Latest news with #TEDxSiouxFalls
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
TEDx Talks come to Sioux Falls
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – TEDx Talks are coming to the Sioux Falls Washington Pavilion. TED Talks are short presentations given by a vast array of speakers, sharing knowledge and ideas to a global audience. The acronym stands for technology, entertainment and design. TEDx events are a more locally focused branch of TED Talks, with the 'x' simply meaning it's independently organized. South Dakotans invited to voice concerns at town halls This year's TEDxSiouxFalls lineup will feature 8 live speakers, including experts ranging from doctors, detectives, educators and more. They'll be presenting a wide variety of ideas aimed at sparking deep discussions on the following topics: How Identity Influences Adaptation to Sport Retirement – Dr. Andrea Powell The Stories Crimes Tell: Listening Beyond the Evidence – Jon Carda Seeing the Unseen: Redefining Healthcare Through Street Medicine – Dr. Melissa Dittberner Notes on Surviving Cancer – Nick Wendell An American Nightmare – Abiah George Finding Joy and Dignity in Alzheimer's – Lisa Groon Dungeons and Dragons as Education and Therapy – Kade Wells How Esports Are a Parenting Power-up – Hannah Boquet The event will be held on April 17 at the Washington Pavilion. Doors open and pre-entertainment starts at 6:15 p.m., and the speakers officially start at 7 p.m. Tickets are available through the Washington Pavilion's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
TEDx Sioux Falls topics to include eSports, D&D therapy, cancer survival
TEDx Sioux Falls announced Thursday the full lineup of speakers for its annual event, taking place April 17 at the Washington Pavilion. Co-organizer and entrepreneur Thadeus Giedd, who was awarded the license for TEDx Sioux Falls in 2018, was joined in 2023 by Wendy Mamer, who said a record-breaking 178 applicants vied to be one of eight taking the stage next month. 'The number of applications we received this year reflects the community's enthusiasm and commitment to sharing innovative ideas,' says Mamer, who works as the suicide loss and support coordinator for the Helpline Center in Sioux Falls. She and Giedd say they are addressing a few new topics this year, including gaming, immigration and caregiving. 'We have the utmost confidence that we have selected the right people to lead the dialogue,' Mamer says. 'They each bring their own unique perspectives that will both influence and inform the audience, with the hope of igniting deeper curiosity and challenging long-held beliefs.' The TEDx program is an offshoot of TED Talks that brings local, self-organized events to communities worldwide. All TED Talks are recorded and shared online for TED's global audience, with the goal to share 'ideas worth spreading.' Here's a look at who will speak and what they will speak about: Educator Kade Wells will speak on video game Dungeons and Dragons as education and therapy. He has been using D&D, game-theory and product-based, experiential learning in the classroom for over a decade and is training teachers at the University of Sioux Falls on a grad credit class that allows students to play D&D for continuing education credit. 'D&D is educational by the nature of its design,' said Wells, who plays D&D with his students on Friday nights. 'Reading and understanding text are critical to playing the game. D&D also possess amazing therapeutic power. It's been used in studies by many mental health specialists for everything from autism to trauma.' Titled 'The Stories Crimes Tell: Listening Beyond the Evidence,' Jon Carda's presentation will reveal his experience as a detective for the Crimes Against Persons Unit, where he investigated and conducted suspect interrogations on many cases of homicide, suicide, assault and abuse. His focus for TEDx is on the art of listening and observing victims, witnesses and suspects to reveal evidence as a detective. 'Evidence can reveal the what, but only listening uncovers the way,' says Carda, who served as a city police officer for 31 years. For audience members, Carda will demonstrate how the same listening techniques used in investigations can help navigate challenges and strengthen relationships in our personal lives. Nick Wendell is the executive director and CEO of the South Dakota Board of Technical Education and serves as the deputy mayor in Brookings. For his presentation next month, he will share handwritten notecards and personal journal entries that help to reveal life lessons and the 'tremendous opportunity' cancer survival can have to grow in confidence, resilience and empathy. As the youngest speaker for this year's event, 19-year-old Northwestern State University student Abiah George will present on the 'imperfect immigration system' and how the 'land of opportunity remains a land of uncertainty for many.' She is pursuing a psychology major and was recently accepted into law school, where she intends to go into immigration law. Organizer and founder of SoDak Circuit, Hannah Boquet is excited to share the unexpected quality time that came with 'caving to the pressure' from her three boys to play Fortnite with them. What transpired was a respect for 'an inclusive, engaging platform where kids develop problem-solving, leadership and communication skills,' as well as 'strengthening family bonds and preparing for future careers,' Boquet says. As a former coach for athletes of all ages and current educator on 'athletic identity,' Dr. Andrea Powell will talk about the struggle student-athletes sometimes have acclimating to professional careers. She recently founded ADAPT Retirement Coaching to provide education, community and support for those in 'sports retirement.' She is currently an assistant professor of exercise and sports science at Augustana University. After losing her mother to Alzheimer's, patient-centered advocate Lisa Groon has dedicated her work to redefining how we think about dementia care for our families. 'Alzheimer's doesn't take away dignity, we do,' says Groon, who has worked alongside health systems and community organizations to improve patient experiences and reframe how we approach aging. 'But that means we can give it back.' 'Dr. Mo' is the executive director of Midwest Street Medicine, CEO of telehealth platform Straight Up Healthcare and co-author of 'The Alcohol Reset.' Her talk is about enlightening the audience on street medicine, a healthcare approach that meets the unhoused community right where they are, providing acute care for substance abuse, infections and trauma. Dittberner is an existing TEDx speaker, a prevention specialist and peer specialist in Sioux Falls and is in 'long-term addiction recovery,' providing empathy for those in need of healing and empowerment. TEDx Sioux Falls will be 7 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at the Washington Pavilion. Pre-program entertainment starts at 6:15 p.m. Tickets are $30 and available on the TEDx Sioux Falls website. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: TEDx Sioux Falls announces full lineup of speakers for April 2025
