TEDxBrown County Schools

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Abigail Rusin

  Student

  Abigail is a 5th grade student at Helmsburg Elementary and the daughter of Kim and Martin Rusin. Her Talk, “Originals Change the World,” celebrates the power of individuality and courage. Abigail shares, “The world doesn’t need another copy. It needs you.” Abigail joined the TEDEd Club because she had so much fun participating last year, and she enjoys talking and sharing her ideas with others. Her favorite part of the experience was having the opportunity to share her message with the world. Through her Talk, Abigail hopes to inspire others to be brave, bold, and unapologetically themselves, reminding everyone that the world needs their unique voice.

• Alex Baker

  Philanthropist

  After losing his wife in 2019 to colorectal cancer, Alex was faced with unimaginable grief and a defining choice about how to move forward. What emerged was a powerful new outlook on life rooted in one simple truth: Forward is a pace. Since then, Alex has become a 6-time charity marathoner, raising nearly $50,000 for cancer research, and turning movement into momentum. In 2025, he launched Ketchup to Cancer—a grassroots fundraising campaign that has since grown into a nonprofit dedicated to awareness, action, and hope. Alex’s story is one of resilience, purpose, and choosing to move forward even when the road is hard. His “Forward is a Pace” philosophy has become his blueprint for navigating loss, building momentum, and ultimately reaching a breakthrough moment.

• Analeigh O'Quinn

  Student

  Analeigh O’Quinn is a sixth grader at Brown county middle school. She lives with her parents, Matt and Dawn Stidham. She has had a passion for educating others for a long time, and loves speaking in front of a crowd. She joined Ted ed to share stories and state her opinions on topics she loves. She has a deep passion for chess, and she hopes others like her have an opportunity to learn what chess can help you do not only on the board, but in life.

• Bailey Frick

  Student

  Bailey is a 7th grader at Brown County Middle school. She lives with her two parents Heather Ziegalbauer and Michael Frick and her two step parents David Ziegalbauer and Hannnah Frick. She joined Ted-Ed because she has always been someone who has been scared of public speaking so she wanted to get out of her comfort zone and try something new. Her favorite part of this experience was getting to share her voice and opinion with an audience. She hopes her talk will show people how a true friend should treat you.

• Brittany Dunkley

  Educator

  Brittany Dunkley is a mom of two and a kindergarten teacher at Sprunica Elementary in Brown County Schools, where she has spent the past decade working closely with children and their families. She is also a fitness and nutrition coach who helps women feel at ease in their bodies and break free from cycles of dieting and self-doubt. She challenges the belief that life has to follow a perfect plan, encouraging you to question expectations, trust yourself, and find growth in the moments that feel like breakdowns. She believes your story is your greatest power, and that the more we are willing to be open about our failures, struggles, and breakdowns, the more connection and meaning we create in our lives and in the world around us.

• Calliope Higgins

  Student

  Calliope is a 3rd grade student at Sprunica Elementary. She lives with her sister, Bexley, and her parents, Becky Higgins and Teresa Carson who have always encouraged her to do what makes her happy and try hard things! Calliope joined TED-Ed to face her fears of big crowds and share her passions with the world. Her favorite part of the experience was learning how to speak in front of others and present her own ideas. She hopes her speech will inspire others to get involved in their communities to help others!

• Elsie Lambert

  Student

  Elsie Lambert is a senior at Brown County High School who is passionate about pursuing a future in Career and Technical Education (CTE). She lives with her father, Bryan Lambert, whose constant support has shaped her drive to push beyond limitations and strive to improve every day. Elsie joined the TED-Ed program to speak up about the overlooked challenges students face when their career paths don’t fit the traditional college system. After encountering limited opportunities in Indiana for her desired field, she became determined to use her voice to show the gaps in access to technical education and advocate for change. Through TED-Ed, Elsie discovered her ability to lead, communicate, and challenge ideas. Her favorite part of the experience has been growing in confidence while working alongside mentors who believed in her vision and pushed her to think bigger.

• Hudson Planck

  Student

  Hudson is a 3rd grade student at Sprunica Elementary. He lives with his siblings: Blakely, Rhett, and Ruthie, and his parents Colton and Abbie Magner who encourage him to work hard, get good grades, and be well behaved. Hudson joined TED-Ed because he is passionate about sharing reasons for being weather prepared. His favorite part of the experience is speaking in front of others and sharing his passion. He hopes his speech will encourage each person who hears his message to take his topic seriously and prepare for severe weather.

• Liliana Owens

  Student

  Liliana is a 4th grade student at Helmsburg Elementary and the daughter of Deihdre Alltop and Luther Owens. Her talk, “Stopping Fast Fashion Forever,” reflects her passion for raising awareness about the harmful effects of fast fashion and how people can help reduce its impact. Liliana shares, “We can create a greener blueprint. And the breakthrough starts with us.” She joined TEDEd to share this important message with others. Her favorite part of the experience was researching her topic, learning more about the issue, and sharing that knowledge in her Talk. Through her message, Liliana hopes to inspire people to take simple, meaningful steps to help lessen the negative effects of fast fashion.

• Mackenzie Sadtler

  Student

  Mackenzie is a 4th grader at Van Buren Elementary. She lives with her parents, John and Danielle Sadtler who are her biggest fans and have encouraged her to follow her dream of being a professional speaker. Mackenzie originally joined TedEd after watching the Ted Talks at Van Buren when she was in 2nd grade. She decided right then and there that she wanted to be up there on the stage sharing her passion in front of her peers. She has been in TedEd for two years and says her favorite part is being inspired by hearing other students’ ideas as they work together. Mackenzie hopes her Talk will change people’s minds about the way they view people with disabilities, specifically Down Syndrome. It is Mackenzie’s hope that people will view individuals with down syndrome the same way they would view anyone else and recognize that the disability is just one characteristic of them.

• Noah Huffman

  Student

  Noah is a 5th grade student at Helmsburg Elementary and the son of Jessica and Dustin Huffman. His Talk, “The Gift of Mistakes,” reflects his belief that mistakes aren’t something to fear, but opportunities to learn and grow. Noah shares, “Failure is not a signal to quit. It’s an invitation to grow.” Noah joined TEDEd to improve his public speaking skills and to share his ideas with a wider audience. His favorite part of the experience was speaking in front of his school—his very first time doing something like that. Through his Talk, Noah hopes to inspire others to see mistakes not as a reason to quit, but as an invitation to keep going and get better.

• Patrick Vaden

  Student

  Patrick Vaden is a 6th grader at the Brown County Middle School in Indiana. He lives with his two parents, Kelsey Barrett and Andrew Jackson, who have always encouraged him to try new things, Such as they did with TedEd when Patrick was a 5th grader. He joined TedEd because he has recently started embracing new things, and because he thought that it would be “A fun little side quest”. His favorite part of the experience was pushing his boundaries and learning new things that he otherwise wouldn’t have learned. He hopes that his speech will spark a need to use words in a positive way, and to make people really think about how they talk to others.

• Ruby Love

  Student

  Ruby is a 5th grade student at Helmsburg Elementary and the daughter of Casey and Sam Love. Her Talk, “Build a Better Blueprint,” highlights her passion for positive thinking and perseverance. As Ruby says, “Breakthroughs don’t start with perfection. They start with a positive blueprint.” Ruby joined TEDEd because she loves public speaking and wanted to share her ideas with others. Her favorite part of the experience was writing her script, using feedback, and improving it along the way. She also truly enjoyed presenting her talk in front of the entire school. Through her message, Ruby hopes to inspire others to keep going and continue thinking positively, no matter the challenges they face.

• Scott Swan

  News Anchor WTHR

  Scott Swan began working for WTHR in 2002 and anchors central Indiana's #1 rated 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts for 13News. In 2008 Swan was honored with a National Edward R. Murrow award and a National Headliner award for "Mission Complete". Prior to his career at WTHR, Swan worked at KTVX-TV in Salt Lake City, WISH-TV in Indianapolis, KITV-TV in Honolulu, KESQ-TV in Palm Springs, KHJ-TV in Los Angeles, and Disneyland Broadcast Services. Swan enjoys talking about his Christian faith and speaks at churches and prisons across Indiana. He also volunteers with the Lamplighter Ministry Inc. in Indianapolis. Swan is the author of the 365-day devotion, "The Hope You Need Today." Swan graduated with a broadcast journalism degree from Pepperdine University in 1985.

• Traci Sweet

  Psychologist

  Dr. Traci Sweet, Psy.D. is a nationally recognized speaker, leader, behavioral health innovator, and author dedicated to rethinking how people change. She is widely recognized for her efforts in treating substance use disorder and in advancing modern approaches to motivation and behavior change. Her work blends neuroscience, positive psychology, and solution-focused therapy to make motivation measurable and mental health more human. Her work bridges clinical science and real-world resilience helping individuals, families, and systems move from surviving to evolving. Known for her engaging speaking style, Dr. Sweet blends humor and storytelling with practical insights and wisdom from experience helping thousands of people through personal and professional struggles, leaving audiences laughing, reflecting, and hopefully inspired to rethink how change really happens and how we reach personal fulfillment and goals.