. This, to me, is such an important gap in the media, and public eye, that should be filled. The art was amazing, and the cause even stronger.

We also got a workshop on public speaking  which I took a lot from. I found the way that the presenter shared her points super relatable, and we were all learning so much through her empowering form of teaching.

Raegan Sealy speaks at TED-Ed Weekend. Photo: Ryan Lash / TED

Session #3

One aspect that I really enjoyed about the conference was the global audience. People were able to tune in from home and watch in live time, their faces appeared on the sides of the theatre. We got to hear from some amazing young people about the changes that they are making in the world in terms of the environment.

 Xiye Bastida gave a talk about the indigenous practices of taking care of our Earth. This is very similar to what we learn about in our religious classes, as Muslims it is our role to take care of god’s creation. I think hearing another culture’s perspective really emphasized this practice for me.  It was so relevant and informative, that I began reflecting on our purpose in the climate crisis quite a bit after her talk.

Xiye Bastida speaks at TED-Ed Weekend. Photo: Ryan Lash / TED

Session #4

My favorite moment from session #4 was the improv group Freestyle Love Supreme. They are from Broadway and were incredible. They improvised an entire show, which I think reminded the audience of the courage that it takes to get on the stage and share something that is so personal. I believe that attending this conference really helped to inspire my confidence so that I will be able to convey my ideas in a way that resonates with the most people.

DAY TWO

This day was more divided in activities as many people had to leave throughout the day to catch flights (including us). These were my two favorite activities:

Chris Anderson’s talk about Climate Crisis

I had no idea we were going to get to hear from Chris Anderson. When I first joined the club, the first talk we had to watch was “How to Make a Talk” by Chris Anderson. His talk was very powerful and really brought forward the change that is being made by TED this year, not just sharing ideas but taking action. We got to help choose graphics for the promotion of the Countdown Event.

Chris Anderson speaks at TED-Ed Weekend. Photo: Ryan Lash / TED.

Discussion about Climate Crisis

We then got to divide into groups and have an in-depth discussion about climate change with students from all over the world. This was such a new experience for me, getting to converse with people who came from completely different parts of the world from me, and their own opinions and personal experiences related to our environment. This was definitely a highlight from the entire weekend for me.

Student discussion at TED Weekend. Photo: Ryan Lash / TED

• The conference opened so many new perspectives to me. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity and hope that I get to experience something like this again! Thank you for reading all about my amazing experience with TED-Ed!

• ABOUT THE AUTHOR

• Ashiana Sunderji is a 12 grade student who gave her own TED-Ed Student Talk on how youth should turn to community service to learn about their own identities. She started and runs the Encounters TED-Ed Club blog, as well as her own fashion and travel blog.
  

Photo: Ryan Lash

On February 8th, TED-Ed Weekend is going to be celebrating students around the world. And here at TED-Ed, we want to make sure those of you watching remotely are a part of it. Can’t make it to TED HQ in NYC? No problem, we’ve got you covered.

Join us in the TED World Theater!

So what exactly is the TED World Theater?

It’s a new technology that projects a participant’s webcam image (YOU!) onto the walls of our theater in NYC. Instead of watching remotely like you’d watch a TV show, you’ll be a visible addition to our in-house audience, watch the speakers and panels, and interact with attendees both in-person and virtual from wherever you are!

TED World Theater

 Why it’s awesome:

1. Be on the TED stage virtually! Some virtual attendees will get the opportunity to address the room from a screen on the TED stage.

2. Meet and chat with other students from around the world in the TED World Theater chat room

3. Have the chance to ask speakers and guests questions and take part in panel discussions

4. Be a shining face in the crowd, up on the theater wall as an audience member

5. Participate in exclusive TED World Theater-only puzzles, riddle challenges and games for a chance to win prizes

Sign up using this form!

Sofia Guidi speaking at TED-Ed Weekend 2018. Photo: Ryan Lash

What you’ll need to participate:

To take part in the TED World Theater, you’ll need to follow a few tech requirements:

1. A high-speed internet connection and computer with webcam capabilities so we can see and talk to you!

2. The Chrome 65 and above browsers work best with the theater system. Opera, Firefox 59 and above, or Safari will work if you’re not planning to speak. Internet Explorer unfortunately is not compatible with the theater system.

3. We want to be able to hear your questions and for you to be able to hear the speakers! Using headphones or earbuds (with a microphone!) will give you the best audio experience.

4. Add worldtheater@ted.com to your email address book so you can receive the link to join the event and for any troubleshooting needs for the day of!

Even if you can’t be at TED-Ed Weekend physically, we want you in the room virtually! Sign up today and get ready for February 8th. We can’t wait to “see” you there!

And make sure to check out the TED-Ed Weekend 2020 speakers:

TED-Ed Weekend returns on February 8th, 2020! This full-day event amplifies the voices of TED’s next generation by inviting students from around the globe to share their ideas right from the TED stage in NYC. This is TED’s only official event featuring an all-student audience and an all-student Speaker lineup! The event will offer an abundance of inspiring ideas, interactive workshops, and a peek behind the curtain of TED’s New York City Headquarters.

Meet the 2020 TED-Ed Weekend Speakers below!

Canda Atalay is an aerospace engineering student at Middle East Technical University in Turkey. She developed an early passion for space by watching documentaries when she was in kindergarten. Since then, she’s been chosen as one of 24 Under 24 Leaders and Innovators in Space by The Mars Generation and was nominated by Microsoft Turkey as a future star candidate for Women Leaders in Technology. Canda is proud to represent women in engineering and to work towards changing the problems they face. In her free time, she enjoys drawing and painting, and also watching dog videos for a good laugh.

Amira Bashbishi is a freshman at Sir John A. Macdonald High School in Canada. She chose to speak about residential schools after learning about the injustices still happening in Canada. Something she is especially proud of is wearing the hijab. It was a big transition that made her appreciate her roots. Amira also loves acting and being onstage, and relaxes by watching episodes of her favorite comedy show.

Esther Burungibwe is from Uganda, and is currently a first-year student at Sechenov University in Russia. She chose to talk about reflection after hearing a message on seven ways to stay spiritually strong. Esther doesn’t know why, but she’s good at memorizing people’s birthdays and price tags! She also loves reading Lucy M. Montgomery and Mark Twain stories because they make her smile.

Ananya Grover is a 12th-grade student at Amity International School, Noida in India. After witnessing the stigma related to menstruation, she researched the topic and took action with her classmates. She believes breaking the silence is the first step towards period positivity. Ananya also runs Reflections Magazine, an online platform for teenagers that encourages free creative expression, and she developed Maitri, an Android app that connects old age homes with orphanages to improve social health. Something most people don’t know about Ananya is that she’s a trained Kathak dancer!

Alex Kennedy is a 16 year old from Dublin, Ireland and is very proud of where she’s from. Currently, she’s in her 5th year at Larkin Community College. One thing people may not know about Alex is that she’s good at learning song lyrics, and loves watching videos of her favorite YouTubers.

Suzu Kitamura is from Kyoto, Japan, and is currently a first year student at Doshisha University. She wrote her spoken word Talk, An open letter to perfectionism, as her senior speech during her last year of high school. It’s the first and only spoken word piece that she’s written! Something people may not know about Suzu is that she was a proud debate kid in high school, and still misses it to this day.

Joanna Li is from Sydney, Australia and is a 9th grade student at Meriden school. One day Joanna saw a fish online which she thought was amazing, but made her friends cringe. It turned out to be the blobfish, deemed ugliest animal in the world, and that’s how Joanna found her Talk topic! In addition to being a blobfish advocate, Joanna’s also weirdly good at making connections with things (she once linked the smell of a friend’s jacket to McDonald’s hand soap).

Ethan Lisi is from Pickering Ontario, Canada. He is in his first year at Ryerson University. His mother’s recent autism diagnosis inspired him to talk about his own experience with autism. While some of his friends know about his singing ability, not many of them know that he has perfect pitch! In his free time, Ethan loves watching his dogs play.

Jennifer Moglia is a 16-year-old high school junior from Mineola, New York. Jennifer’s Talk is about her experience of managing an anxiety disorder through sports. She’s most proud of her involvement in sports journalism, and was thrilled to cover the National Women’s Hockey League’s championship game in 2018! When she isn’t watching or writing about sports, Jennifer loves to play ukulele, go to concerts, participate in poetry slam events, make macaroni and cheese, and spend time with her cats and friends. 

Anant Singh Sodhi is from India, but now lives in the United Arab Emirates. He studies film in New York University Abu Dhabi, and is proud to be on full scholarship there. In addition to being a busy college student, Anant’s really good at mimicking many of his family members, and loves laughing at his old school notes and textbooks.

Avery Stark is from Parkland, Florida. She is an 11th grader at Saint Andrew’s School. When Avery joined Student Talks, she knew she needed to talk about the growing population of young people who experience second-hand trauma as a result of the current school shooting epidemic and the need for a more inclusive approach to healing. Though her passion for this topic came from her experience, Avery hopes others will learn from what her community experienced. She’s most proud of her involvement with the Make Our Schools Safe Organization and with her local BBYO chapter. Also, most people don’t know this, but Avery’s great at creating the perfect Spotify playlist!

Pavarisar (Praeh) Vijitakula is from Bangkok, Thailand. She is an 11th grader at KIS International School. Praeh decided to join TED-Ed’s Student Talks program because she was struggling with an eating disorder and was trying to find a way to express herself and overcome the struggle. Now she’s giving a Talk about her journey at TED-Ed Weekend! Something most people don’t know about Praeh is that she loves observing unplanned reactions and behaviors because she thinks they are hilarious.

Audience applications for this year’s TED-Ed Weekend are now closed, but don’t worry — you will have plenty of opportunities to watch the sessions and connect on the day of the event. Stay tuned for more info on live streaming opportunities coming soon!

In the meantime, make sure to check out TED-Ed Weekend Talks from previous years! And to learn more about TED-Ed’s Student Talks program visit ed.ted.com/student_talks

Sophie Hayssen is a student from New York City and an intern at Clover Letter. After attending TED-Ed Weekend, she wrote about the event. Read Sophie’s letter below:

After years of watching TED videos, I have accumulated many favorite talks whose lessons have stuck with me and changed the way I perceived the world. However, at TED-Ed Weekend, the experience of seeing TED Talks live and by people my own age was more visceral and inspiring than anything I had seen onscreen. In our second workshop of the day, my group was asked to describe what TED meant to them. As one of the few attendees who was not a member of a TED-Ed Club, the Saturday conference was the only experience I had with TED IRL. I thought about the answer to my workshop leader’s question, and asked myself why those morning talks had moved me so much.

I am exposed to ideas daily from interactions with teachers, parents, friends; but what makes some forms of communication more meaningful than others? The best answer I could come up with was that while many of us young people have interesting — or even world-changing — ideas, it can be challenging to express those ideas in ways that effectively reach other people. It’s hard to convey feeling through something as concrete and limited as language, but this is where most of the TED-Ed Weekend talks excelled. Because the talks were so carefully considered and geared toward the audience, I found myself getting excited about topics I had very little knowledge of, or didn’t even know existed before the conference. Even more impressive was how the topics ranged so widely from the importance of loving your natural hair to the benefits of solar energy.

In addition to TED’s power to help students articulate and organize their ideas, TED offers students a unique platform to share their stories. I’ve heard adult after adult complain, either in news articles or in person, about how the art of listening is lost on my generation, but the TED-Ed Clubs format flies in the face of that accusation. As I watched the talks, it was really refreshing to surrender my attention completely to the speaker and not have the pressure of having to respond immediately. Instead, I could just let the talk sink in and process it on my own. This relationship between the audience and the speaker defines the TED experience as both communal and personal. That is what TED means to me.

Author bio: Sophie Hayssen is a student from New York City and an intern at Clover Letter. When she’s not studying, she spends her time wandering aimlessly through bookstores and wasting away her youth watching Netflix. You can read more of her writing here.

TED-Ed Weekend is just like the official TED conference, except for one thing: it’s dedicated to student voice.

At the June 2017 TED-Ed Weekend, thousands of people tuned in via the livestream and Facebook Live to watch students take the mic at TED Headquarters in New York City. On stage, students shared ideas about everything from ADHD and the human mind, to solar energy and ocean clean-up. Off stage, students participated in hands-on workshops about creativity, VR, and animation.

Below, meet some of the TED-Ed Weekend June 2017 student speakers on their journey from TED-Ed Clubs to TED Headquarters:

Then, watch how TED-Ed Weekend June 2017 student attendees animated playful audience reactions to TED Talks — aka That Feeling When, or TFW — using a technique called pixillation:

To learn more about the impact of TED-Ed Weekend, watch how students describe the experience of coming together from TED-Ed Clubs around the world to share ideas:

If you missed this TED-Ed Weekend, don’t worry! There will be future opportunities to get involved in amplifying student voice. Each TED-Ed Weekend event features an amazing lineup of student speakers from around the globe. In addition to sharing ideas, student attendees have the opportunity to connect with experts, learn valuable new skills, explore ideas that matter, join hands-on media and animation workshops, and form lasting friendships within the global TED student community.

Questions about how to get involved with the next TED-Ed Weekend event? Email us at tededweekends@ted.com.

~The TED-Ed Team

To learn more about how TED-Ed celebrates and amplifies student voices, or to start your own TED-Ed Club, go to ed.ted.com/clubs.

It’s almost time: TED-ED WEEKEND RETURNS on JUNE 17, 2017! To watch the show and cheer on the speakers during the event, grab some friends and tune in to the livestream here.

​For those of you who haven’t heard, TED-Ed Weekend (TEW)​ is designed to bring the voices of TED-Ed Club Members to the TED stage in New York City. This event is just like the official TED conference, except for one thing: the audience, session leaders and speakers are all members of TED-Ed Clubs.

Here’s the TED-Ed Weekend June 2017 speaker lineup:

Arie Nyoman is an 11th grade student from Denpasar, Bali. Coming from a tropical island, the sun has always inspired him; that’s why he decided to talk about solar energy. Arie is a proud alum of Bali’s Model United Nations. When he’s not debating world issues, you can find him playing tennis, or laughing with his friends.

Darlene Gitta Hamida is a 10th grade student from Depok, Indonesia. She joined TED-Ed because she thought it was time to use her voice to contribute to a better future. She chose her topic simply by asking herself, “What do I like?” Gitta is proud of who she is: a connoisseur of modern day heroes, a secret fashionista, and an appreciator of her friends’ classroom antics.

Haaziq Kazi is a 5th grade student from Pune, India. A documentary he watched, about the effects of pollution and trash on marine life, made him think: “I have to do something about this.” Haaziq is passionate about crowdfunding a library for underprivileged children in his community. What makes him laugh: reading jokes and books like Tintin.

India Hawkins is a 12th grade student from Richmond, Virginia. Her hair is a small piece of her everyday truth. India created a confidence workshop at the YWCA for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Even though she wasn’t alive when it first aired on television, the 90’s sitcom Martin always makes her laugh.

Jaerin Jo is a senior from Busan, South Korea. After participating in a debate competition about AI in school, she wanted to know how to effectively integrate AI with human judgment. When she’s not imagining how robots will affect the world’s justice systems, you can find Jaerin playing piano, badminton or watching comedy shows on TV.

James Phillips is a junior from Torrance, California, but his family is originally from Clevedon, a small town in England. He chose to talk about overcoming ADHD because in many ways it was his life story, molding the relationships in his life. James spends a lot of time volunteering for the American Red Cross Club at his school, playing chess, and longboarding.

Jessica Guimarães is a senior from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Jessica is fascinated by the amount of time we humans spend dreaming. This fascination led to her talk. Jessica is incredibly proud of her relationships with her friends and family. She spends as much time as she can with them — and loves to have her favorite “English songs” playing in the background.

Michael Mireles is a senior from Mission, Texas. He is constantly inspired by others to work toward positive change and bettering the community. Michael loves meeting new people, exploring new foods, and making jokes — something he plans to do a lot of at TED-Ed Weekend!

Thiago Schneider Martins is a senior from Porto Alegre, Brazil. Thiago is proud to have the opportunity to raise awareness about the harmful consequences of the excessive use of antibiotics. Most people don’t know this, but Thiago is an excellent teacher. He loves to hear stories from friends about what Brazilians do when traveling abroad — and plans to create some of his own stories at TED-Ed Weekend!

Trishna Bindu is a 12th grade Indian student studying in Bali, Indonesia. For her talk, Trishna chose to share a personal experience with a topic that has always beguiled her — the human mind. In addition to TED-Ed Clubs, she spends her time doing Model UN and tutoring at an orphanage. Trishna loves singing and has a secret talent for drawing chibi characters.

Applications for this TED-Ed Weekend are now closed, but don’t worry — there will be more event opportunities in the future! We can’t wait for more TED-Ed Club Members from around the world to join us here at TED HQ​.

~The TED-Ed Team

Email us at tededweekends@ted.com with any questions.

To learn more about the TED-Ed Clubs program or to create your own club, visit TED-Ed Clubs.

TED-Ed Weekends are designed to amplify the voices of TED’s next generation and celebrate the TED-Ed Clubs community. During a TED-Ed Weekend event, student attendees enjoy a full day of inspiring ideas, interactive workshops, and riveting TED Talks in the newly created theater at TED Headquarters in New York City. Below, check out the amazing youth speaker lineup for the first TED-Ed Weekend event, which happened on December 3, 2016:

Ashton Cofer is a 9th grader in Columbus, Ohio. Last year, his FIRST Robotics team won the Google Science Fair for developing a process to convert Styrofoam waste into activated carbon for purifying water. Ashton also has three patents under his name.

Irfhana Zakir Hussain attends high school in Fremont, California. She is a proud volunteer youth educator at the International Tamil Academy and even helped plan the opening ceremony of the Global Diaspora Tamil Education Conference. As a young Muslim woman, she has experienced discrimination concerning her religion. Irfhana decided to share her ideas via TED-Ed Clubs after realizing that, unfortunately, she was not alone.

Sean Fredella is a 10th grader in Mountain Brook, Alabama. He’s proud to say that he has met the New York Yankees and talked with the legendary Derek Jeter. In the past eight years, Sean has battled cancer four times. Today, his goal is to help find a cure for pediatric cancer by raising awareness through sports.

Gabriela Shimako recently graduated from Asociación Escuelas Lincoln International School in Argentina, where she was a proud member of TED-Ed Clubs. As a feminist, Gabriela is passionate about updating public knowledge about feminism.

Jim Patrick is a 2nd grade student in San Diego, California. He chose to talk about math for his talk because he feels it is important for kids to understand how it works and why they should learn it in school. One thing that always makes Jim laugh? The funny creations on scratch.com.

Estée Park is a first-year student at the University of Notre Dame. Previously, she attended high school in Atlanta, Georgia, where she helped her soccer team win a state championship. Estée loves kayaking and is passionate about gender equality and pro soccer — two ideas that come together beautifully in her TED-Ed Weekend talk.

Ryan Ng attends high school in Penang, Malaysia. Ryan has always been interested in public speaking and debating, but what really jumpstarted his love of TED Talks was seeing Adora Svitak on stage. Ryan also loves art, calligraphy, and urban sketching expeditions.

Jaleah Colbert is a 7th grade student in Atlanta, Georgia. As a young film director and movie maker, Jaleah encourages all kids to be creative and independent — and to go for their dreams. One thing that always makes Jaleah laugh? Unplanned funny incidents.

Enzo Cox is a 4th grade homeschool student in South Carolina. A young maker and shaker, Enzo loves creating video games, acting in the theatre, and doing improv. He is also a drummer, and has been playing the drums since he was 3.

Esha Karthi Raj is an 8th grade student in Bangalore, India. She loves art, sports and cooking. As a young chef, Esha has learned many life lessons in the kitchen. In her TED-Ed Weekend talk, she shares a few of her favorite ideas.

Jasper Coombes-Watkins is a 13-year-old student in Australia. He enjoys playing video games and proudly claims he can finish a 600-page book in less than a week. When he’s not reading or gaming, you can find Jasper studying other topics, including martial arts.

Brett Lewis attends high school in Birmingham, Alabama. As a TED-Ed Club Member, he is thrilled to speak about an idea he loves: the power of peer helpers. One thing that always puts a smile on his face? Making other people smile.

Analia Wu was first introduced to TED Talks by her high school English teacher in Buenos Aires, Argentina. No stranger to culture shock, Analia is now a first-year student at the University of Michigan, where she is thrilled to study entrepreneurship.

Aishwarya Chodankar is a 12th grade student in Mumbai, India. She loves learning and has a keen interest in Bharatanatyam Classical dancing. One movie that always makes her laugh? Minions.

Petrina Nomikou was born in Greece and currently attends high school in Argentina. She joined her school’s TED-Ed Club because of her passion for learning new languages, and in her TED-Ed Weekend talk, Petrina examines the ways that language can shape thought. In her spare time, you might find Petrina banging on her drum set or chuckling at sarcasm.

Olivia Chapman is an 8th grade student in Kirksville, Missouri. She joined TED-Ed Clubs as part of her school’s gifted and talented program. In her talk, Olivia examines the differences between equality and equity in education. One thing that makes her laugh? Bad voice impressions.

Anika Paulson is a first-year student at the University of Minnesota. In high school, Anika joined a TED-Ed Club because she wanted to experience the journey of creating her own TED Talk. She loves music and plays three instruments: guitar, bass and ukelele.

TED-Ed Weekend events are for students in TED-Ed Clubs. Apply to start a TED-Ed Club now so you don’t miss out on TED-Ed Weekends in 2017! To learn more about the TED-Ed Clubs program or to create your own club, visit TED-Ed Clubs.

TED-Ed Weekend events are special gatherings that bring together students from around the world for a chance to take over TED Headquarters in New York City. TED hands over the stage to the world’s youth for inspiring performances, hands-on workshops, and riveting TED Talks delivered by members of TED-Ed’s Student Talks program.

Cool, an event series celebrating students! What should we expect?

TED-Ed Weekends feature an amazing lineup of youth speakers from around the globe. In addition to experiencing great Talks delivered on stage at TED Headquarters, attendees will get a chance to connect with experts, learn valuable new skills, explore ideas that matter, join interactive workshops, and form lasting friendships within the global TED student community.

How are the youth speakers selected?

The TED-Ed Team receives many video submissions of Talks given by members of the Student Talks program. After watching all of the nominated Talks, we invite some students to speak on THE big red circle at TED Headquarters in New York City. So if you have uploaded a Talk to our YouTube Channel, then you have officially applied to be a speaker at TED-Ed Weekend! Check out our Nomination Guidelines to learn more about what we look for when selecting speakers.

When does submission for TED-Ed Weekend close?

Video submissions are accepted throughout the year on a rolling basis! Once speakers for an upcoming TED-Ed Weekend are publicly announced, the selection for that TED-Ed Weekend is complete. Any recorded Talks submitted after the announcement (or right before it) will be considered for the following TED-Ed Weekend event.

Awesome! Who can attend and be an audience member?

We built a theater in our office (crazy, right?), but it still has a limited number of seats. Participants within the TED-Ed Student Talks program receive an invitation to apply to join as audience members. After reviewing applications, the TED-Ed team invites select groups to attend in NYC. But if you haven’t been selected to attend in person, fear not! We have various ways you can join remotely (through our livestream or the TED World Theater) and we’ll update you about those remote options before the event!

Who can be a chaperone? How many students can one chaperone supervise?

An adult group leader, group advisor, or parent may be the chaperone for up to 5 students. If students are accepted, parents will receive more details regarding chaperones and guidelines for attendance of the event.

How do we get to New York City? Where do we stay?

TED-Ed Weekends are all-day events and free to attend. However, we cannot provide transportation to and from TED Headquarters in NYC, or lodging for attendees.

Sounds like an amazing opportunity. Can students fundraise to cover transportation and lodging costs for TED-Ed Weekend attendees?

Definitely! Students may need to fundraise to cover travel and lodging costs for TED-Ed Weekend attendees. (The all-day event itself is free to attend, and lunch is provided.) We encourage you to reach out to your principal or school board for advice on funding student opportunities such as TED-Ed Weekends. In addition, DonorsChoose can be a good way to gather fundraising dollars for student enrichment opportunities.

Wonderful! How do I apply to attend the event?

Participants within the TED-Ed Student Talks program receive an invitation to apply for attendance. After reviewing applications, the TED-Ed team invites select groups to attend in NYC. If you would like more information, email us at tededweekends@ted.com.

TED-Ed Weekend events are for students engaging with TED-Ed’s presentation literacy curriculum. Apply now so you don’t miss out on this series of events! To learn more, visit ed.ted.com/student_talks