Madison Plotkin

Artist, Athlete, Idea generator, Student

Madison Plotkin is a Senior at Whitney High School and President of one of the only humanitarian clubs at her school. She is a part of a writing club called Pen on Paper and strives to continuously create a safe space to express people’s more imaginative sides in a school that stresses STEM. This is her third year of being a student coordinator for TEDxWhitneyHigh as well. Both Pen on Paper and TEDxWhitneyHigh have allowed her to create unique events that give the local community opportunities to share beautiful stories and narratives that have the power to inspire, influence, and connect one another. She has learned a lot from organizing TEDxWhitneyHigh and has grown to become a more effective communicator, applying these skills to other areas of her life including water polo and art.

Art, without a question, is my biggest passion. Drawing and painting has always played a huge role in my life, starting from a young age with my grandfather. He was a phenomenal artist who unfortunately never went into an art profession himself because he needed to support his family, and art simply didn’t pay well enough. I plan on accomplishing what he could not with the memories of drawing together with me forever. What I love most about drawing and painting is the story you are able to develop through illustrations. The use of composition, color, line weight, and so many other attributes that make up a piece can tell a beautiful narrative and connect with others in ways that other forms of communication cannot. People are able to relate to art and see a piece of themselves in the illustrations. As I progress as an artist, I want to push myself and my capability to convey different concepts with my drawings and hope to invoke emotion and connect with others.

Having a positive mindset about our lives is something that I find to be quite significant. From the perspective of a student, we live in a sea of negativity. The anxiety and stress from school constantly consumes us and, like a disease, spreads quickly. We are always concerned about an upcoming exam, deadline, or presentation and tend to forget how this one moment is only a small piece in a larger picture. Whenever I am stressed, I try to remind myself how no amount of anxiety and worrying can change the situation I am in, but instead try to look at things in perspective. One test, one homework assignment, one slideshow presentation doesn’t define me and at the end of the day, offers me a learning opportunity along with a chance for further improvement. I think that we are too quick to put ourselves down and worry about the inevitable and I want others to recognize that there can be good taken out of every stressful situation.

I didn’t find the TED life, the TED life found me. Four years ago I was a budding leader in my high school’s writing club, Pen on Paper. My job was simple, curating creative writing events for members to partake in. Little did I know that the President of Pen on Paper was also the TEDx Coordinator too, the mastermind behind the phenomenal TEDx Conference where beautiful ideas were shared and explored. As someone passionate about Pen on Paper, I was under the radar of the TEDx Coordinators, eager to expose younger students to the behind-the-scenes experience and inner workings of TEDxWhitneyHigh. That year, I was able to marvel at the close-knit community of TEDx interns and speakers, seeing first hand the hard work, negotiating, determination, and critical problem solving that takes place in order to make one beautiful night come to fruition. It was a marvelous experience that prompted me to do it year after year. As I’ve advanced within Pen on Paper, so have my responsibilities as a TEDx Coordinator. There is a true excitement that comes from planning the event itself, from choosing a theme, to working with interns, conducting auditions with speakers, promoting TEDx within the community, and everything else in between. Each step has its share of trials and tribulations, but when the curtains are lifted and you see a room full of eager people, ready to expand their minds to new ideas, it is all worth it.

Baking. My younger brother was always the baker in the family, magically procuring beautifully baked breads, delicately decorated cakes, and scrumptious pastries that were always coveted within the family. I could barely muster baking simple Toll House chocolate chip cookies without becoming stressed. I would always ask my brother to make me something sweet, but eventually he got tired of my constant requests, thus prompting me to go forth, spatula in hand, and make my own delicious goods. I started to bake more often, becoming more confident and enjoying the process much more and trying out new and more challenging recipes. Most of my family and friends still see my brother as the baking star, but I quite enjoy watching their amazement ever so often when I say, “Oh yes, I baked this.”