TedxPA: Breaking Barriers
On Friday, February 14, 2025 the OWHL hosted TEDx Phillips Academy in the Kemper Auditorium. This year’s theme is “Breaking Barriers.” We had six presenters with novel insights into what it means to break barriers – individual, societal, educational, economic, or scientific – in today’s world. Read more about each presentation and click links to listen to them.
All TEDx Events are fully planned independently by community members without TED. The TEDx_Phillips Academy organizing committee includes team members from the OWHL, the Polk; the OWHL Student Advisory Board; former TEDx_PA presenters; and other faculty and staff partners across campus. If you have any questions, please reach out directly to the Library Director, Camille Torres Hoven.
To find out more information, please visit the TEDxPA LibGuide. Stay tuned for more information about how you can be part of TEDx Phillips Academy in 2026!
Angela Guo ‘27: The Human Race: Run to Break Barriers
A marathoner who began as a lazy house rat. A barefoot runner on cracked roads. Running is full of unexpected stories—and I’ve lived some of them. From my mom’s life-changing journey to global marathons and helping kids in Hong Kong take their first strides, this talk reveals how running breaks mental, societal, and physical barriers. Every finish line begins with a single step, and every barrier becomes a starting line waiting to be crossed.
Felix Bret ‘27: Transportation Inequalities in the United States
Over the past century, America’s transport network has been centered around car culture, heightening inequalities for the vulnerable. Felix Bret shows how high-speed rail can help overcome these inequalities and build a more abundant future for all.
Alberto Agudo ‘25: Allyship Reimagined: Be the Change, Wherever You Are
Alberto Agudo draws on his journey as a gay Catholic to redefine allyship in spaces where it’s most needed. Through his personal experiences and research, Alberto invites audiences to rethink what it means to stand with others, especially in challenging environments. You will learn three practical steps for becoming an ally who creates real, transformative change— whether in your community, workplace, or faith space—and discover the powerful impact that seemingly simple actions can have.
Elise Zhang ‘26: Fast Fashion = Good?
In the rush to address the rightful critiques of the fast fashion industry, marginalized individuals and emerging nations are overlooked. Fast fashion is breaking economic and social barriers for workers, especially women, by offering improved wages and equipping them to challenge systemic obstacles. The industry also provides a pathway to industrialization for emerging nations. We all have a role to play in reshaping the narrative and driving change.
Maya Clark ‘26: A Cause or Cure: The Role of Schools and Education in the Age of Mass Incarceration
“A Cause or Cure: The Role of Schools and Education in the Age of Mass Incarceration” will explore the school-to-prison pipeline, access to education within the prison system, and the challenges of reentry. Centered around the real-life story of a family friend who was incarcerated for over a span of 26 years, this talk will humanize the issue, offering an intimate and powerful perspective on how education intersects with incarceration.
Avery Davis ‘25: The Stars are Within Reach!: Harnessing Fusion Power to Fuel the Renewable Energy Transition
Have you ever wondered what fuels stars? The process is called Fusion Energy and it has the potential to revolutionize renewable power. Going beyond the science behind fusion, Avery emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to shift public perception from skepticism to hope. Through her award-winning children’s book, Fusion Nova, she shares her own efforts to ignite a fusion-powered future. Fusion’s success is dependent on more than scientists—it needs interdisciplinary interests. It needs you.