Ideas Worth Spreading

TED is an annual event where some of the world’s leading thinkers and doers are invited to share what they are most passionate about. “TED” stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design — three broad subject areas that are, collectively, shaping our future. And in fact, the event is broader still, showcasing ideas that matter in any discipline. In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx, where x=independently organized TED event. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our events are called TEDxASB, where x=independently organized TED event. At our TEDxASB events, TEDTalks videos and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connections in our ASB community.
Enter to Learn and Serve is our school's motto and the motivation for us to host TEDx events for our community. ASB has hosted five TEDxASB events - December  2009, February 2010, April 2010, November 2010, and March 2011.

We will host two TEDxASB events during the 2011-2012 school year.

2010-11 TEDxASB Events
The theme for our November 2010 TEDxASB was "Story Matters". The poet Muriel Rukeyser said “The universe is made of stories, not atoms.” Stories are the threads that have woven humankind into a 'quilt of humanity' since the beginning of time. Our world's technological advances have only empowered us to share experiences, beliefs, and ideals resulting in a tighter weave. They are the medium through which global understanding is possible. It is the single commonality that has the ability to tie together people across cultures, religions, ethnicities, and geographical locations. During this event we listened to the stories of others, considered the stories that shape our existence, and became inspired to share our own story with others.

The theme for our March 2011 event was "Identity".What makes us who we are - part of the human race and yet different from one another? What does it mean when people say “just be yourself”? The simple answer may be identity, but how is identity constructed? Every religious and cultural tradition and academic discipline attempts to answer this question. And depending on who we are, our own identity, we find some of these answers more satisfactory than others. Our March event was dedicated to exploring the complex and multifaceted notion of identity. Our speakers hailed from different disciplines, but shared with us their unique interpretations of what makes us who we are.


2009-10 TEDxASB Events
The theme for our December 2009 TEDxASB was “Dreams for the Lives of Others”. Our school’s mission is to “inspire all of our students to continuous inquiry, empowering them with the skills, courage, optimism, and integrity to pursue their dreams and enhance the lives of others”. On December 1st, we focused on service in the fields of education and health, and engaged in discussions about ways to empower our community to become more involved with local issues. Speakers moved us to dream about what is possible and motivated us to strengthen our commitment to serve others.

The theme for our February 2010 TEDxASB was "Embracing Leadership, Innovation, and Change."  This was the second TEDxASB event and was held during the ASB Un-Plugged conference. This event focused on empowerment and growth, one of our ASB core values – “All individuals have potential for growth.” In a world transformed by human ingenuity and technology, one thing is clear. Social technologies invite any individual to become a leader, an innovator, and a change agent. This decentralization of authority in the 21st century will fundamentally transform our societies. Hence our theme: Embracing Leadership, Innovation, and Change.

The theme of our April 2010 TEDx event was “Perspectives on Modern Life”. This event focused on balance, one of our ASB core values – “A balanced lifestyle is the essence of well-being.” As we look ahead to the 21st century and we consider the implications of issues like climate change, globalization, fundamentalism, and the ongoing information revolution to name a few, we recognize that people all over the world face tremendous challenges to bring health, safety, and fulfillment to their own lives and to make the world a better place. At the same time, we see phenomenal opportunities to address these challenges through leadership, economic integration, cross-cultural understanding, and democratic processes. Perhaps at no other time in the history of the world do so many individuals and organizations feel so empowered to make a positive difference. Yet, this is also a time, like so many others in the history of human kind, of deep and sometimes difficult soul searching -- How do we help our children to be better human beings? What can we do to help others? How do we find balance in our own lives while optimizing our contributions to our families, "tribes," and societies? This TEDxASB event did not attempt to bring resolution to these questions but rather provide unique perspectives on personal fulfillment and making a difference in the lives of others in our modern times.