In this powerful and personal TEDxAWC Talk, Carlos A. Arroyo Pelayo challenges the relentless pursuit of dreams without direction, urging us to shift from chasing to catching what truly matters. Through vivid storytelling—from childhood wonder at the moon landing to an unexpected journey to NASA—the talk illustrates how purpose, planning, and persistence can transform vague ambition into tangible achievement. With real-life examples, including a farmer named Pedro, the message is clear: dreams are not meant to stay distant. They are meant to be claimed through clarity, adaptability, and action. This is not just inspiration—it’s a call to start catching your own moon landing, starting today. Carlos A. Arroyo Pelayo, a proud Mexican immigrant, began his journey working in the agricultural fields before pursuing higher education. He earned a Bachelor’s in Planning and a Master’s in Human Resources Management in Mexico, followed by a Master’s in Education in the U.S., graduating with a 4.0 GPA and induction into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society in 2006. He completed academic work for a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership with a 3.85 GPA and was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Chi National Honor Society in 2017. With over 20 years of community involvement, Carlos has worked as a life coach, taught for 18 years, served in the Arizona State Migrant Education Program, and has been with San Luis High School since 2019. He is also Chair of Sunset Health Board of Directors and has spent over a decade working and researching human development and sharing his knowledge to inspire and empower others. 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 talk I speak about mental health and how taking the first step toward triumph and trusting your ambitions can help you persevere through the inadequate times during life. Although there isn’t really a cure for mental issues, things can always get better. Mahib Casso is a student at Ossining High School who comes from humble beginnings. He is currently a sophomore and participated in the JV Football team this year. Mahib enjoys acting, a handful of sports, including football, lacrosse, and basketball, in his leisure. Recently, Mahib has picked up playing chess and enjoys the challenge of the game. One thing you can always notice about Mahib is his headphones. He really loves music. He loves listening to music while chilling, doing school work, or just escaping the hustle and bustle of everyday teenage life. An Ossining native, Mahib lives with his mother, and recently, his sister took the big step of moving out. Growing up, Mahib has always been close to his mother and has always strived to be the best version of himself to not just do well for himself, but to also continue to make her proud. In his TED Talk, Mahib will discuss overcoming mental obstacles and share some of his steps towards positive mental health. 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

The mountaineer's philosophy is based on a comparison between the difficulties of climbing a mountain and moving forward in life, a mountain we all yearn to climb and on which we must put in the work, effort, spirit, courage, and bravery necessary to scale it. In real life, this would be reflected in the purpose of every human being, which is to achieve success in any aspect of our lives and the pursuit of self-realization as human beings. During the explanation of this philosophy, I will give some examples from my life and the experiences I have had to progress in certain aspects and achieve success in the future, which for me will always be a mountain to climb. My name is Jonathan Pozo, a junior at Ossining High School. I consider myself untalented, but what l do have is discipline and perseverance, which is all I need to excel no matter the situation. My hobbies are lifting weights and watching movies. My life has been composed of a series of stages that define who I am, throughout my journey as a human being and also in my future career with aspirations that contrast the meaning of the law and democracy itself. 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 enlightening TEDx talk, Rohit Vaidwan, founder of Adhyayan Mantra, delves into the intricate dynamics of intrapersonal and interpersonal personalities. He explores how understanding oneself (intrapersonal) and effectively interacting with others (interpersonal) are crucial for personal growth and building meaningful relationships.Drawing from his extensive experience in education and psychology, Rohit elucidates the significance of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and empathy. He emphasizes that mastering the balance between our inner thoughts and external interactions can lead to a more fulfilling and harmonious life.This talk is a must-watch for anyone seeking to enhance their personal development and interpersonal skills.TEDxBBAU is organised by Lakhan Varshney (Organiser) and Aditya Kumar Bharti (Co-Organiser), the core team members behind TEDxBBAU 2025.Lakhan's Profile: https://in.linkedin.com/in/lakhanvarshneyAditya's Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/adityakumarbhartiRohit Vaidwan is the founder of Adhyayan Mantra, leading institute for TET and teaching exam preparation of India, established in 2013. Under his leadership, over 200,000 students have qualified, including 84,000+ in CTET and 12,000+ in UGC-NET/JRF. His YouTube channel, with 1.71 million subscribers and 9,600+ videos, offers accessible, high-quality content to aspiring educators. Rohit is also the author of Child Development with Pedagogy & Methodology, empowering thousands of teachers with his expertise. 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

David Freeman explores how unexpected encounters and the influence of technology can reshape our perspectives, helping us grow beyond initial resistance and embrace new ways of thinking. David Freeman is a high school English teacher at the Lycée Français de New York, where he helps bilingual students explore identity and storytelling across a range of genres. He teaches middle and high school English, AP Language & Composition, and a two-year research seminar called Connaissance du Monde. David is interested in the role of the Humanities in a world increasingly shaped by algorithms and AI, with a particular interest in how technology shapes students' lives. He previously wrote and produced a TED-Ed video on Shakespeare’s use of iambic pentameter, so he’s no stranger to the TED world—though this is the first time he’s brought death metal with him. 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

This talk does a deep dive into the concept of hatred and its various forms. As the talk goes deeper we also take a dive into how we can learn to accept one another for who we are as people, and how we can change our ways and prevent hatred toward one another. My name is Marcelo Roque and i'm a 11th grader currently attending Ossining High School and soon to transition into my senior year. During my time at the high school, I participate in the My Brother's Keeper (MBK) and National Honor's Society (NHS) programs. I'm motivated to lead by example and authenticity, I have also modeled, sung, and am also into fashion, art, playing sports such as Track and Football, and I work with the youth at my job and outside of jobs and overall aid my community whenever I have the possibility to. I love the topics of engineering, art, music, fashion and many more things! I want to go off to college soon to study engineering in hopes to someday start a prosthetic business! As a survivor to a lot of mental health situations, i'm also huge on the topics of mental health and how we should treat each other in our community, and overall how we can learn to better ourselves as people in the best way possible! Therefore that is why I chose to be a TEDX speaker! 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