NIST to Host Inaugural TEDxYouth@NIST

On 5 September from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, NIST International School will host its inaugural TEDxYouth@NIST events, where NIST students will speak about their passions and their dreams for making a positive difference in the world. Four featured speakers will also present: Praya Nataya Lundberg, the famous Thai actress and NIST alumna; Patrick Newell, co-founder of TEDxTokyo and Tokyo International School; Abria Joseph, a yoga guru and motivational speaker; and Jaruthat Sindwongse of the Royal Foundation Project, also a NIST alumnus.

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 our TEDxYouth@NIST event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. This local, self-organized event is branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. At NIST we work with organizations such as TEDx, ED-ucation Publishing, Pranaforce Yoga, and FairNIST Coffee in order to help the next generation of youth change agents to exponentially make an impact to environmental, humanitarian and societal issues.

TEDxYouth@NIST will be open to the public, but only a limited number of free tickets are available through EventBrite. To learn more about the programme or reserve tickets (beginning Monday, 24 August), visit the NIST International School website and official TEDxYouth@NIST site.

Praya Nataya Lundberg

Praya Nataya Lundberg, better known as "Poo" to her fans, is a well-known half-Swedish, half-Thai actress/model in Thailand. She completed her high school education here at NIST and went on to continue her studies in the United Kingdom. She has starred in over a dozen Thai television series, as well as several films and endorsements. Praya will be the first keynote speaker in the TEDxYouth@NIST event, where she will talk about growing up in a multicultural society and how this has shaped her in becoming who she is today. We look forward to having Praya come share her experiences, and we believe she will not only inspire, but also motivate our youth to dream big and believe in their dreams.

Patrick Newell

During the past twenty years, while living in Japan, Patrick has been a pioneer in aligning 21st century skills with 21st century learners in over 25 countries throughout the world. Much of this work has been through through his own organizations: Tokyo International School, TEDxTokyo, JIEC, Living Dreams, 21.21 movie and 21 Foundation. Patrick spends a growing portion of his time as a creative consultant in think tanks and as a speaker collaboratively creating new ideas and emerging ways of sharing these ideas with organizations, companies, governments and schools as a 21st century learning specialist. His personal website shares how he connects the unconnected: http://patricknewell.com.

Abria Joseph

Abria Joseph was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay area. He began learning yoga at 16 and later completed his first training program, a 700-hour vinyasa training in Thailand. He went on to teach vinyasa classes across the US, Canada and Mexico, and earned a degree in exercise science and wellness from Bastyr University in Washington state. Abria founded Pranaforce Yoga in 2010, an international yoga lifestyle company offering yoga retreats, teaching training, workshops and community events. He is also an experienced TEDx speaker who encourages others to practice and live their dreams within each moment.

Jaruthat Snidwongse

Jaruthat Snidwongse was born and brought up in Thailand. After initially attending Chitrlada School in Bangkok and International School of Manila, he completed his education here at NIST International School. Jaruthat went on to attain his Bachelor of Industrial Design (Hons.) at Monash University in Victoria, Australia. An experimenter in the arts and sciences, he currently works for the Royal Project Foundation. Jaruthat is the second alumni keynote speaker in the TEDxYouth@NIST event, where he will discuss and share his educational journey, including how it has led to significant turning points in his life, helping him to learn, attain and master his craft.