Each year, the school hosts a TED-like event, where several students prepare a speech and discuss their view on anything pertaining to the year’s chosen theme. It is a night where students, faculty and community members join together to hear from fellow peers who want others to hear their message.

Mansfield Speaks will present CHANGE at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Mansfield Performing Arts Center, where everyone is invited for a night of powerful presentations, with the goal of changing attitudes, lives and, on a much larger scale, the world.

TEDTalks have swept the nation like no other nonprofit organization, devoted to spreading ideas in the form of short, yet powerful, speeches that welcome people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged; today, they cover topics all across the board from science to business to global issues in more than 100 languages.

Schools and businesses use these videos to spark ideas and inspiration. People from every part of the world can use TEDTalks to learn about and change society today.

The following students have chosen to speak for the CHANGE theme:

-senior James Hayes, opening

-junior Katelyn Terry

-junior Rachel Schellsmidt

-senior Samantha Herbert

-junior Nick Werner

-sophomore Ashley Khuon

-junior Colby Jones

-senior Trent Nichols

-junior Julia Brown

-sophomore Alexandra Schmidt

-senior Austin Arriola