TEDx Oxford High School GDST Youth took place on Tuesday 12th March 2024, leaving a lasting impact on attendees as we explored the theme of “New Realities: The Big Questions Shaping Our Future.”
This event brought together educators, business leaders, students and parents from the OHS community, sparking conversations that will shape our students – the leaders of tomorrow.
New Realities: The Big Questions Shaping Our Future explored how we can empower young people to navigate a future of uncertainty, changing expectations, fresh challenges, competing priorities, and jobs that do not even exist.
Throughout the evening students from Year 5 to Year 13 alongside external speakers including Claire Davenport, CEO, NED and Angel Investor and Jennie Lees, Google DeepMind shared ideas of challengers who have emerged from unexpected places and backgrounds; who are not afraid to question approaches and change lanes while reshaping their communities for the better.
Exploring Life Beyond the Classroom
The event kicked off with a dynamic welcome by year 13 MCs Maddie D and Emma L, setting the stage for Theme One: “Life Beyond the Classroom: How to Thrive in the New Adulthood.” Mrs Gardiner Legge, Head of Oxford High School GDST, and Claire Davenport, CEO, NED and Angel Investor, unveiled insights into empowering young voices for this new era. Students shared perspectives on AI (year 9 students Emilia N, Evie H, Alice Z, Maia M and Maria F) and lessons from outer space (year 13 students Tilly H, Katharina M and Alice M).
Empowering Young Voices For A ‘New Adulthood’ | Marina Gardiner Legge
During this talk Mrs Gardiner Legge, Head at Oxford High School, passionately articulates the need for schools to empower the next generation with essential skills and values to navigate the complexities of today’s world and their future.
Lessons From Space | Katharina, Alice & Tilly
This talk showcases the transformative impact of self-led STEM projects in education and the challenges associated with space exploration!
Katharina is a year 13 student. She’s passionate about science and looking forward to studying chemistry at university soon. As part of the Conrad Challenge finalist team ‘Orbnet’ she was responsible for researching and refining the design of their entry, as well as drafting their US provisional patent application. In her free time she enjoys drinking chamomile tea and improving her chemical skills by mixing, measuring and experimenting while trying out new recipes. Alice is a sixth form student at Oxford High School who is hoping to go on to do a Natural Sciences degree at university to study Physics and Biology together. As part of the ‘Orbnet’ team she spent most of her time coming up with original designs for the innovation and animating these in an easy-to-understand format. Outside of her passion for science, she spends time playing rugby and practising the cello. Tilly is a Year 13 Student fascinated by the intricacies of the natural world, and human biology, who is excited to go on to study Medicine at university. As a member of the three person 2023 Conrad Challenge finalist team ‘Orbnet’ she enjoyed presenting, reaching out to experts and delving into the science of space.
Pivot Pivot Pivot | Claire Davenport
Claire Davenport delves into the evolving landscape of careers, emphasising the necessity for young people to adapt and pivot amidst rapid changes. Claire currently sits as a Non-executive Director on the Board of Trustpilot plc, the global consumer reviews website and is a CEO mentor – and occasional interim CEO – at scale-ups and public companies. In her spare time, Claire runs WITSEND, a network for senior executive women in tech companies in the UK and Europe.
AI Debate | Emilia, Evie, Alice, Maia & Maria
By fostering a comprehensive understanding of AI’s capabilities and limitations, this talk explores AI’s integration into society. In the debate, our Oxford High School Year 9 students will present, explore and debate the potential benefits and drawbacks of AI’s impact on the future of work.
Navigating the Future Isn’t Artificial
Transitioning to Theme Two, “The Future Isn’t Artificial,” attendees were treated to a captivating spoken word performance by Esther and discussions on the importance of curiosity in AI by Jennie Lees from Google DeepMind. Amy, a Year 11 student, shared her insights on creativity’s critical link to progress, inspiring the audience with her innovative perspective.
Innovate or Stagnate: Linking Creativity and Progress | Amy
Amy emphasises the importance of creativity in research and innovation, illustrating how unconventional ideas and perseverance drive progress towards tackling global issues and shaping the future. Hello, my name is Amy, I’m in Year 11 currently getting ready to take my GCSEs. Science is my passion, especially chemistry and physics. In the future I would like to work in material science, I’m particularly interested in the application of science to tackle climate change. In my spare time I enjoy playing electric guitar and ukulele. I also have an extensive collection of rocks and minerals!
Why AI Needs Curious Minds | Jennie Lees
In this talk Jennie Lees underscores the collaborative potential of humans and technology in addressing pressing global challenges through the use of AI, urging the audience to embrace curiosity and creativity for shaping the future. Jennie is a software engineering lead at Google DeepMind, the UK’s leading artificial intelligence research lab. She leads a team advancing the use of simulations for faster and safer training of AI, while also co-leading the women’s employee group. Jennie studied machine learning at Cambridge, then took a detour to California for over a decade where she worked on Chrome and Android at Google, shipped code at multiple early-stage startups, and helped create some of the most played video games in the world.
Spoken Word Performance – ‘The Flâneur’ | Esther
First Prize Winner of the 2023 Tower Poetry Competition, Esther explores the enduring power of human creativity and literature in the face of technological advancement. Esther studys A Level English, Art, RS, and History. In 2023, she won the Tower Poetry Prize with her poem, ‘The Flâneur’. Before moving to Oxford, she lived in Ethiopia and China, and she loves to write in her spare time.
Why We Should All Be Hackers | Aneesa & Alicia
As our online world expands and more data gets generated every day, this talk shines a spotlight on the importance of cyber security systems and learning ethical hacking to protect it from falling into the wrong hands.
Hi, my name is Aneesa, and I am 13 years old. I am an Academic, Sports and Art scholar, I love maths and languages, but I also enjoy sketching, playing Tennis and Cricket. My team and I went on to win the national CyberFirst girls competition. Right now, I absolutely love cybersecurity-based challenges and games, especially web exploitation which is so cool.
Hello, my name is Alicia and I am 13 years old. I am an art and academic scholar and I love to listen to music, swim and talk with my friends. I’ve had an interest in computer science and coding from a young age and I absolutely love it to this day.
Embracing the Power of the Friendly Challenger
In the final segment, “The Power of the Friendly Challenger: The Ultimate Activist,” Florence challenged stigmas around disability, while Rosemarie defined activism with a compelling narrative. The event closed with a powerful ensemble talk from year 5 and 6 Prep School children, showcasing the diverse range of female activists who inspired them to use their voices.
Defining Activism: Every Voice Makes a Sound | Rosemarie
Through her involvement in activism, Rosemarie demonstrates the power of youth voices in catalysing meaningful change and encourages others to find their own voice in challenging societal injustices. Rosemarie is a Year 12 student studying English Literature, Politics, Art, and Drama, as well as running Oxford High School’s Feminist Society. Outside of school, Rosemarie combines her performance skills learned in drama with public speaking – working as an activist with Streets Now and Streetworthy for two years, attending events such as the Women Of the World (WOW) Festival and doing an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live. Along with her love for acting and feminism, is her love of cats – with her own (Mindy, Peggy, Ziggy, and Violet) unfortunately unable to make the event.
Look Beyond The Wheelchair | Florence
In this talk Florence advocates for inclusivity and meaningful change through challenging societal norms and perceptions of disability, showing how we can become a more accepting and inclusive society. Hi, I’m Florence, and I am in Year 9 at Oxford High School. I am a wheelchair user, and my talk is focused on tackling the stigma surrounding the topic of disability. I enjoy public speaking, English, Ethics and Art.
Activism is Ageless | Emma, Maddie & OHS Trailblazers
Underscoring how activism transcends boundaries, this talk highlights the pioneering perspectives of today’s youngest generation: Generation Alpha, showcasing a group of young trailblazers as they share candid snapshots of who inspires them and why. Our trailblazers include: Valerie, Gaia, Emi, Yahavi, Vicky, Sophie, Emilia, Alexia from year 5 and 6 at Oxford High Prep School.