
Being a youth can be tough. Being told you must perform at a certain level can begin to drown out creativity, imagination and innovation. What if our youth were given a platform to share their ideas without the pressure to conform to a pre-set thought pattern or a grade? TEDxYouth@JeffersonStreet event is this opportunity. We believe that young people are incubators of sheer brilliance on many levels and need practice to discover their brilliance.

We recorded the 2023 event on November 19 in front of a live audience.
2023 TEDxYouth@JeffersonStreet Speakers
2023 TEDxYouth@JeffersonStreet home page

December 2021 marked our inaugural year of TEDxYouth@JeffersonStreet. The event was pre-recorded and published on the TED platform in 2022.
View the 2022 TEDxYouth@JeffersonStreet Speakers
2022 TEDxYouth@JeffersonStreet home page
We are seeking individuals for this exceptional opportunity. This TEDx youth event is a unique gathering in the Nasvhille community that will unleash new ideas, inspire and inform. The 15-minute talks cover a wide range of subjects to provoke conversations that matter.
We are looking for speakers ages of 14-24 who are interested — passionate, even — in the areas that the acronym STEAM represents: Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics. An interesting angle is to tie your passion to STEAM. Each participant will get on stage to provide a 15-minute talk. On what, you might ask? Great question! If you bear with me, I’ll try to hit on a few questions that may be swirling around in your mind about all of this.
Our focus: S.T.E.A.M. - Ideas Worth Spreading
Let's start with the WHY. For our nation's children to be equipped to solve issues, make sense of information, acquire and analyze evidence is critical today more than ever. Students in STEAM subjects gain abilities like these. STEAM is an integrated approach that demonstrates innovative and critical thinking and creative problem-solving at the intersection of these disciplines (Dell’Erba, 2019). The issue with STEM is that the jobs of the future are STEM jobs, and the demand for professionals in STEM fields is projected to outpace the supply of trained workers and professionals (bls.gov).
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that STEM occupations are projected to grow by 10.4% from 2023–2033 compared with 4% growth for all occupations (bls.gov). An analysis by iD Tech notes that this projection “significantly outpaces the 4.0% growth rate for all occupations,” underscoring the demand for STEM‑trained workers (idtech.com).
Let's not forget the 'A' in STE[A]M. Art education is known to improve academic performance. "Students taking courses in music performance and music appreciation scored higher in the SAT than students with no arts participation. Music performance students scored 53 points higher on the verbal and 39 points higher on the math. Music appreciation students scored 61 points higher on the verbal and 42 points higher on the math"(CMW.com)

TEDx@Jefferson Street is a platform for youth (age 14-24) to share their vision, ideas and passion.






For instance, if your STEAM enthusiat is into dance as an art form, how could they translate dance into an idea worth sharing or an call to action that would also benefit the community? How would they pull that off? Have a dance studio in a low-income part of their city? Connect with nonprofits that would sponsor dance events for high-risk youth? Host their own dance presentations for free in neighborhoods that would possibly never get to experience the arts any other way? Then, how would they find sponsors to support their idea? Those are just a few ideas to help. Useh
Community matters deeply here. In fact, did you know that acts of service—giving back—can reduce stress, foster a stronger sense of purpose, increase happiness, and even enhance long-term well-being? That’s not just data; that’s a blueprint for thriving (Cleveland Clinic).
So yes, we enthusiastically welcome presenters who can articulate how their idea or innovation connects to the well-being of their community. If your talk can illuminate how your passion contributes to the common good—whether through problem-solving, cultural uplift, or sparking new conversations—you’re already living the spirit of TEDxYouth. That’s what civic-minded brilliance looks like.
Parents, Teachers and Mentors
If this excites you, even a fraction of how much it excites us, please encourage a youth you know to submit a three-minute video about what they would like to present. It doesn’t have to be a flawless presentation (it will definitely be viewed as an audition). We simply want to get an idea of what your youth is interested in and where they are coming from.
For instance, if your STEAM enthusiat is into dance as an art form, how could they translate dance into an idea worth sharing or an call to action that would also benefit the community? How would they pull that off? Have a dance studio in a low-income part of their city? Connect with nonprofits that would sponsor dance events for high-risk youth? Host their own dance presentations for free in neighborhoods that would possibly never get to experience the arts any other way? Then, how would they find sponsors to support their idea? Those are just a few ideas to help. Use this resource (https://www.aep-arts.org/) for additional brainstorming ideas.
Please ensure you/your youth is energetic and eager to participate. The 3-minute audition video is the only item we'll use for the selection process. We will notify you by email if your budding TEDx speaker is selected. The selection process is competitive. If not chosen this year, we may offer a spot for a future talk.
CHECKLIST
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.
TEDxYouth@YourCity is organized by Trenay Bynum, under license from TED, and produced by Figures of Nashville, Inc., a company dedicated to developing young communicators and elevating underrepresented voices.