Katherine Ning

My name is Katherine Ning, I’m fifteen years old and a freshman at Cherry Creek High School. I have a younger sister who is ten years old, and two cats named Mimi and Prince. I’m part of the speech and debate club at school. I competed this year in Cross Examination debate, also known as Policy Debate. I love the rigor and complexity of this type of debate, but also the learning I can get out of studying policies for the debate. I also practice speaking skills as a member of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). I do roleplays on international business, where I give an impromptu speech based on a international business related prompt with a few minutes of prep time. This experience has trained my critical thinking skills as well as ability to speak confidently on the spot. I also have lots of extracurricular activities. I do competition math and participate in robotics during the school year. I’m also a clarinetist and play in the Denver Young Artists Orchestra (DYAO). Additionally, I love dance and have been dancing competitively for seven years now. I do almost all styles including ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, etc. In my free time, I enjoy devoting myself to some arts and crafts like origami. The mix of these extracurriculars gives me a more varied and open view to life. I like to call myself an observer and tend to foster lots of opinions and/or ideas on random topics. Something speaking to me lately is this concept of childhood, which is why I’ve decided to give this talk.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)

About TED

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 30 years ago, TED has grown to support its mission with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world’s leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes or less. Many of these talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Sal Khan and Daniel Kahneman.

The annual TED Conference takes place each spring in Vancouver, British Columbia. TED’s media initiatives include TED.com, where new TED Talks are posted daily; TED Translators, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed. TED has established The Audacious Project that takes a collaborative approach to funding ideas with the potential to create change at thrilling scale; TEDx, which supports individuals or groups in hosting local, self- organized TED-style events around the world, and the TED Fellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.

Follow TED on Twitter at  http://twitter.com/TEDTalks, or on Facebook at  http://www.facebook.com/TED.