Students from Newport Heights Elementary School stepped into the spotlight during an insightful TED-Ed Showcase Event hosted at Newport Harbor High School. The event featured student speakers, each delivering a passionate presentation on a topic related to technology, the environment, or design.  

The event highlighted student voices, encouraged critical thinking, and sparked meaningful conversations regarding the environment, personal well-being and connectedness, student leadership, among other topics. Several students focused on the importance of environmental awareness. 

Sixth-grader Rosalyn Saharan advocated for the protection of vulnerable species in "Endangered Animals: What We Can Do to Help," while fifth-grader Violet Seib provided an explanation of the fundamental science behind climate change in "Gases: The Drivers of Climate Change." Fifth-grader Richardson Tang delivered his presentation, "A Bottle Dropped is a Fire Burned: The Ripple Effect of Littering."

Other speakers explored personal well-being and interpersonal connections. Sixth-grader Addie Iversen explored the link between nutrition and health in "The Healing Power of Food," and fifth-grader Lauren Krebs highlighted the mental and physical benefits of staying active in "The Magic of Movement." Fifth-grader Kaitlyn Reed addressed isolation in the modern world with her talk, "Disconnected."

Rounding out the program, fifth-grader Ava Charles offered reflections on the significance of student leadership in "From Desks to Decisions," and fifth-grader Dasha Paulsen shared the impact of the recent closure of horse stables in her presentation, "The Last Ride." Fifth-grader Eleanor Gruber tackled the lasting consequences of global conflict in "Winning a War, Losing the Peace."

The program was led by Elementary Counselor, Lauren Smith, who organized the event and serves as the advisor for the TED-Ed after-school club at Newport Heights. Throughout the process, she worked with students on writing, editing, and sharpening their public speaking skills, helping them craft and rehearse their presentations. Students also provided peer feedback during club meetings, building a collaborative and supportive environment. "The journey these students took, from initial idea to polished presentation, was awe-inspiring," said Smith. "They embraced the challenges of research, writing, and public speaking with dedication and supported each other every step of the way. This experience fostered critical thinking and communication skills that will serve them well in the future."

Students took ownership of their talks and the creative direction of the event. It was part of the official TED-Ed Clubs program, a global youth and education initiative from TED that supports students in developing and sharing “ideas worth spreading.”

By giving students a platform to share their unique perspectives, the event highlighted powerful ideas that can come from even the youngest members of our community.