TEDx event at Aquia – Our secondary pupils at The Aquila School recently hosted an evening like no other – The Aquila School’s first TEDx event. Nine pupils and one secondary teacher participated, sparking discussions inspired by the theme ‘Sometimes I pretend to be normal’. TEDx events are a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to share ideas and spark conversations amongst the community.
At The Aquila School, we use events, such as TEDx, to empower pupils to use their voices and share their passion. Over 40 secondary pupils auditioned to participate in the event, making it one of the most popular opportunities to date for our secondary pupils. In our school, we place great importance on the power of our pupil’s voices and this was an occasion that allowed them to channel their uniqueness and share their ideas with the world.
Preparations for the event began with pupils rigorously formulating speeches, editing and then redrafting speeches to perfection. This led to rehearsals on the delivery of their speeches. Events like these are key for our pupil’s development, confidence and independence, and our pupils took away much more than just this.
“They formed friendships, shared ideas and challenged each other to be the best they could be. The sense of support among this group was inspirational – they listened, critiqued and celebrated each other’s achievements every step of the way”, said Mrs Connolly, key stage three phase leader.
We are so proud of their courage and their confidence – an absolute inspiration to us all!
“Honestly, I’ve grown up to be a really shy person and had difficulties embracing my confidence. That was until I heard about the TedX event at Aquila. My whole year turned around when I felt like I needed to step out of my comfort zone and become more productive. Of course, It was nerve-racking at first but at the end of the day, I felt relieved and my self-esteem had actually gotten better,” said Aseel, a year 9 pupil at The Aquila School.
Well done to Ehaab, Aseel, Aaser, Omar, Khushi, Shriya, Yara, Reem and Sophia. A special shout out to Mr Kaleem who also took to the stage to tell us all about synaesthesia.
“Watching these pupils on stage with confidence and poise was both a humbling and inspirational experience – my heart is bursting with pride at the courage and kindness they have shown over the last few weeks”, said Mrs. Connolly, key stage three-phase leader.
