Milton Hershey started Hershey from the ground up, and now his legacy will continue.

TEDxYouth is at Hershey High School, run by HHS junior Cameron Brown. Brown hopes to bring back that sense of community in school that was abundantly apparent during Milton Hershey’s time.

TEDx talks are independently run TED-like talks organized by people in the community. Brown is helping to create the TEDxYouth club to help people branch out, get the chance to speak about something they are passionate about, and have an idea of what it is like to perform an actual TED talk.

TED, owned by a nonprofit, nonpartisan foundation, was founded in 1984, according to the TED website, and it began as a conference where technology, entertainment, and design converged. Now, it covers many topics in up to 110 languages, according to the TED organization.

TED’s agenda, as said on their website, is to make great ideas accessible and spark conversation. Brown’s agenda is not all that different.

Brown first thought to start the TEDx club at a Talks With Teachers meeting at HHS, where students share ideas they feel are important with teachers. It is a time where both teachers and students can feel safe to share anything.

“If we get people out there spreading ideas and expressing themselves, then that’ll entice and inspire other people,” Brown said.

Currently, Brown is reviewing applications for five chairs; logistics, program, community, media and technology, and finance. There will also be assistants to the five chairs, with Brown at the head of it all, making 11 total leaders. Brown is also in the process of putting up a website with more information.

On May 20th, 2017, the first event will be held in the HHS auditorium. It will be run by Hershey students in TEDx club and is open for anyone who would like to attend.

Additionally, Brown is planning a larger event at Founder’s Hall in November of 2017. He wants this event to be run by students from other schools along with students from Hershey.

Above all, Brown wishes for students to learn that they can transform their community “from the ground up” without having to commit a large act. “It doesn’t have to be grand for it to make a difference,” Brown said.