TEDx Student Workshop

On Friday, 07th June 2024, our class (3BHH) got the chance to attend a student workshop by TEDx on the Messegelände Klagenfurt. In this workshop, we were taught how to speak up about problems we recognize around us and that we can do something to shape the world we live in. Marcus Orlovsky from TEDx led us through some group exercises to achieve that, while also teaching us the importance of content and style when giving a speech. After an exciting morning session, some of us got the chance to participate in another one of three (voluntary) workshops. We could choose between an influencer-, an event management-, and a speaking workshop during the afternoon. Marcel and Nina (Luca) attended the speaking workshop in which they worked out, what topic we would most like to talk about on the TEDx stage the following day. Marcus and Sarah gave us some tips on how to improve our talk. Together we helped each other finding our „call to action“.

On Saturday, 08th June 2024, we were able to visit the TEDx event with either half-priced tickets for all morning workshop participants or free of charge for us speaking workshop participants. Sadly, Marcel couldn’t join us on stage because he couldn’t get the day off work. During the morning and early afternoon, we were told to listen to the speakers on stage. After each session, we would meet up and compare, what we figured out: which style worked and which didn’t, how one should start to get people hooked, and how you could keep people interested throughout your speech. After lunch, we met once more to practice our speeches on a smaller stage upstairs. Then, we finally learned of our placement in the timetable. We hurried to the stage because we would go out after 2 more talks. After silently sneaking backstage, we had enough time to practice some more on our own. (During all of this we were incredibly nervous). And once the moment had come, six of us students, all from different Carinthian schools, were brave enough to walk out on the TEDx stage. We all gave some incredible talks about diverse topics: ranging from celiac disease to gender identity. Nina (Luca) talked about the latter. After an overwhelming standing ovation from the crowd, we all left the stage, only to be greeted by Sarah, who (as well as some other staff members and speakers) congratulated us for our great performance. We took a group photo with both Sarah and Marcus and then were allowed to sneak back into the crowd to watch some more talks and relax for the evening. Overall, this was an amazing opportunity. Everybody passionate about a topic should take the chance to speak up when given the chance (even while scared).
Written by Nina (Luca) Pirolt, 3BHH