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RE students explore 'unbound' ideas at TEDxRansomEvergladesSchool

Seven Ransom Everglades students – Mia Bouyoucef '25, Nora Brue '25, Sophia Linfield '26, Eduardo Michelsen '25, Luna Molla '25, Emma Perdigon '25 and Nina Rivera '25 – explored breaking barriers and unleashing possibilities through their talks on the theme of "unbound" at TEDxRansomEvergladesSchool on Feb. 9 at Swenson Hall. The entirely student-run event was dedicated to RE parent-of-alumni Tom Bales, who passed away last fall and was credited for inspiring the creation of TEDxCoconutGrove, the predecessor to TEDxRansomEvergladesSchool.
Associate Head of School John A. King Jr., who has served as a faculty advisor for the TEDx events at Ransom Everglades, offered a tribute to Bales, described as "an inventor, an author, a philanthropist, a thoughtful leader, a friend to many, a husband, and a father." Bales provided RE access to live streams of the annual TED conference, and he was also active in RE robotics activities and events.

Emcees Lauren Page '24 and Francisco Gomez Rivas-Vazquez '24 introduced the event and each speaker. 

Michelson's talk was entitled "Decoding the Next Step: Artificial Intelligence." Linfield spoke about "Training Your Mind for Success"; Molla talked about "Viewing Rejection from the Lens of Detachment"; and Rivera discussed "Navigating the Disinformation Age." Perdigon addressed "Unlocking Compassion"; Bouyoucef discussed "The Climate Blame Game: Rethinking Activism"; and Brue spoke on "A Taste of Culture: A Discussion Over Cultural Appreciation and Appropriation."

More than 20 students worked on planning, organizing, publicizing, directing and recording the event. Jake Perdigon '24, Nina Tekriwal '25, Alicia Medina '26 and Winston Hosford '27 served as event organizers along with Gomez Rivas-Vazquez and Page. Vlad Ponomarenko '25 served as Director of Media; Matias Blanco '25, Production Supervisor; Luca Blanco '24, Director of Live Video; Carli Bogle '24, Director of PR; Amelia Tovar '24, Associate Director of PR; Luiza Bell '25 and Elijah Dimond '27, PR Associates.

Hannah Zuckerman '25 served as Director of Event Management. She was assisted by Event Management Associates Sienna Bautista '27, Sebastian Djerejian '27 and Tess Pearson '27.

Ian Fox '24, Lucas Lippey '25, Francesco Lopez '24 and Sophia Romanov-Imber '24 assisted as Speech Advisors.
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Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.