Brady Gamrath 

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

“I am speaking about urban planning and the negative impact cars have on our cities. I chose this subject because it is a field that is very interesting to me. I believe it’s a topic that can be applicable to anybody’s life. We all drive through traffic, we all walk on city streets, and we can always look to improve our urban environment.”

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

“I’ve always been interested in architecture and urban design is something that is fascinating to me. There are so many interesting aspects to urban design, such as transportation, land use, economic development, and so on. It’s a field that’s not as well known, compared to architecture or engineering, but it’s certainly growing as people around the world look to modernize their cities.”

What motivated you to do a TED Talk?

“I was motivated to do a TED Talk because I’ve really just enjoyed watching them, even before I got to LFHS. I think it’s a great opportunity we have at the high school. It’s a very cool vehicle for students to express their interests, hobbies, and passions, and I’ve always admired what others have had to say. I also believe it’s a great way to improve one’s public speaking abilities, which is something I’d certainly like to improve on myself.”

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

“My main focus for this TED Talk is to show people how cars are detrimental to our built environment. Lots of attention over the past decade has been put on the environmental impact on cars, hence the focus on electric cars. Not many people realize the negative impact cars have on the physical places we live and work. The problem exists in America’s inherent dependence on automobiles. It’s important to start encouraging a shift away from cars, which would fix the multitude of problems already associated with them.”

How did you prepare for the TED Talk?

“To memorize my speech, I’ve recorded myself speaking it so I can listen to it anywhere and memorize it like a song. I’ve also just tried the old ‘repeat it as many times as you can until you’ve got it’ approach and that’s worked pretty well. Going through the speech in smaller chunks is also very helpful.”

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

“Yes, of course. The last time I’ve gotten in front of a crowd to speak like this was my 5th grade play at Lake Bluff Elementary School. It’s nerve-racking, but of course, I’m still very excited about the entire thing.”