#20Time Thoughts and #TEDxGPSHS #edchat

This site has been pretty quiet the past couple of weeks. I have been very busy watching students give their TED Talks in the hopes of being chosen for TEDxGrossePointeSouthHS. It was not an easy decision, but I was able to narrow down a field of 40 passionate students to 15 speakers. Here is a list of the students speaking and a link to their blogs.

Session 1:
Kitty McKay
Lauren Riley
Grace Conrad
Leonie Leslie
Lucy Stoneley

Intermission Music by Alyssa Campbell

Session 2:
Callie Zingas
Brendan Labadie
Brenna Bromwell
Jackie Kosmas
Emily Fleming

Intermission Music by Abigail Warren

Session 3:
Gabe Martinez
Julia Barnes
Ella Koss
Miranda Barry
Hannah Connors

Over the course of this school year, I have just been hanging on day to day as these students went to do amazing things. I've been blessed to watch them struggle and overcome obstacles they thought they would never be able to do. 

I watched a student complete a marathon. 

I watched a student plan a Suicide Prevention Walk and raise over $9K despite early fears that nobody would attend. 

I watched as another student raised over $3K the following weekend for a 5K to benefit children with cancer. 

The list could go on and on about the amazing things I have been able to witness over the course of the school year. I have received praise from parents for 20 Time and I understand why they thank me, but all I did was get out of the way of some passionate students. 

Now, I'm excited to share to the world some of the best ideas that have come from these 20 Time projects. TEDxGPSHS was something I did not intend to do when I started 20 Time this year. I thought it was a long shot, but here we are. The event will be live-streamed, so stay tuned to my Twitter feed on Saturday morning for the link to watch 15 amazing students share their love of learning with the world. 

Thank you to everyone that supported me, but most importantly, supported my students and their whacky adventures in learning and self discovery this year. They needed all of the support they could get and all of you were there to cheer them onward. I'm forever in your debt for that. 

We are almost at the finish line and I can't wait to see what the ending will look like. 

Lauren R sprinting to the finish line to compete her first marathon.