Parker hosted its third TEDx ParkerSchool event, organized by sophomores Talia Garg and Olivia Levine, on Saturday, December 5 from 2:00-5:00 in the auditorium. Five speakers — two CEOs, a CTO, an activist and politician, and a Head of Industry at Google — gave short presentations on the theme of acceleration.

“The theme has to do with how we accelerate ideas and the impacts of things,” Levine said. “Especially if you want to be an entrepreneur, or if you want to start something, it’s how fast you can actually create an idea and how fast it can impact someone.”

According to its website, TED is a “nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less).” Those wanting to participate can host an independent TEDx after applying for a licence, where the “x= independently organized TED event.”

At the event, about 100-120 audience members were present. Centered on the stage in the auditorium lay a red rug, behind stood the letters “TEDx” in bright red.  The lighting on the stage focused on the red dot, where each speaker stood.  Each was given the prompt of relating acceleration, to their experiences, but some chose to take their talk in a different direction. CTO of Obama’s reelection campaign Harper Reed for example, didn’t feel a strong connection to the theme.

“I don’t know why acceleration is something that I do,” Reed said. “I don’t even know if that’s the right word for what I do. Throughout my career, I’ve always done things that people think are ahead of the curve. Maybe that’s why.”  On top of the Obama’s campaign, Reed focuses on building and developing new technology for people to use.

Next, CEO of Johnson publishing Co., Desiree Rogers, began by asking the audience to forget everything they know, everything they have, who they are. She then told a story. “You are a young black guy in Chicago in the 1940’s, and you’re poor,” Rogers said. “No one’s going to give you anything, no one’s going to give your family anything.

“You start to think about and see people around you that look like they’re doing a little bit better than you. So you say, ‘What can I do?’ You know what you’re going to do? You’re going to make a magazine, a magazine that tells the stories of all the people that look like you. If you can get this done, you could even impact other generations. The only thing that’s standing between you and the magazine is cash. Alright, maybe just maybe, you can ask your mother to sell the car, and get enough money to start your magazine.

“The question is,” Rogers said to the audience, “how many of you would take this chance?” A few scattered audience members tentatively raised their hands. “Okay, I see a few hands. Good for you, you know why? You’re the accelerators in the group, and that’s a really good thing.”

Rogers explained how this is the story of Johnson Johnson’s journey to creating his magazine, “Ebony.” Rogers is now the CEO of the publishing company.

Jennifer Wesley, Head of Industry at Google, spoke about the lack of girls in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

“This is not a computer science problem,” Wesley said. “It’s not a girl problem. It’s an economic problem. This is everyone’s problem, and everyone needs to be part of the solution.”

Bridget Gainer, a Cook County Commissioner, talked about the role of passion in accelerating one’s ideas. Through stories, she explained how she became an activist in order to help solve issues around the city that she truly cared about.

“If you have a spark inside of you, and you want something to happen, you can’t assume that someone else is going to feel as strongly as you do about the things you care about,” Gainer said. “It all comes down to your passion, and how you take that passion and that spark to make it into something big, something that helps affect others.”

CEO of A Better Chicago Liam Krehbiel spoke about his use of venture philanthropy in accelerating his organization, A Better Chicago, which, “dramatically improves educational opportunities for low-income Chicagoans by funding and scaling the most effective schools and programs in our region,” according to its website.

“Don’t give — invest,” Krehbiel said. “That’s something our society needs to reimagine in the coming years if we’re serious about tackling challenges. We need to shift from a culture of giving to a culture of impact.”

Garg and Levine were first inspired to organize their own TEDx after seeing the one hosted at Parker last year by Brooke Mullen ‘15, the theme of which was the “wonder of design.” Two years before that, Matt Mullen ‘13 and Miles Rosenthal ‘13 hosted the first TEDx ParkerSchool.

“I think it’s just an amazing event that motivates and inspires so many people to do different things,” Levine said. “After the event last year, we were so interested in TED, and we just wanted other students to have that interest.”

That November, Garg and Levine approached Upper School history teacher Martin Moran, who had been Mullen’s faculty adviser. Moran agreed to help, and Garg and Levine began their planning.

The first step in the process was applying through the TED website. Their application was initially rejected. TED did not allow the originally planned past Parker parent, Alicia Mullen, to co-sponsor the event. Mullen had sponsored the two previous TEDx’s but was not allowed to sponsor this year, as her children had already graduated, and she was no longer affiliated with the school.  

The second application was also rejected — this time due to the theme, which was originally the “power of passion.”  Garg said, “TED didn’t like it because they’re not about the stories, but about the ideas.”

After that, they decided on the new theme. “We looked at all the speakers and what they had in common,” Moran said. “The key with all these people is that they took small ideas, and they made them go either faster, farther, or bigger.”

Acceleration did not only play a part in what the speakers had to say — it was essential to the organizing process. “Any time you’re starting with a new initiative, the element of acceleration is the key to it,” Moran said. “It’s not as easy as just saying it. You have to do a lot of work to make it go fast, and that’s kind of what this process has been.” Although it can sometimes be necessary to take a slower approach, Garg and Levine wanted to focus on the times when going faster and bigger is beneficial.

While trying to get their application approved, Garg and Levine began to look for potential speakers. “Only five speakers spoke at the event,” Garg said, “but we probably asked 25.” Many said no.

As it got closer to the actual date, Garg and Levine sent out a form to students.  The form helped divide the 37 volunteers into smaller jobs, which included helping with social media for the event, taking photos or video, doing tech, filming for the live stream team, or setting-up for the actual event.

The help of student volunteers, as well as a TEDx cake, and interactive electronics, this year a hoverboard, are “traditions” of TEDx ParkerSchool that Garg and Levine wanted to continue.

Even though it required a lot of work and organizing, the event was worth it to the sponsors. “I don’t think anything is more fulfilling,” Levine said, “than working so hard and finally having the day come.”

In terms of actual logistics, Moran believes Garg and Levine’s work payed off. “The way Olivia and Talia have taken care of it, it’s been really smooth,” Moran said. “Anytime you try to put on an event this big, there’s always logistic challenges, but realistically, this was pretty smooth.”

Garg and Levine were very happy with the outcome of the event. “I think it went great,” Levine said. “The speakers spoke really well, and the audience was engaged.”

Although the TEDx is over, Moran believes acceleration still plays a large part in his life. “I’m always trying to take ideas and make them go faster,” Moran said. “I think that anybody who wants to do new things always has to think about a time when you’ve got the idea, you’ve got a small group who’s interested — okay, how do you make this big, and how do you make it go?”

Acceleration is important to Levine, as “it moves what we have now into more futuristic, new, innovative ideas.”

Garg and Levine enjoyed the event so much that they have already decided to plan another TEDx event for two years from now when they are seniors. They hope someone is interested in organizing one next year too.

If students are interested, Garg is happy to provide any help she can. Garg said, “I think it can definitely continue, maybe every year.”