Spartans Host the First Student-Sponsored TEDx Youth Event at St. Stephen’s

“Forward” was the theme for the first ever SSTX TEDx Youth event at St. Stephen’s. The theme—centered around the idea of Progression, Innovation and Empowerment—embodied the school’s commitment to embracing change, driving positive impact and striving to push beyond the apparent. 

 

The event was 100% student organized and operated, and included 13 TEDx talks from faculty, staff, students, St. Stephen’s alumni, which included a Grammy-nominated artist, Austin community activists, scientists, and experts who are forging ahead in the fields of technology, arts, engineering, astronomy, sustainability, architecture, business and scientific research. 

 

“It’s been super fun and I think it's really good that we could get a lot of ideas and inspirations from a lot of great speakers, alum, students, faculty and speakers from Austin,” said Jenevieve Tsai ’25, who organized the independent TEDx Youth event, with guidance from Upper School Physics Instructor Dr. Ace Furman.

 

Tsai, a boarding student from Taiwan, said she was even more inspired and determined to make the event a reality this year after she learned plans for a past TEDx event got canceled in 2020 due to COVID.

 

“So I feel like it was a win-win situation,” said Tsai.

 

Tsai and a group of seven student organizers spent weeks booking a wide range of guests. The group also handled all of the planning and execution of the event—from promotions to the technical aspects of producing the show for a live audience and recording the live talks for a digital audience to enjoy later. They also coordinated snacks, lunch and fun surprises for attendees throughout the day during breaks, including an ice cream food truck.

 

One of the guests was Grammy-nominated St. Stephen’s graduate Colin Hancock ’15. He shared lessons he learned as a student on The Hill which laid a solid foundation and propelled him into his current career, studying environmental law at the University of Texas at Austin. Hancock is also musically gifted, composing a musical career around playing and recording sounds of early jazz, blues ragtime and old time music and preserving historical recordings for future generations to enjoy.

 

“[The lessons at St. Stephen’s] helped me to get focused and think in a holistic way about the implications of what I do and how that leads me forward and pushes me forward to do things and go outside the box,” said Hancock.

 

Gigi Edwards Bryant, who grew up in the Texas foster care system, shared about her deep faith and lifelong commitment to supporting families and children through positive change. While standing in front of a large screen that said, ‘How do you move forward when the issue seems bigger than your purpose?’, Bryant spoke from the heart about the 50 year journey that took her from being a foster child to being appointed by the Texas Governor to chair the Department of Family Services Board. Bryant told the crowd that her passion for moving forward and providing better experiences for children in the foster care system, led her to launch GMSA Management Services, a business development consulting firm that emphasizes community engagement and lobbying. 

 

St. Stephen’s student and podcaster Charlie Hubbard ’25 stood with confidence on the signature TEDx red dot carpet. His TEDx talk focused on the important lessons he has learned over the years about the art of listening and asking good questions. The senior told the audience that it is a common practice in school to be tasked with always coming up with the right answer, when in fact it is just as beneficial to ask questions. He shared life-long tips for asking better questions that elicit deeper responses and move conversations forward in a more interesting way. He said starting questions off with “why” and “how” often lead a person to open up more and give more substantive responses.