Nachiket Barve is a celebrated fashion designer known for blending traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetics. His designs redefine elegance, sustainability and innovation in the world of couture. Nachiket Barve is a celebrated fashion designer known for blending traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetics. His designs redefine elegance, sustainability and innovation in the world of couture. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

In this TEDxLFHS talk, high school senior Simon Back takes us on a fascinating journey into how the language we speak shapes the way we think and experience the world around us. From colors and directions to how we understand time and numbers, Simon reveals surprising ways language influences our everyday lives. Royalty Free Intro Music: “See What I Mean” by Beat Market. Simon Back is a senior and is very excited to be speaking at TEDxLFHS this year! Simon participates in sports like track and diving, and is a teacher's assistant for English Workshop, a class for non-native English speakers. He is involved in lots of clubs like IM Ping Pong, Scholastic Bowl, and FCA, and in his free time enjoys learning languages and playing guitar. He is very passionate about languages, and because of this, he wants to share the impacts that it has on our cognitive mind and why they are important. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

What do eggs, ancient trade routes, the French Revolution, and Gandhi’s Salt March have in common? In this engaging TEDxLFHS talk, high school junior Jackson Sorensen explores how salt shaped empires, sparked revolutions, and left its mark on everything from your paycheck to your pantry. Royalty Free Intro Music: “See What I Mean” by Beat Market. Returning to speak for a second time, LFHS junior Jackson Sorensen would like everyone to take his speech with a grain of salt. Having covered heavier topics like Nihilism and life's meaning-or lack thereof, Jackson has decided to cover a lighter topic: the oddly significant role of salt throughout global history. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

What happens when a beloved school custodian turns out to be a Nazi war criminal? In this TEDxLFHS talk, Michael Soffer uses the story of Reinhold Kulle—a former SS officer who lived quietly in suburban Illinois—as a lens to examine the wider legacy of Nazis who resettled in America after World War II. Through their stories, Soffer explores the complexities of postwar justice, the erasure of atrocity through silence, and the power of documentation to preserve truth. Royalty Free Intro Music: “See What I Mean” by Beat Market. Michael Soffer is a social studies teacher at Lake Forest High School and the author of Our Nazi: An American Suburb’s Encounter with Evil. His book tells the story of Reinhold Kulle, a high school custodian whose Nazi past was exposed in the 1980s. Though Nazis loom in the American consciousness as evil epitomized, Soffer explores how and why Hitler’s men found support in American communities - even after their gruesome pasts were uncovered. Before coming to Lake Forest, Soffer taught Holocaust Studies at Oak Park & River Forest High School - in the very classrooms Kulle used to clean. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

After surviving a massive stroke and a surprise cancer diagnosis—all during the isolating depths of the pandemic—Kelly MacBlane shares her remarkable story of recovery, resilience, and rediscovering joy in the smallest human moments. Royalty Free Intro Music: “See What I Mean” by Beat Market. Kelly MacBlane has spent the past 20 years inspiring students as a history and theater teacher and directing the musicals at Lake Forest High School. In 2017, her direction of Urinetown earned her and co-director John Wanninger a nomination for Best Director at the Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards. Kelly spends her free time cheering on her three sons at track meets, band concerts, baseball games, and theater productions, while occasionally finding time to review professional theater for Chicago on Stage. As a stroke survivor, Kelly embraces each day with joy, proving that adversity can fuel a deep appreciation for life. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

When Lainey Laughton was diagnosed with scoliosis at just three years old, everything changed—braces, surgeries, setbacks, and resilience became her new normal. In her powerful TEDxLFHS talk, Lainey shares how a winding medical journey shaped her outlook on control, strength, and support—and why no one facing challenges should have to feel alone. Royalty Free Intro Music: “See What I Mean” by Beat Market. Lainey is a sophomore and is thrilled to be a first-time speaker for TEDxLFHS 2025! Outside of schoolwork, she plays on the varsity tennis team, dances, and plays the cello in the LFHS orchestra. She also participates in clubs like Math Team and Women in STEM. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting and other crafts. She is also passionate about sharing her story with scoliosis (sideways curvature of the spine). She believes that the lessons she has learned through this experience can help anyone going through unique adversity, and that her story can help others with scoliosis feel less alone in their own journeys. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx