Talk Description:

First French. Then Spanish. And next came English, spoken outside the home. Communication gaps were bound to happen. Kristina Priotto discusses the effects of language on thinking processes and then reveals how one universal language can aid in closing the gaps that exist in our society.

Kristina Bio:

Kristina is an 18-year-old living in Houston, Texas. Living in the United States with a multicultural family, she became interested in linguistics because her means to communicate with her environment in and outside of her home involved the use of different languages. Her research for high school projects in this field further endorsed her love for linguistics and psychology. 

Drew’s bio:

Drew Ford is a senior at Clear Brook High School. She is the current President of Clear Brook's theater program, the Clear Brook Players, and works as a Student Leader and a regular volunteer at her church. She is a hopeful poet and aspiring social worker. She is also the survivor of her own suicide attempt. 

Description of Drew’s talk:

In the following years of therapy and healing, she came to recognize her own self-worth and learn about coping mechanisms. The idea that she could find peace in the midst of storms by redirecting her thoughts and engaging in healthy, cathartic activity (something she once found offensive), soon became a life-saving tool she used in her crisis. In telling her story, Drew seeks to provide hope for those in similar situations to hers and to provide an alternate perspective to the pessimistic view she once held. Although happiness may not be a choice, seeking positivity can be, and this can make all the difference. Having learned the importance of doing what you can in the midst of darkness to find light & hope, Drew Ford hopes to inspire others to light candles within their own lives to one day see the future they deserve to reach.

Description: Do you ever feel like your life is out of balance? That the things that consume the most of your time aren’t really the things you care the most about? Do you ever feel overwhelmed by things you cannot control but they happen to you or someone you care about anyway? That the expectations of and responsibility to others always seem to take priority?  (Yeah, get in line. Been there. Done that.) Donna Stone shares some experiences that had the potential to overwhelm and undercut her sense of balance in life and the lessons she’s learned along the way about restoring balance in the midst of both expectations and the unexpected. And what she offers might just surprise you with its powerful simplicity.

Bio: Donna Stone is in her 33^rd year of teaching and coaching high-school-aged humans, and for the last 26 years has led the Peer Assistance and Leadership (PAL) program for Clear Brook High School in Friendswood, Texas – a program which challenges and inspires students to become the best versions of themselves so they can mentor and help others do the same.