Key Facts:
- The inaugural TEDx Mercedes College Youth event was held on 24 April 2026 at Mercedes College’s Performing Arts Centre, with sixteen students presenting talks under the theme *Illuminate* to a live audience of approximately 90 attendees.
- The event was coordinated by Miss Callie Stevens, Head of English, whose vision for the event was inspired by attending a TEDx event in Perth in early 2022, following years of research, applications, licencing and school approvals.
- Sixteen students presented individually or in pairs on a diverse range of topics, including disability equity in education, women in the workplace, artificial intelligence, bullying, and political change.
- Year 10 student Grace Seeber received the People’s Choice Award for her speech on equity in education, drawing on her lived experience of Autism and highlighting the need for greater inclusion.
- Recorded talks from the event are now available on the official TEDx platform, marking the culmination of years of planning and a commitment to empowering young women to think critically and use their voices.
Held on Friday, 24 April 2026 at Mercedes College’s Performing Arts Centre, the TEDx Mercedes College Youth event gave sixteen students the opportunity to present ideas of interest to inspire a live audience. With ten students presenting individually and six students presenting in duos, the event showcased young voices and the ideas that drive them.
The event’s official theme was Illuminate and students were invited to interpret the theme in their own way; exploring the topics and ideas that mattered most to them. The result was a diverse and thought-provoking program of talks spanning personal experience, social issues and new perspectives, each one a unique expression of what it means to shed light on something worth sharing.
The event was coordinated by Miss Callie Stevens, Head of English at Mercedes College, who has been a member of the school community since 2010. A passionate advocate for student voice, Miss Stevens helped establish the Philosophy Club and the ASPIRE Gifted Program at the college.
After attending a TEDx event in Perth in early 2022, she began imagining what it would look like for Mercedes College students to be on that stage themselves. Following extensive research, applications, licencing and school approvals, that vision became a reality.
Principal Dr Lucie McCrory said it was a privilege to see students step forward with such confidence. “Hosting a globally recognised event such as TEDx Mercedes College Youth provided an exceptional opportunity for our students to express their voice and share their passion, recognising that ideas are the seeds that change everything.”
Deputy Principal Kirsty Murphy echoed that sentiment. “It was incredibly moving to see students who do not always seek the spotlight step forward and share such diverse, thoughtful ideas.” She said, “I left the event, and I suspect many others did too, with new perspectives that broadened ways of thinking. They were far more than talks; they truly illuminated us all. Congratulations and thank you to all of the speakers – your thoughts and words made an impact.”
Grace, a Year 10 student at Mercedes College, received the People’s Choice Award, voted on by 90 attendees, for her powerful speech on the impact of disability. Drawing on her lived experience, she highlighted the challenges faced by people with Autism and emphasised the need for greater equity in education.
The inaugural TEDx Mercedes College Youth marks the culmination of years of planning and a deep commitment to empowering young women to question, think critically and use their voice. Recorded talks from the event are now available through the official TEDx platform.
Student Speeches:
Please find images from the event here
About TEDx, x = independently organized event
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.)
About TED
TED is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to discovering, debating and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change. Our organization is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of knowledge — without an agenda. We welcome people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world and connection with others, and we invite everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in your community.
TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, but today it spans a multitude of worldwide communities and initiatives exploring everything from science and business to education, arts and global issues. In addition to the TED Talks curated from our annual conferences and published on TED.com, we produce original podcasts, short video series, animated educational lessons (TED-Ed) and TV programs that are translated into more than 100 languages and distributed via partnerships around the world. Each year, thousands of independently run TEDx events. Through the Audacious Project, TED has helped catalyze $6.6 billion in funding for projects that support bold solutions to the world’s most urgent challenges — working to make the world more beautiful, sustainable and just. In 2020, TED launched Countdown, an initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis and mobilize a movement for a net-zero future, and in 2023 TED launched TED Democracy to spark a new kind of conversation focused on realistic pathways towards a more vibrant and equitable future. View a full list of TED’s many programs and initiatives.
