The Necessity of the Student Voice | Catherine Zhang | TEDxPlano

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. The TEDxPlano 2014 theme was "On The Verge" and Catherine Zhang is On The Verge of making student voices an integral part of our decision making equation in public policy.

Catherine is a high school junior attending Plano West Senior High School. She's your average teen: her most recent profile picture received over 200 likes on Facebook, she knows all of the filters on Instagram, and she's been a Starbucks Gold Card member since 2012.

However, Catherine is also a student activist who is heavily involved in politics, education, and government. She was recently elected Speaker of the House for Texas's branch of Junior State of America, the largest student-run organization in the nation. Other achievements include--along with team members--being ranked within the top 8 teams in Public Forum debate in Texas, winning the World Affairs Council's Academic WorldQuest national title, and achieving third place in the International Public Policy Forum Competition. She also serves as the Board Chairwoman for an education nonprofit she founded with a group of peers called The Outreach Movement. Catherine is on the verge of making student voices an integral part of our decision making equation.

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