TEDxYouth@ParkCity auditions to be held April 13 – 14

Roughly 10-12 students will be selected to give talks at TEDxYouth@ParkCity in May. Photo: TownLift

PARK CITY, Utah. — TEDx Park City announced auditions for TEDxYouth@ParkCity speakers will be held April 13 and 14 at 3:30 p.m. at Park City High School’s George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Center.

Auditions are open to all students in grades 10-12 in the region. All PCSD and Summit County COVID-19 safety protocols will be observed for the in-person event.

“We are grateful to be able to offer in-person auditions for this event,” said Teri Orr, a TEDx Park City event organizer. “TEDxYouth@ParkCity has proven to be a lesson for students in the value of sharing powerful ideas—and to become aware of their potential as changemakers in our community. The opportunity to share these ideas, live, has never been more important.”

Students who audition do not need to have a full talk prepared, but rather be able to speak to why their idea is worth spreading. “Captivating an audience with a clear message, shedding light on an important topic, from the speaker’s unique perspective is the hallmark of TED Talks,” said Orr. “Learning to present in this way is a  rare opportunity for the students in our area. Presentation literacy is a skill that is critical on the planet today. No one does this better than the TED.”

Approximately 10-12  students will be selected to give talks at TEDxYouth@ParkCity  in May 2021. Speakers will spend several weeks learning, through speaking exercises and coaching, to communicate big ideas in a concise format.

“We look forward to this special, powerful day each year. Our student speakers shape the event with their talks—and that spreads within our community. In fact, three of the four speakers at the Park City High School commencement in 2019 were former TEDxYouth@ParkCity  speakers,” said Orr. “To date, the talks on TEDx Park City have garnered more than 1.2 m views of our events over the past decade. Our plan is to live-stream the event, globally, this year.”

In addition to the student speakers, Orr said the day will include talks from adult speakers, on topics that are top-of-mind for youth. The event will be held during the school day in May.

“Captivating an audience with a clear message, shedding light on an important topic, from the speaker’s unique perspective is the hallmark of TED Talks,” said Orr. “Learning to  stand up and deliver in this way is a unique opportunity for the students in our area.”

Per TED rules, video recordings are made of all talks. Videos of speeches will be uploaded to the TEDxYouth YouTube channel. Previous talks by Park City students now have more than 1.2 million views.

Event information and audition applications may be accessed at TEDx Park City. Pre-registration is mandatory for auditions.

A schedule for the TEDx Park City event will be posted to the site in late April.