TEDxYouth@Orlando 2012 Speakers |
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Program may be subject to change.
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Tyler Kraus
A born and raised Floridian, Tyler Kraus is founder and Executive Director of Reynolds' Right Hands, a traffic safety organization started and operated by youth geared to preventing distracted driving, or commonly texting while driving. Tyler started the organization with several of his friends following the sudden loss of his teacher, Ms. Christy Reynolds of Sanford, Florida. Ultimately, to reduce the number of car crashes caused by distracted driving, the organization's aim is to engage the next generation of drivers to advocate for safer driving by means of peer-to-peer communication. His campaign has received national recognition from the U.S. Department of Transportation. This year, Reynolds' Right Hands will be hosting its first ever Florida statewide Teen Distracted Driving Prevention Summit, partnering with the National Organizations for Youth Safety and AT&T.
He is studying political science at Stetson University with plans to pursue a law degree or a Masters in Public Policy or Administration thereafter, with a passion to advocate for youth issues and social justice.
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Alison Samowitz
Allison Samowitz is Co-Founder and shares responsibilities of the non-profit organization,
Proseed2Green, with her twin sister, Jillian. The mission statement for Proseed2Green is “Our
goal is to develop environmental programs with community participation that will have a
positive impact, locally and globally, and that are fiscally responsible." The Proseed2Green
E-vent collected sneakers and Crocs, children’s books for a local Children’s Hospital,
eyeglasses, and electronic waste for responsible recycling and re-use, and distributed re-useable
shopping bags and information on recycling, energy conservation, and alternative energy. An
aspiring broadcast journalist, Allison is the environmental reporter, corresponding beat reporter,
and social media coordinator at Pine Crest High School in Ft. Lauderdale. Her daily schedule
is filled with different activities which give Allison and her vivacious personality many creative
outlets, such as reporting, writing and producing her own segments for her school television
network, and co-writing a monthly Green Tip column for her town’s newsletter. Her love of
ballet continues as she is featured in the 2012 Pine Crest Dance Showcase in April, as well as the
annual Pine Crest Ballet Performance. She is a certified PADI scuba diver and has a black belt
in Tae-Kwon-Do.
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Jillian Samowitz
Jillian Samowitz co-founded Proseed2Green, a non-profit organization, with her twin
sister, Allison, after a conversation that they had while watching coverage of the Gulf
Oil Spill. Organizing and sponsoring an E-vent in their coastal town started her on the
road to environmental activism focusing on matching communities and schools with local
causes. Most recently, Proseed2Green hosted a soap and shampoo drive at their school to
donate to Third World children to prevent disease through better hygiene and sanitation.
She also co-writes a monthly column for the Town of Golden Beach newsletter. Now
a sophomore at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, Jillian’s artistic reputation as the
industrious person for graphic creativity and design has added to her credentials. She is
a certified PADI scuba diver, black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do and dances ballet as part of the
accomplished Pine Crest School program. Proseed2Green has been recognized by The
Daily Green as a 2011 Local Hero, 2011 Best Practice Finalist by the Collins Center for a
Sustainable Florida and was highlighted in the February 2012 issue of Reader’s Digest.
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Casandra Tanenbaum
An educator for over seventeen years, professionally certified Florida teacher (Social Studies 6-12) and a scholar of educational alternatives throughout the world, Casandra Tanenbaum brings considerable wisdom from the field of education to the fitness and dance world as a professional hoopdancer. She will complete a Masters degree in Contemplative Education at Naropa University in June 2012. She relishes inspiration from a variety of movement arts disciplines as a life-long dancer, an avid practitioner of yoga and Capoeira and an American Council on Exercise Certified Group Fitness Instructor. She loves sharing the coordination and focus of hoopdance with children, combining her passion for education and dance into a fun-filled instructional giggle-fest. Known to kids around her home city of Lake Worth, FL as “the Hula Hoop lady,” Casandra personifies exuberance for LIFE as a learning journey. She invites you to celebrate your body and the rhythm all around you!
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