TEDx West Vancouver Youth

June 20 at the McEwen Theatre,
Kay Meek Arts Centre, West Vancouver

This year's theme challenges young people to question assumptions, reimagine what's possible, and write their own definitions: of achievement, identity, community, and the future.
Because the most powerful ideas don't just fit into the world. They change it.

Featuring young speakers sharing ideas worth spreading across science, art, community, and everything in between, this event is designed for curious minds and everyone who believes in their potential.

Speakers

  • TEDxWVY Speaker - Amy Liu

    AMY LIU

    Amy is a 16-year-old Grade 10 student who has played competitive soccer for eight years. She also trains in Hapkido, where she teaches younger students, and takes part in local beach cleanups. She has a deep love of the outdoors and a strong interest in environmental work and sustainability.

  • TEDxWestVancouver Youth Speaker Chloe Yu

    CHLOE YU

    Chloe is a six-year-old Grade 1 student, and the youngest of four siblings. She enjoys reading, helping in the kitchen, and playing outside with her dog. Remarkably independent for her age, endlessly curious, and quietly determined, she proves that big ideas have no age limit.

  • TEDxWestVancouver Youth Speaker Chris Zhang

    CHRIS ZHANG

    Chris is a 9th Grader in St. Thomas More Collegiate, where he is a senior Model UN delegate. He is a classically trained pianist, who also plays guitar and harmonica. He is also involved in cadets, competitive first aid, debate and lacrosse. Chris also collects vinyl records and loves classic literature.

  • TEDxWestVancouver Youth Speaker Crystal Yu

    CRYSTAL YU

    Crystal is a 13-year-old student in Collingwood School, West Vancouver. She has been figure skating for six years and has competed internationally in UAE, China, and Singapore. She enjoys ballet, reading, snowboarding and walking her maltipoo, Miu Miu.

  • TEDxWestVancouver Youth Speaker Cynthia Qiu

    CYNTHIA QIU

    Cynthia is a friendly 9-year-old student who enjoys reading and is always exploring new interests. She also trains in gymnastics, and is an avid piano player who has performed in front of audiences. She has a natural aptitude for drawing and loves to illustrate cats. 

  • TEDxWestVancouver Youth Speaker Diana Ashnaei

    DIANA ASHNAEI

    Diana is a 15-year-old Grade 9 student who has been training in classical and musical theatre singing since age 7. She plays the piano, and is an active theater performer with multiple stage productions to her credit. Beyond the performing arts, Diana pursues debate and French classes.

  • TEDxWV Speaker - Elizabeth Cheng

    ELIZABETH CHENG

    Elizabeth is a 9-year-old Grade 3 student in White Rock, BC. She enjoys a wide range of sports such as basketball, swimming, soccer and horseback riding. Outside of sports, she plays the piano, and is active in arts and writing with a strong interest in public speaking.

  • TEDxWV Speaker - Maya Pourrasad

    MAYA POURASSAD

    Maya is a Grade 11 student with a passion for the arts, including drawing, sketching, and musical theatre. She has been performing as a soprano singer in Tehran and Vancouver. With a strong aptitude in math and physics, Maya plans to pursue computer science and robotics.

  • TEDxWestVancouver Youth Speaker Shane Ardehali

    SHANE ARDEHALI

    Shane is a Grade 8 STA student, and a Mensa Canada member since age 5. At 10 years old, he became a published author of ‘Adventures of Ezza the Rover in Space’. Shane plays piano, tennis, practices taekwondo, swims, and spends his free time reading. 

  • TEDxWV Speaker - Sunny Jiang

    SUNNY JIANG

    Sunny is an 11-year-old who holds a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo. He is an accomplished hip-hop dancer, singer. MC and public speaker. Sunny also enjoys playing soccer and basketball. At home, he spends time with his British Shorthair cat.

  • TEDxWV Speaker - Winston Huang

    WINSTON HUANG

    Winston is a twelve-year-old sixth grader at Collingwood School in Vancouver. He grew up between Vancouver and Shanghai. Outside of school, he enjoys playing piano, coding, swimming, reading, and building things with his hands.

  • TEDxWV Speaker - Yimin Yang

    YIMIN YANG

    Yimin is a 17-year-old who is an accomplished musician playing both piano and violin. A committed multi-sport athlete, he plays competitive basketball as a point guard and is also a certified referee, scorekeeper, and coach. He also serves as the Vancouver District Representative on the student council.

  • TEDxWVY Speaker - Yuvraj Singh Mander

    YUVRAJ SINGH MANDER

    Yuvraj is a Grade 11 student who co-runs a soft skills program for the neurodivergent community. He is an accomplished public speaker and senior student leader, and serves as the Director of Writing for his school newspaper. He is also training to become a certified lifeguard.

Performers

  • TEDxWestVancouver Youth Performer Albert Qiu

    ALBERT QIU

    Albert is a 13-year-old 8th grader with a diverse set of interests that range from breakdancing and Greek mythology to coding. Alongside his academic pursuits, Albert also enjoys various sports such as lacrosse, rugby and water polo.

  • TEDxWestVancouver Youth Performer Amira Minhas

    AMIRA MINHAS

    Amira is 14, and been dancing since she was 3. She is a versatile and dedicated performer who trains at The Young at Arts Studio. She does Ballet, Character Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Lyrical, a range that reflects both her discipline and her love for dance.

  • TEDxWestVancouver Youth Performer Anna Kim

    ANNA KIM

    Anna Kim, 8, is a harpist studying at the Vancouver Academy of Music since age five. A First Prize winner at both the Vancouver International Music Festival & Competition and the Canadian Music Competition, she is also a Kiwanis Music Festival scholarship recipient.

  • TEDxWestVancouver Youth Performer Angelyn Kim

    ANGELYN KIM

    Angelyn Kim, 11, is a Vancouver harpist trained at the Vancouver Academy of Music. A Canadian Music Competition winner and Kiwanis Medallion recipient, she performs with the VAM Junior Symphony at venues including the Orpheum and Chan Centre.

  • TEDxWestVancouver Youth Performer Gianna Grant

    GIANNA GRANT

    Gianna is 15, and she has been dancing since she was three. She spent the last twelve years building a performance foundation that spans Ballet, Character Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Lyrical. She is a student of The Young at Arts Studio.

  • TEDxWestVancouver Youth Performer Olivia Liu

    OLIVIA LIU

    Olivia is a 15-year-old student at Crofton House School. When she's not writing poetry or lost in a good book, you'll find her crocheting, hitting the ski slopes, flying on aerial silks, or watching Ghibli films.

  • SHAWNNA WU

    Shawnna is a 13 year old musician who plays the flute and piano, and enjoys competing in music festivals. Outside of music, Shawnna enjoys golf and caring for her pet duck and four birds.

  • TEDxWestVancouver Youth Performer Sunny Jiang

    SUNNY JIANG

    Sunny is an 11-year-old hip-hop and breakdance performer who trains in Taekwondo, sings, and MCs professional events.

  • TEDxWestVancouver Youth Performer Trinity Wu

    TRINITY WU

    Trinity is a 15-year-old student at St. Thomas More Collegiate in Burnaby. A gifted poet, public speaker, and storyteller, she has a rare ability to turn personal experience into words that move people both on the page and on the stage.

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Meet the Organizer,
George Harjani

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As the lead organizer of TEDx West Vancouver, George brings a depth of experience and a long-standing commitment to the TEDx community.

Throughout the last decade, he has supported and advised numerous TEDx events, and over the past 5 years, he has organized and produced 10 events under the TEDxGrandview Heights license in a wide range of TEDx formats, including youth-focused events, standard events, and climate-centred TEDx Countdown events. 

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