The talk “The Alchemy of Knowledge: The Future Belongs to the Unruly” challenges the idea that children should be obedient. The speaker shares a personal story of growing up fearless and refusing to accept injustice, which shaped her into a determined leader. She emphasizes that teachers should inspire curiosity and courage rather than demand obedience, and that education should foster critical thinking, not conformity. Highlighting the importance of adapting to new technologies like AI and augmented reality, she advocates for innovation in teaching to engage today’s fast-thinking youth. Ultimately, she urges everyone to see knowledge not as mere information but as a passionate journey that empowers freedom, creativity, and change. Christiana Cheshmedzhieva is a digital marketing specialist and lecturer in information technologies at the Nikolay Katranov University, Sofia. She is a graduate of the University of Svishtov. She also works as a marketing expert at Burgas Municipality and is a PhD student in marketing at SA "D.A. Tsenov". He is the author of the first in Bulgaria manuals on artificial intelligence and augmented reality in education, specially designed for teachers. She has won a number of awards, including "Teacher of the Year 2024", WomenInTech 2023, Forbes "30 under 30" 2024 and Darik "40 under 40" 2024. She created the Teachers by Example and School Stories podcasts, as well as the innovative media literacy and digital entrepreneurship curriculum. He believes that true innovation starts with personal example. Christiana is an inspiring educator, speaker and digital visionary for whom true education happens where technology meets critical thinking and human presence. 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