Theme: Connections & Innovations

TEDxYouth is a category of TEDx events that showcase the display of new ideas among our world's youth. Adapting to this mission, TEDxCarnageMagnetMS intends to promote the diverse and innovative views of students from all Wake County Middle Schools alike. To promote the youth aspect, our event is solely organized by a team of 14 students from Carnage Magnet Middle School and we plan to present a handful of student speakers in addition to our keynotes. Founded in 1965, CMMS has been an influential part of the Wake County Public School System.

- Ishaan Sai Kancharla (Executive Committee Head)

F.J. Carnage Middle
1425 Carnage Drive
Raleigh, North Carolina, 27610
United States

Aarna Ranjan

Member

Aarna Ranjan, a seventh-grader at Fred J. Carnage Middle, is serving as part of the Speaker Management Team this year. This is her second year as a member of TEDx after being a Speaker last year. She enjoys many extracurricular activities like dance, tennis, and figure skating. In school, along with TEDx, she participates in the FBLA club as an executive board member and participates in competitions. She is also involved in a nonprofit organization, Dedicated to Our Community of North Carolina (DOC NC). As she is in her second year of middle school and TEDx, she is thrilled to be a part of Speaker Management at TEDx this year.

Aarya Mittapalli

Member

Aarya Mittapalli is an eighth-grade student at F.J. Carnage Middle School, where he enjoys a well-rounded academic and social life. His family, which he’s very close to, consists of his mom, dad, and sister with whom he often spends time. Outside of school, Aarya has a variety of hobbies that keep him busy and engaged. He’s an avid soccer player, always eager to improve his skills on the field, and he also has a passion for music, which he explores through playing the piano. In quieter moments, Aarya loves to read, finding books that spark his curiosity and inspire his imagination.

Abhigna Saddi

Speaker Management Head

Abhigna Saddi is an eighth-grader at F.J. Carnage Middle School, where she excels in public speaking, leadership, dance, and art. Passionate about making an impact, she actively participates in various school activities, including FBLA and the Science Fair. This year marks her second as a member of TEDx, where she is honored to serve as the Speaker Management Head, showcasing her dedication to fostering engaging and inspiring discussions.

Anhitha Kakumani

Vice President

Anhitha Kakumani is a dedicated seventh-grader at Fred J. Carnage Middle School, passionate about public speaking, leadership, and the arts. As Vice President of TEDx, she actively guides youth while being involved in several other clubs. A former TEDx Speaker and FCCLA Secretary, Anhitha has advanced to the Nationals in both FCCLA and FBLA, even becoming a finalist at FCCLA Nationals. Anhitha is a professional Kuchipudi dancer who is thoroughly involved in coding, reading, and the piano. In her second year of TEDx, Anhitha is focused on inspiring and mentoring others through her leadership.

Arjun Sujay Sankar

Member

Arjun Sujay Sankar, is a seventh grader at Carnage Magnet Middle School. He is an individual with many talents and has a passion for helping others. This is his first time being on an executive committee at a club, but he is willing to put a lot of effort into this club. Arjun is also involved in Soccer, Taekwondo, and Trombone. This is his first year in Tedx, and Arjun is thrilled to participate in this amazing experience and club.

Deeksha Yenugula

Speaker

Deeksha Yenugula is a talented seventh-grade individual at Carnage Magnet Middle School who is deeply passionate about public speaking, leadership, and music, and expanding her knowledge in various fields. She is an advanced pianist and Carnatic singer who plays the flute in her school band. She also participates in clubs such as FBLA, Student Council, and PTSA. Alongside her academic and musical interests, she finds joy in helping her school and community by volunteering. This is her first year in TEDx, and as a motivational speaker, she is thrilled to inspire others with her diverse perspectives through the TEDx stage.

Diya Puvvada

Speaker

Diya Puvvada is a 6th grader at Carnage Magnet Middle School and a speaker at the CMMS TEDx event. She has a wide range of interests, including chess, volleyball, and soccer in subjects like psychology, computer science, and AI research. Diya is deeply engaged in extracurricular activities, including Girl Scouts, music and vocal performance, robotics, and problem-solving programs. Her curiosity and passion for exploring new fields drive her to continuously challenge herself and grow. This year marks her first experience as part of the TEDx community, and she is excited to share her ideas and perspectives.

Drithi Iyer

Member

Drithi Iyer is an eighth-grader at Carnage Magnet Middle School. This is her first year at TEDxCMMS and she is excited to be a part of the Executive Committee. Apart from TEDx, she actively participates in FBLA, Speech and Debate, the Student Council. For the past 2 years, she has sung in the NC Sings and was accepted into the NC Honors Chorus. Outside of CMMS, she participates in bharatnatyam, gymnastics, and more. She is very excited to be a part of TEDx this year!

Ishaan Sai Kancharla

Executive Committee Head

Ishaan Kancharla, an eighth-grader at Fred J. Carnage Middle, is a multi-talented individual with a passion for leadership and the arts. Serving as part of the Executive Committee in numerous clubs including the Student Ambassadors, TEDx, FBLA, and Student Council, Ishaan always strives to excel in his leadership opportunities. Along with this, Ishaan is also heavily involved in the Science Olympiad, Hindustani Vocals, and Flute, placing 3rd in the North Carolina State Band, 2nd in the All-District Band, and 1st in the All-County Band. This is his third year in TEDx, and Ishaan is exhilarated to serve as the Executive Committee Head while mentoring the TEDx members in his last year at CMMS.

Maithreya Vangara

Speaker

Maithreya Vangara is a 7th-grade student at F.J. Carnage Magnet Middle School. He has many hobbies, including playing outside, playing video games, doing whatever he wants, and talking with friends. His achievements include earning 1st place in FBLA states, which provided the opportunity to compete at Nationals, where he placed 6th, and studying Carnatic music for four years. Maithreya believes he is well-suited to be a speaker due to his confidence in speaking, ability to prove a point, and skill in clearly stating necessary information. He feels that he can contribute his talents to this extraordinary club.

Nevaan Raval

Member

Nevaan Raval is a passionate and driven 7th grader at Carnage Magnet Middle School, with interests ranging from competitive swimming and STEM to music, creative writing, and business. As a Junior Titans competitive swimmer and intermediate violinist in the String Orchestra, Nevaan has developed discipline and a love for the arts, enriched by experiences like Triangle Youth Music camp. His academic achievements include awards in the Science Olympiad and FLL Robotics, while his time as a Boy Scout has helped him cultivate leadership and community values. Inspired by his entrepreneurial father and mother in healthcare programming, Nevaan is exploring intersections of technology, medicine, and agriculture, all while interning as a Journalist at the Asian American News Network and pursuing a meaningful impact in the world.

Nithya Penmatsa

Speaker

Nithya Penmatsa is a 7th grader at Carnage Magnet Middle School. With a deep passion for public speaking and leadership. In addition to her love for speaking, she enjoys playing the flute, participating in robotics, and exploring the world of dance. Nithya currently serves as the secretary for the Carnage FBLA chapter, where she strives to advance the clubs organization to the best of its abilities. She was also proud to be a finalist at the FBLA Nationals last year in a speaking event. This year marks her first time participating in TEDx, and she is beyond excited for the opportunity to speak and share her ideas with others.

Prisha Sharma

Member

Prisha Sharma, an eighth-grader at Fred J. Carnage Middle, is a passionate individual who is passionate about leading others and sharing her ideas with the world. Her diverse talents are highlighted by her victory in the class spelling bee, showcasing her strong language skills and attention to detail. Prisha has also achieved notable success in the Reflections competitions, where her numerous awards reflect her creative thinking and artistic abilities. As a member of the Carnage volleyball team, she demonstrated her leadership qualities by serving as team captain in her 7th-grade year, inspiring and guiding her peers toward success. Additionally, her participation in various presentational and innovative camps illustrates her forward-thinking mindset and eagerness to explore new ideas. Prisha can't wait to showcase her capabilities across academics, arts, athletics, and leadership at TEDx this year.

Rachit Roy Choudhury

Member

Rachit Roy Choudhury is an eighth-grade leader with a passion for communication and community engagement. As the Vice President of my FBLA chapter, he assures you we will have successfully organized events that help increase the members' proficiency and skills. He also talks at events outside of school, showcasing his ability to communicate ideas effectively. He is committed to making a positive impact on everything he does.

Ruhi Jain

Speaker

Meet Ruhi Jain, a dynamic young speaker in TEDX, serving as a student at Carnage Magnet Middle School, she is passionate about arts and public speaking, always finding new opportunities to lead as well as inspire. Outside of the classroom, she's an active member of several organizations, where she constantly seeks to push herself and excel. She's also involved in the Science Fair, where she finds answers to her questions, whether she's baking new recipes, roller skating with friends, or competing in various competitions, Ruhi is always on the go. Driven by the desire to learn and grow, Ruhi always makes the best of her opportunities and makes a positive impact on those around her.

Saasana Karthikeyan

Member

Saasana Karthikeyan is a capable eighth grader at F.J. Carnage Middle School who has participated in various activities. Saasana has shown interest in acting, science, dancing, and fighting in many ways. Even though she has these many commitments, she always has time for leadership and volunteering for her religion. This is the first ever year Saasana is engaging in TEDx activities, and she will contribute as much as she can for her final year at Carnage Magnet Middle School.

Samarth Potnis

Speaker

Samarth Potnis, an eighth grader at Fred J. Carnage Middle School, is an individual with a passion for the arts. Serving as a member of FBLA, Speech and Debate Club, and many other clubs in Carnage. Samarth always does the best of his ability, and always does his part. Along with this, Samarth has a passion for his instrument, and a drive to excel in everything he does. This is his first year at TEDX, and he is exhilarated to create a speech, which he hopes will be remembered, for the right reasons.

Sana Brijesh

President

Sana Brijesh, an eighth-grader at Carnage Middle, is passionate about leadership, speaking, and the arts. She serves as the President of TEDx, Vice President 2 of the Student Council, a Student Ambassador, and a core member of her Robotics team. Additionally, Sana loves working with artificial intelligence and programming in Python, Java, and C and is a skilled Bharatnatyam dancer. This is her third year in TEDx, and Sana is thrilled to serve as the President as she yearns to inspire the youth in TEDX.

Shruthi Kumaravel

Member

Shruthi Kumaravel is a talented eighth-grader at F.J. Carnage Middle. She possesses many skills including a strong passion for academics and supporting her peers. She loves a wide range of activities, participating in competitions as she excels in math, science, and badminton. This is her second year in TEDx and she is absolutely thrilled to be a member of Speaker Management after succeeding in her role as a Speaker. She can’t wait to use her skills and shape the speakers and leaders of tomorrow.

Tasheen Feiyaz Shamsudeen

Member

Tasheen Feiyaz Shamsudeen is a driven eighth grader at F.J. Carnage Middle School with a versatile skill set. Tasheen takes part in the Student Ambassadors and she is an advanced violinist. Besides that, she’s involved in Carnatic singing, scouting, learning new languages, and teaching others to explore new interests. Her passions have developed her love for the arts, and her enthusiasm towards learning. Due to her parents ' inspiration, Tasheen is passionate about making a difference in the world. As her mother is a rehabilitation doctor and her father is a software engineer, she explores her medical and computational interests. Tasheen is eager for her first year in TEDx, a community motivated by innovation, curiosity, and creativity. She believes she can contribute to Carnage Magnet Middle School in her last year here.

Thanaya Takkallapelli

Speaker

Thanaya Takkallapelli is a sixth-grader at Carnage Magnet Middle who enjoys exploring new ideas and sharing them with others. She loves thinking creatively and finding ways to turn her ideas into something meaningful, whether it’s through writing, speaking, or collaborating with friends. This is her first year at Carnage, and she’s excited to discover new opportunities to grow, learn, and connect with others in her school. When she’s not working on school projects, Thanaya loves dancing, writing, and reading, which inspire her creativity and help her learn new things. She values teamwork and always tries her best to listen and work well with others. Her enthusiasm for learning and being part of a team makes her eager to see what new experiences Carnage and TEDx will bring.

Toby Yang

Member

Toby Yang, a sixth grader at Fred J. Carnage Middle, is a individual that despite only being in middle school for under a year, strives to become his full potential and become a multi-talented person by trying to grow his portfolio of extracurricular activities and as a person. Even though at this current moment he is still only in TEDx, he aspires to join many more clubs and become more involved in leadership activities. Along with this, Toby Yang is also passionate for the arts, taking art classes since he was 5 years, and joining band as a french horn to re-pursue his musical talent after quitting piano a couple of years earlier to regain his love of music. This is Toby’s first year in TEDx and he is extremely grateful to be able to have the chance to serve in the executive committee at CMMS, with many years to come, and hopes to bring a fresh perspective onto the committee, while growing as a person.