Heather Myrick

Educator/Teacher, Entrepreneur, Event planner, Parent, Social entrepreneur

Heather Myrick Arnold completed her Bachelor of Arts with a major in Dance and minor in English, as well as teaching credentials in both fields, at California State University Long Beach. While completing her teaching credentials, she worked in development for P.S. ARTS, a nonprofit arts education organization. Following this, Heather directed the dance program at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. In 2011, Heather took a sabbatical from PVPHS to pursue a Master of Arts in Social Entrepreneurship and Change from Pepperdine University. As she completed this degree, she returned to P.S. ARTS where she held the Events Manager and Teaching Artist titles. During this time she oversaw fundraising events and worked on curriculum development and implementation. Inspired by her work in social entrepreneurship and nonprofits, Heather returned to PVPHS to create the Service Learning Leadership course. This course is for students who are interested in exploring local and global issues and then completing various service projects to positively affect these issues. This course is currently in its tenth year of existence and has been adopted by other high schools in California. Heather also created a Yoga and Wellness program for Peninsula High School. Yoga class participation has tripled in the last three years and is in its sixth year of existence. The Wellness course is currently in a pilot phase. Heather has completed a teaching fellowship with Bates Summer Dance Institute, a Social Innovation Fellowship with Movement 121, and was a founding board member of the nonprofit organization, Compassion It. She has also served as the Visual & Performing Arts and Physical Education departments chairperson for Peninsula High School. ​ Heather lives in Torrance with her husband and two young daughters. She loves to travel but also finds her own backyard to be a favorite location. She is currently exploring the world of being a Kindergarten Room Parent and all things elementary school PTSA.

Creating programs that are meaningful and impactful; Finding the balance between rigorous content and being a soft place to land for my students; Being a mom raising good humans and a teacher teaching students to take initiative, show compassion and lead with purpose & service; offering my students lifelong inspiration for their wellness journey...and making sure they know wellness IS in fact journey not a destination; leaving this world a better place than I found it.

Take initiative and show compassion...you will never regret either one.

Dance, Event Planning, High School Education, Program Building and Management, Volunteer Activities and Management, Wellness for Teens, Yoga

My TED Story has a few facets. As a teacher, the talks are invaluable to me as I work to make material interesting and relevant to students. As the lifelong learner I consider myself, TED Talks are a treasured resource I use in my own personal development. As a TEDx Community member, it has been a gift to be able to bring the Ideas Worth Spreading in my own community to the TEDxYouth@PVPHS stage. TED Talks are a true gift to education. Having experts offer their ideas, hacks, inspiration and wherewithal is an incredible gift to teachers as they prepare lessons for students. The vast array of talks gives inspiration to teachers and the opportunity for connection with students. If I could make a career out of being a student, I would. I love the learning process. This is likely part of the reason I teach. I get to be in a classroom everyday, and I get to learn from my students. Their connections and insights with TED Talks continues to be a part of my learning journey. Offering a platform through hosting a TEDx event to smart, engaging and thoughtful students, community members and teachers is a joy to do. I am grateful TED offers the TEDx program, and I hope the TEDx talks we produce spread thoughtful ideas and spark lively discussions for all who watch.

Home and work space organization...any drawer, desk, shelf or cabinet. Let's clear it off, sort it out, edit, essentialize and put it back together with a flow that works for you.