Madeleine Kapsalis 

What are you speaking about and why did you choose this subject? 

“I’m speaking about my passion for religious diversity and acceptance. I find religion to be fascinating because of how it draws people to follow certain beliefs that they live by throughout their entire lives.”

When did you first realize this was the subject that interested you? 

“This subject sparked my interest my freshman year when my friend didn’t understand that Orthodoxy is part of Christianity. I realized that many people don’t have a general understanding of others’ faiths and I wanted to find a way to improve that, so I founded the Religious Diversity Club at school where students make presentations on any faith of the world. Additionally, I started my own website (Interfaith Teens) where I recruited teens across the U.S. to make video presentations explaining their religious beliefs which I then published on the site.”

What motivated you to do a TED Talk?

“TEDx LFHS is a great opportunity to share your ideas and projects you’ve been working on. I’m excited to share with my peers the work I’ve done to promote religious diversity.”

What do you want people to learn or appreciate about your TED Talk?

“I think that we are naturally hesitant to talk about religion because it can be a very personal subject and its profoundness can come across as intimidating. I want people to understand that we shouldn’t be afraid to talk about it as long as we are respectful and willing to hear about each other’s differences.”

How did you prepare for the TED Talk?

“To prepare, I rehearsed my speech in my room and went over it with my speaker coach, Mrs. Dreiling.”

How nervous are you to speak in front of so many people? 

“I have a lot of experience with public speaking since I’ve been involved in the speech team since freshman year, so I’ve become quite comfortable on stage. I do still get nervous, but usually, once I get into the flow of my speech, the nerves slowly go away. I’m really excited to speak!”