Local Student Becomes One of the World’s Youngest TEDx Speakers

Local Student Becomes One of the World’s Youngest TEDx Speakers

A 4-year-old boy at The Avery Coonley School (ACS) in Downers Grove, IL, has become one of the world’s youngest TEDx speaker. At 4 years 9 months 22 days, preschooler Bennett Haried addressed a TEDx event organized by the school on October 23. He provided a youthful perspective on the importance of building strong foundations for achieving goals, and the heights that kids can reach when given encouragement and support.

Bennett’s talk is described as“inspiring and heartwarming.” His presentation is an “insightful take on the universal principles of determination, perseverance, and stability needed to build a path toward achieving our most significant aspirations.”

Regarding his age, a spokesperson from TED commented, “Bennett is certainly one of the youngest TEDx speakers to ever make an appearance on the stage. A big congratulations to him!” Previously, the youngest TEDx speaker, according to the World Book of Records is Kiara Kaur, aged 5 years. She delivered a talk on the topic

“Unboxing Curiosity” in November 2021. Confirmation of Bennett’s achievement by the World Book of Records is pending.

Joining Bennett at the TEDx event was fellow student, Kayla Schubmehl. Kayla — a 5th grade a student at The Avery Coonley School with a palpable passion for math and science — gave her first TEDx talk on empowering girls in math and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). Drawing from her own personal experiences, Kayla explained how research has shown that subtle comments and preconceived ideas can unintentionally undermine any child’s confidence and has often impacted girls in profound ways.

Dr. Kirsty Montgomery, Head of The Avery Coonley School, commented, “This event highlights the immense potential of our student's young minds, demonstrating that the youngest minds really can make a difference!” She continued, “I am so proud of our presenters for showcasing the intersection between the missions of The Avery Coonley School and TEDx — elevating intellect, curiosity, and creativity, and spreading worthwhile ideas.”

The Avery Coonley School’s TEDx Women event took place on October 23, 2023 and was taped before a live audience. In addition to the students, music teacher Jaimie Surdynski, Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Michael Dixon, and ACS Alum Priyanka Rupani also spoke at the event.

The TEDx event was the first for The Avery Coonley School. Organized by the school’s Director of STEAM Innovation Kenny Bae, and Lower School teacher Abby Spiwak, it provided ACS students and its community an opportunity to share their ideas on a larger scale and spark conversations.

Said Bae, the event “demonstrated that valuable insight and innovative ideas can emerge from people regardless of their age.” He hopes that this event will be one of many and will contribute to “fostering a culture where diverse perspectives contribute to global conversations.”

The Avery Coonley School, which serves 337 advanced and gifted learners in the suburbs of Chicago, already has plans for future events.

All five of the talks can be viewed on the TEDx Talks YouTube channel at

https://www.youtube.com/@TEDx. The School’s TEDx event page can be found at https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/55017 and provides more information about each speaker.

Direct links to each talk:

Bennett Haried: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nna70JSjxKU

Kayla Schubmehl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7ZgU40F8oc

Michael Dixon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35_zU3A-PzM

Jaime Surdynski: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_A9K6dY4TM

Priyanka Rupani: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj8AJuH1vT4

About The Avery Coonley School

The Avery Coonley School is located in Downers Grove and serves 337 advanced and gifted learners from preschool through eighth grade. Students at Avery Coonley represent 40+ zip codes in the Chicagoland area and come from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds. For additional information, please contact Associate Director of Marketing and Communications, Rachel Bucek, at [email protected].