Kaleb Adatia: What inspired you to join TED-Ed? What advice would you give to someone thinking about joining Encounters TED-Ed (ETC)?

What inspired you to join TED-Ed?

For me, it started with suggestions from friends. My friends told me Encounters TED-Ed was an amazing experience and overall super chill class! I remember being excited immediately at the prospect of developing and recording a TED-Ed Student Talk. 

Attending the Making Waves Conference in 2024 added to my excitement, I was immediately inspired by the passion of the students hosting, as well as the student speakers. I can’t wait to come back next year as a mentor for first-time students.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about joining Encounters TED-Ed (ETC)?

I would say that Encounters TED-Ed is like a choose-your-own-adventure experience. It can be molded and shaped into whatever you want! Coming into ETC, I kept an open mind, knowing I wanted to write a talk. In class, we learned about a variety of foundational concepts from the curriculum and from there, it was up to me. I got to choose what topics I wanted to research about for my talk and choose where and how I would like to work on conference planning according to my skill set. No matter what type of person you are and what experiences you have, there is a place for you!