In April, D-E hosted its first-ever TEDxDwight-Englewood School event in Hajjar Auditorium, which was a great success and is expected to be a new school tradition. Chief Innovation Officer Diana Gross gave opening remarks, along with student leaders and executive producers Soham Bafana ’25 and Georgia Unger ’25, ahead of thoughtful presentations on a range of topics.

Gabriel Rhodes ’26 opened the talks with a discussion on how to become an agent of change. He used his personal cause—climate action in the Pacific—to inspire others to make an impact in other people’s lives. Ananya Kannan ’26 summarized her talk on mathematics with the conclusion that “there is more to math than memorization.” In his talk, Lucas Brown ’25, expressed that making comparisons on one another’s path to success can be unhelpful or generally harmful. The talk by Jared Mosseri ’27 delved into Artificial Intelligence and the Metaverse (virtual and augmented reality technologies) as they relate to Education and ways of learning. Michael Lihanda ’28 through a series of family photos and personal reflections spoke on the fragile meaning of permanence. Pianist Steven Cui ’25 closed the event with a presentation on how to break cultural barriers and create connections.

“Our first TEDx event was a powerful reminder of the importance of giving students a platform to share their voices,” said Ms. Gross. “Their talks were inspiring, showcasing incredible talent and a deep commitment to our mission—applying skills, values, and courage to tackle real-world challenges and make a meaningful difference. They aren’t waiting to change the world— they’re already doing it!”