Theme: Choose/Shape Your Story

What does it mean to "shape your story?"

TEDxMacRobHS wants to ask you exactly that.

On the 12th of September 2020, something exciting is coming, via a live broadcast on YouTube... keep a look out for the link COMING SOON.

It's time to hear from the woman who cofounded the largest fast food chain in the southern hemisphere. From the woman who became the first urologist in the country. And the student, just like you, who founded a Letters Against ISO, the wildly successful startup that has sent over 1000 encouragement letters to tackle social isolation across the country.

This is ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

This is taking what life throws at you, and making it your own -- refusing to be a passenger in your own life.

And that's only a taste of what to come. Are you ready?

The Macrobertson Girls High School
350-370 Kings Way
Melbourne, Victoria, 3004
Australia

Amanda Leigh Walker

Transformational Coach

Amanda is living in a land of abundance (full of fries and love) as she is the co-founder of Lord of the Fries, creators of Australasia’s biggest vegan comfort food chain. Alongside being Co-Founder & Head of Operations for LOTF, Amanda is a certified life & business coach, meditation teacher and mindset mentor working with women to define their higher calling and manifest their vision to bring their dreams, their passion and purpose to life.

Bwe Thay

Deputy Chair Victorian Multicultural Commission

As a refugee who fled Burma to come to Australia, Bwe Thay is one of Australia’s most passionate advocates for multiculturalism and quite possibly the epitome of shaping one’s story. Now the Deputy Chair of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, he has received a range of awards for his contributions, including the VMC’s 2018 Emerging Leadership in Multiculturalism Award. He is shaping, not just his story, but the story of all those around him.

Devshi Janakantha

Singer

Devshi began singing by performing on a Sri Lankan radio station as a child. She has been a member of the Australian Youth Choir for 4 - 5 years, performing at a multitude of events and gigs. Now in her final year of school, Devshi sings as part of the choir at the Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School. She hopes to pursue her passion after she graduates.

Hannah Senior

Social Service Captain at the Mac.Robertson Girls' High School

Hannah Senior is an acclaimed advocate for social service and entrepreneurship. She holds multiple awards and honours for her outstanding contributions to youth empowerment and innovation. In 2019 Hannah studied at Yale University for their Young Global Scholars’ Sustainable Development and Social Entrepreneurship Program as a Yale Young Global Scholar.

Hiroko Mori

Japanese Teacher

Born and raised in Japan, Hiroko Mori has shaped her story all across the globe - she studied Danish at Tokai University and in Denmark, cruised India, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Greece for Ship for World Youth, and in 1999 moved to Australia, where she received her graduate Diploma and Master of Applied Linguistics. She now works as a Japanese language teacher at the Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School, inspiring bright young girls to take charge of their own path.

Julianna Santos

Wildlife Ecologist

Julianna Santos is a Biologist and Masters in Zoology. She started shaping her story as a wildlife ecologist back in her home country, Brazil, where she has spent a couple of years studying ecology and conservation of mammals, particularly threatened species. Currently, as a PhD candidate at the School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, the University of Melbourne, she is studying how Australian mammals respond to bushfires. Julianna believes that science communication - as a powerful tool to inform people - and the reestablishment of people's connection with nature are key ways to protect and preserve biodiversity.

Nathaniel Diong

CEO at Future Minds Network

Nathaniel Diong is an award-winning Gen-Z educator and innovator. As CEO & founder of Future Minds Network, he's building the next gen of social entrepreneurs. FMN is on a quest to tackle youth unemployment through entrepreneurship by learning from mentors at YCombinator (birthplace of Airbnb), Harvard, and Oxford to build startups with an impact. At 19, Nathaniel had already worked with over 11,000 young people, and was an Entrepreneur in Residence/mentor/judge at programs like UC Berkeley, and two United Nations hackathons. Since then he has mentored early-stage startups across three continents, and sits on 8 non-for-profit boards alongside the founder of Techstars (one of the top 3 startup accelerators in the world) Founder's Bootcamp, and more.

Professor Helen O'Connell

Urological Surgeon

Tired of textbooks ignoring the essentials of sexual health, this game changer is redefining research into female sexuality. Professor Helen O’Connell shaped her story by becoming the first female urological surgeon in Australia. How will you shape yours?

Rod Watson

Mathematician

It might be easier to talk about what Rod Watson isn’t than what he is. He made his career as a mathematician, spent 20 years as a civil marriage celebrant and has been a broadcaster at classical music radio station 3MBS for over 20 years! (unfortunately, all is on hold courtesy COVID-19.) Rod has majors in Pure & Applied Mathematics with a Statistics sub-major as well as postgraduate qualifications in History & Philosophy of science, especially in 16-17th century mathematics. He enjoyed many years of teaching mathematics and attempted to retire as an Assistant Principal at South Oakleigh SC. Since then, he enjoyed much classroom teaching and has been doing relief work at The Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School since 2005. He has been a setter and marker of VCE mathematics and regularly speaks to teachers at Meet the Examiners meetings. Fun fact: Rod has three children, the eldest of whom attended Mac.Rob, and five grandchildren. He also loves trams & trains!

Siena Rigazzi

Climate activist

If you thought you can’t be a high school student and activist all at once, 16-year-old Siena Rigazzi would prove you wrong. As a volunteer with the Australian Youth Climate Coalition and SS4C, she MC’d for the SS4C January 17th Bushfire Vigil, and met with Lily D'Ambrosio, the Victorian Minister for the Environment, to discuss climate solutions. Siena - thanking you for shaping our stories.

Stephanie Rowlston

Legal Studies, Literature, and English language Teacher

Where do education, criminology, and fairy tales intersect? Stephanie Rowlston would know! She graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Arts/Secondary Education (Honours) and now she teaches Legal Studies, Literature, and English language as a teacher at the MacRobertson Girls' High School. Stephanie focuses on challenging students' understanding of what these subjects look like in the classroom. Described by students as a caring and energetic teacher, Stephanie inspires her students to be themselves through her unapologetic authenticity. Stephanie creates environments where students are excited to learn and are empowered to connect their learning to the real world.