Fostering Inquisitive Learners

On May 24, 2018, a group of ASIJ High School students assisted by faculty hosted the TEDxYouth@ASIJ event, which was dedicated to exploring the theme “Students Make an Impact”, at Meiji Kinenkan. TEDx, a derivative of TED Conference, allows for self-organized events dedicated to the discussion of ideas worth spreading, and TEDxYouth events are organized by and for youth. Our students became involved in this project through the ASIJ IMPACT program, a self-directed learning program dedicated to helping students achieve their true potential through independent projects. From serving as the speakers themselves to creating the program and TEDx sign, to organizing the AV requirements and helping guests check in, ASIJ's student team was intimately involved in all aspects of the event’s organization and production.

Six student speakers shared their knowledge on a diverse array of topics in front of an audience of approximately 100 ASIJ faculty members, parents, donors, and other community members. The topics included raising awareness for human trafficking, helping Japanese children who were about to leave foster homes, giving children the opportunity for an education through intersectional feminism, and creating a unique fashion brand for the youth of Tokyo. The rest of the team members were tasked with helping the speakers prepare for their talks by running rehearsals, editing scripts and more. They also tackled the AV aspects of the event such as running the livestream, operating the microphones and lights, and recording the event— all of which required close communication with the Meiji Kinenkan venue team. ASIJ sophomore, Solomon, comments: "As the organizer, I also had to create the overall plan for the night, including scheduling, team management and pre-event planning, which was an experience that I will not forget."