Announcing TEDx West Vancouver Youth
June 20 at the 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.
Youth Speakers
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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DIANA ASHNAEI
Diana is a 14-year-old Grade 9 student who has been training in classical and musical theater 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.
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SHANE ARDEHALI
Shane is a Grade 8 student and a Mensa Canada member since age 5. At just 10 years old, he became a published author of ‘Adventures of Ezza the Rover in Space’, and sequels are already in the works. Shane plays tennis, practices taekwondo, swims, and spends his free time reading.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Meet the Organizer,
George Harjani
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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