With its iconic red font and minimalist event staging, TED Talks have become synonymous with inspiration and applying a different perspective to challenging topics. Through the nonprofit organization’s TEDx program, smaller communities can produce their own events locally. When Fieldston Upper students Rachel S. ’25 and Uma C. ’25 learned of the program, it motivated them to bring TED Talks to Ethical Culture Fieldston School for the first time.
“Our decision to organize the first ever TEDxECFS Youth event was inspired by Fieldston’s emphasis on collaboration, unity, and intellectual curiosity,” the Fieldston Upper seniors share. “As students, we had never seen an event where students, faculty, and alumni could come together to share their stories of personal growth. With support from the School, we saw an opportunity to create a space where community members from different divisions could share ideas, learn from each other, and engage in thought-provoking discussions.”
TEDxECFS serves as an outlet to amplify diverse voices and strengthen our community. We are stronger when we collaborate, listen, and grow together.
“Students feel empowered through the process of putting together a TEDx program with the support of the community,” says Fieldston Upper Dean of Student Engagement Ruth Taveras. “They also feel their voices matter, as they can share their personal experiences and the work they’ve done in their lives through such a significant presentation.”
With Dean Taveras’ support, Rachel and Uma arranged for TEDxECFS speakers to present on the theme of “Metamorphosis.” In addition to recruiting a panel of participants, the two collaborated with various administrative departments and faculty to prepare a student-directed livestream, applied their graphic design and web design skills to an informative webpage, and coached presenters on their speech delivery. Rachel and Uma’s hands-on approach to organization exemplified the TEDx program’s goal to innovate, collaborate, and tell impactful stories.
Presentation topics included Zauditu S. ’26 sharing what organizing the ECFS Special Olympics taught her, concluding that “True success isn’t about victory; it’s about the courage to keep going no matter the outcome.” Fieldston Upper Science Teacher Palma Repole demonstrated how people can be agents of climate change, reminding the audience, “The levers for change are in our hands.” Mirroring Repole’s scientific focus, Nathan R. ’25 spoke about his experience in the Fieldston Science Research Program, highlighting the amount of time a single discovery often requires. “As our world has learned more and more,” he noted, “the precision and attention to detail needed to observe new phenomena has only increased.”
Lily S. ’25 detailed how tearing her ACL soon after committing to a college field hockey career led her to realize “there are more mountains to climb” after completing a significant achievement. After a frightening experience in a place where he initially felt safe, Javin G. ’28 talked about interpreting adversity as an opportunity for growth, saying, “Even when we feel stuck, change is happening beneath the surface.”
“Students chose topics where they experienced the most transformation in their lives,” Taveras says. “Some shared personal stories of medical challenges that initially broke them down, but through support and self-growth, they became stronger and learned valuable life lessons, ultimately feeling better as individuals. Other students wanted to share their science research. What happens in the classroom as well as other areas of their learning hugely impacts their growth and happiness.”
We know that change can be scary, lonely; it can leave you with less than you had before. It can also be beautiful and uplifting, and it can provide you with things you never, ever imagined you could have.
The evening closed with a keynote speech from alum Elbert Garcia ’93, who went off script to share a heartfelt sentiment about ECFS’s ongoing presence in his life. “When you find a place that you call home,” he said, “coming back isn’t difficult.”
Garcia then reflected on his own metamorphosis and how becoming a parent changed the way he fights for justice. “We know that change can be scary, lonely; it can leave you with less than you had before,” he noted. “It can also be beautiful and uplifting, and it can provide you with things you never, ever imagined you could have.”
With many seniors in the audience finalizing college decisions and approaching their last high school milestones, Garcia’s speech was a fitting finale for an evening of TEDx speeches reflecting growth.
“When brainstorming theme ideas, metamorphosis immediately resonated with us as seniors reflecting on our personal growth throughout high school,” Rachel and Uma share. “Given this theme, we felt an alumni TED Talk would be meaningful in addition to our student and faculty speakers, and Mr. Garcia’s ideas aligned perfectly with our vision.”
“This experience helps students realize that no matter their age, their voices will be heard and that the world can learn from their stories and experiences,” Taveras remarks. “These gatherings not only uplift students but also unite the entire community. I was especially proud of how everyone came together to make the event successful. It allowed us to showcase our beautiful campus and reminded us of the support we have for each other. It’s a celebration of community strength and collaboration.”
“TEDxECFS serves as an outlet to amplify diverse voices and strengthen our community,” Rachel and Uma say. “We are stronger when we collaborate, listen, and grow together.”
