Riverside Elementary students present 11 short TED‑Ed talks on friendships, health, reading and pets

Riverside Elementary School, part of the Rockville Centre Union Free School District, hosted an evening of student TED‑Ed talks showcasing 11 short presentations by student presenters on topics ranging from making friends and staying active to reading accessibility and pet adoption.

Teacher Asana Carmel, who said she and a colleague took over the TED‑Ed program this year, opened the event and told the audience, “This was our first year taking over the TED Ed program, and we were excited to bring our vision to life.” Carmel and fellow teacher Miss Marmol thanked principal Mr. Zapia and families for supporting the program.

The presentations were brief, student‑led talks intended to share ideas and personal experiences. Topics included strategies for overcoming shyness and building friendships; how watching sports inspired one student to join travel soccer; the potential mental and physical benefits of laughter; money‑management tips for young people; reading strategies for children with attention or learning differences; basic cooking skills and their personal value; pursuing passions such as soccer; responsibilities and benefits of pet ownership; device options intended for children for tracking and messaging; and the value of reading and writing.

Student presenters offered a mix of personal stories and simple recommendations. Student presenter Cora Keane suggested conversational steps for making new classmates feel welcome. Ryan Cahalan described how watching professional athletes helped him seek greater challenges in travel soccer. Henry Jones recommended comics as one path for readers who struggle with longer chapter books. Finn Owens urged audience members to consider adopting or fostering dogs, saying, “You should get a dog because they're amazing,” and listed several organizations mentioned in his talk.

Teachers framed the evening as both a public‑speaking exercise and a way for students to explore ideas. Carmel asked the audience to recognize the amount of work students put into the program and thanked families and staff for support. At the conclusion, Carmel and Miss Marmol invited applause for the students and thanked Principal Mr. Zapia for his help in making the night possible.

The event served as a school showcase rather than a district policy or budget meeting; no formal actions or decisions were taken. Carmel noted this was the teachers’ first year running the TED‑Ed program at Riverside Elementary, and several students identified themselves as members of the school’s fifth‑grade TED‑Ed group. The presentations ran through an evening program of 11 talks and concluded with a round of applause for student participants.