TEST PROGRAM FOR RON

April 1, 2017
Sunrise Theatre
Southern Pines, NC

#tedxsandhillscc



An idea without an audience is a falling
tree in an empty forest….

What is a TEDx Talk?

A TEDx Talk is a showcase for speakers presenting great, well-formed ideas in under 18
minutes.

Why under 18 minutes? This short talk model works, since it only demands the audi-
ence’s attention for a short period of time, decreasing the chance of minds wandering
or daydreaming about lunch. In fact, some of the greatest TED Talks have been as short
as 5 minutes long!
What is a great, well-formed idea? It can actually be one of two things:

Something that’s new and surprising; an idea or invention that your audience has never
heard about.

A great basic idea (that your audience has maybe already heard) with a compelling new
argument behind it that challenges beliefs and perspectives.

In other words, an idea isn’t just a story or a list of facts. A good idea takes certain
evidence or observations and draws a larger conclusion.

TEDxSandhillsCommunityCollege Adheres to TEDx
Guiding Principles

• Providing big ideas, rich storytelling, and a multi-disciplinary program that sparks
community connections and inspires ideas that change perspectives.

• Unearthing local voices—extraordinary people who have been heard and seen by
few but who have a fresh approach in their field, a unique story to tell, or a new
perspective to share.

• Exciting and delighting the audience while anticipating their every need—wowing
the audience and guests!

• Celebrating and protecting the TEDx vision and investing in the spirit of the TEDx
community.

TED vs. TEDx: Viva la difference!

A TEDx event is a local gathering where live TED-like talks and videos previously
rec-orded at TED conferences are shared with the community. TEDx events are fully
planned and coordinated independently, on a community-by-community basis.

#tedxsandhillscc

Welcome

Oh, my gosh. At long last, it’s here! Welcome to TEDxSandhillsCommunityCollege.

For the next few hours you are going to be immersed in our community’s first-ever
effort to bring the magic of TED Talks to the little patch of heaven we call the Sandhills.

While your primary focus during the next few hours will be on the eight “Xperts”
who will be on the stage in front of you, there are dozens of folks (most of whom are
Sandhills faculty and staff) whose labors have made this day possible.

In all my years at the college, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a group so large work so hard
and have so much fun doing it.

So, thanks to all the people who made it possible, thanks to our sponsors, thanks to our
“talent,” and thanks to the Sunrise Theater for serving as home to the event.

Now sit back, engage your mind and spirit, and accept our warm welcome to the world
of TEDx.

We are so glad you came.

John Dempsey
Sandhills Community College President

Of Reclamation—
Ruminations on the Stage Art

By Andrew Prieto, Visual Arts Instructor

Mended pasture fences, forgotten tobacco barns, train tracks active and inactive,
haunted textile factories, and some of the best clay in the world for producing bricks—
these are the domains where the ideas and phrases sprang forth to animate our
collective imagination.

Like bowerbirds, we began to gather and assemble local barn wood and fabric from
individual donations that could only happen here. That barn wood turned into the
large, make-shift X that you see before you, and the fabric became the tapestry that
covers it with every donor’s individual history sewn into its story.

And so, in our times of recycling, upcycling, downturns, and returns, this piece is a
symbol (yes, a symbol) of regionalized energy (X marks this spot). Can’t you hear that
train comin’, those pine floors creak, hammers hitting 16-penny nails, and that brick
foundation settling for good?

#tedxsandhillscc

Help us Thank our Sponsors

The Vivian and Ralph Jacobson Fellowship

Pyramid Level

Gregory Bradbury The Sandhills Community College Foundation

Colossus Level

Aberdeen Coca Cola Bottling Company For All Occasions Catering
Laurie Rich Catering

Hubble Level

Reverie Cocktails S&J Woodworking
Nature’s Own Sandhills Pediatrics

Golden Gate Level

Thyme & Place Edward Jones Financial
PineScones Swank The Ice Cream Parlor

Burney Hardware

In Kind

CRC Iceworks The Sunrise Theatre The Cake Lady
Town of Southern Pines Recreation & Parks Department
The Country Bookshop The Wine Cellar The Heritage Flag Co.

Southern Pines Brewing Company The Pilot
Sandhills Community College Physical Plant

#tedxsandhillscc

Agenda

9-10:00 Registration

Early Morning Session

9:55 Seating

Host: David Woronoff

10:15 Speaker One: Damien Horne

10:40 Speaker Two: Cameron Cruse

11:00 Morning Break

Mid-Morning Session

11:15 Seating

Host: David Woronoff

11:20 Speaker Three: Nathaniel Peterkin

11:45 Speaker Four: Sundi McLaughlin

12:05 Announcements and Lunch Break

Early Afternoon Session

1:10 Seating

Host: Heather Lyons

1:20 Speaker Five: Susan Southard

1:55 Speaker Six: Trish Harris

2:15 Afternoon Break

Late Afternoon Session

2:30 Seating

Host: Heather Lyons

2:40 Speaker Seven: Barbara Sherman

3:10 Speaker Eight: David Michael Wolff

3:30 Closing Thoughts: Dr. John Dempsey

#tedxsandhillscc

Bill of Fare

TEDxSandhillsCommunityCollege is fortunate to be able to provide our guests
with a true “taste of the Sandhills.” Local merchants have stepped forward to
make certain that guests munch merrily throughout the day-long event. Here is a

glimpse of the merchants and their fare:

Breakfast

Aberdeen Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Swank Coffee, and Nature’s Own

Fresh Brewed Local Roast or Water
Muffin and Fruit Assortment

Mid-Morning Break

Swank Coffee, Aberdeen Coca -Cola Bottling Company and PineScones

Fresh Brewed Local Roast or Water
Mini-Scones

Lunch

Fore All Occasions Catering, The Cake Lady and
Aberdeen Coca-Cola Bottling Company

Chicken/Cucumber Salad Wraps or Piled-High Club or
Roasted Veggie Wrap

Pasta Salad or Fresh-Cut Fruit
Chips and Cookies

Ticketholders and Guarantor Volunteers will leave the theater and cross Broad Street to
the Southern Pines Train Terminal for their repast.

Volunteers will leave the theater and turn left to the Big Tent where lunch awaits.

Mid-Afternoon Break

The Bakehouse, Aberdeen Coca-Cola Bottling Company
and The Ice Cream Parlor

Mini-Cupcakes
Scoops

Snacks and cold beverages are available in the Sunrise lobby throughout today’s event.

#tedxsandhillscc

The Giveaways

Morning Session

The Heritage Flag Company

Vintage barrels provide the
raw materials for Heritage
Craftsman-ship. “Steeped
in tradition and careful
craftsmanship, the process
of creating a Heritage Flag
takes time. It all begins with
the barrels—bourbon, whiskey and wine are aged for upwards
of ten years. During that time, the barrels take on a life of their own, each becoming
uniquely different, making a Heritage Flag truly one of a kind. From the barrels, each
flag is built by hand in our workshop, located in Southern Pines, North Carolina. No
two flags are alike, each perfectly imperfect.” Visit them online at www.heritageflag.
com today.

Afternoon Session

Knotted Pine Restorations

When Joe Brown sought
refuge from the infinite
stream of numbers that
fill his day as a financial
officer, he turned to
discarded furniture, grainy
woods, natural stains, and
metal accoutrements.

The result is a Pinehurst cottage industry—
Knotted Pines Restorations. One ticket holder will drive away with this restoration that
can easily serve as a cocktail or memento center in any home. Visit Joe on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/knottedpine to see more of his work.

Knotted Pine prides itself in “specializing in custom restorations, refinishing, and
repurposing of aged furniture. With pick-up and delivery, Knotted Pine Restorations
creates an effortless and affordable way for you to update your existing furniture and
achieve your desired look.” And they offer free estimates!

#tedxsandhillscc

Early Morning Session

10:15 am

Damien Horne

“Title of Talk”

Damien Horne is a musician and public speaker from Hickory,
North Carolina. When he is not on the road as an artist, Horne works
alongside The Salvation Army and the Boys & Girls Club to share his
story of being one of 12 children—the first to graduate from high
school—and of avoiding being a victim of the streets. Damien has
a real knack for tapping into people’s gifts and talents and inspiring
them to reach their fullest potential.

Although he was homeless in two different cities (LA and Nashville), he has shared the
stage with the likes of everyone form Faith Hill and Big & Rich to Robert Randolph and
John Legend.

He has landed publishing deals with Big Love and Warner Chapel and was also a part of
a country music trio The Farm that was signed to Warner Brothers. During their stint,
they had two charting singles, “Home Sweet Home” (Billboard Top 20) and “Be Careful”
(Billboard Top 40).

Damien will ....

10:40 am

Cameron Cruse

“Title of Talk”

Cameron Cruse is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer
of R. Riveter, a company with a dual mission to produce quality
handbags/purses and provide portable careers to military spouses.
A mother, designer, and proud Army wife, Cruse completed her
Master’s in Architecture from the Savannah College of Art and
Design. Upon moving to Fort Merrill, Georgia, she founded R.
Riveter with fellow military spouse, Lisa Bradley. In promoting R.
Riveter, Cruse has successfully funded a campaign on Kickstarter
and secured the support of Mark Cuban on the Shark Tank.

Cameron will ...

#tedxsandhillscc

Mid-Morning Session

11:20 am

Nathaniel Peterkin

“Title of Talk”

Nathaniel Peterkin, an English major at Sandhills Community
College, will graduate this May and intends to pursue his B.A. this
fall and North Carolina Central University, and he plans to tryout for
the football team. A North Carolina native who was a football player
and captain of the congressional speech and debate team at his
local high school, Nathaniel suffered some setbacks during his time
in Durham, North Carolina, which left him homeless and direction-
less. Today, Nathaniel is founder and CEO of Tri Fit USA, and he is
following his dream to one day become a philosophy professor.

Nathaniel will...

11:45 am

Sundi McLaughlin

“Title of Talk”

Sundi McLaughlin is the owner of Mockingbird, a quirky little
shop of carefully curated gifts and interesting finds in downtown
Southern Pines, North Carolina. A proud military wife and former
deputy from Florida, she has used her humorous life experiences
as fodder for radio broadcasts for the Sandhills Skinny on Star 102.5
and for columns in local magazines, Pinestraw and Pinehurst Living.
McLaughlin is the current President of the Sunrise Board and Chair
of the SunFlix committee at the Sunrise Theater.

Sundi will...

#tedxsandhillscc

Early Afternoon Session

1:20 pm

Susan Southard

“Title of Talk”

Susan Southard is the author of Nagasaki: Life After Nu-clear War
(Viking, 2015), the story of five survivors of the 1945 Nagasaki
atomic bombing and the enduring impact of nuclear war over
70 years. The culmination of 12 years of research, Nagasaki is
the recipient of the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize and the Dayton
Literary Peace Prize and was named “Best Book of the Year” by the
Washington Post and The Economist. Her work has appeared in The
New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and Politico. In addition to
teaching seminars and presenting lectures and keynote addresses—her most notable
a statement before the United Nations last fall—Southard is the founder and artistic
director of the Phoenix-based Essential Theatre, now in its 27th season.

Susan will….

1:55 pm

Trish Harris

“Title of Talk”

Trish Harris, whose day job involves serving as a professor of human
services and psychology at Sandhills Community College, uses
her off time to hike. She has tackled Hadrian’s Wall in England and
Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. This past summer, after four years,
Trish completed the Appalachian Trail. Trish enjoys meeting new
people and experiencing the great outdoors while visiting places of
historical and geographical significance and is always eager to share
her enthusiasm for hiking with others.

Trish will take the audience on a journey….

#tedxsandhillscc

Late Afternoon Session

2:40 pm

Barbara Sherman

“How Dogs Tell Us What We Need to Know”

Barbara Sherman, a board-certified veterinary behavior spe-cialist,
is the Director of Behavioral Medicine Service at North Carolina
State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. In addition to
teaching veterinary students, she treats the be-havioral problems of
companion animals and directs the Be-havioral Medicine Residency
Training Program. In an effort to enhance their welfare, her ongoing
research focuses on ca-nine-human communication and the
assessment and attenua-tion of fear responses in dogs and cats.

Barbara Sherman will explore...

3:10 pm

David Michael Wolff

“The Tao of Music”

David Michael Wolff—conductor, pianist, author, educator, and
entrepreneur—is now in his eighth season as principle conductor
and artistic director of the Carolina Philhar-monic. He created an
interactive orchestral experience program for North Carolina K-2
students called Encore! Kids, now serving thousands of children
annually. Wolff is also the principle conductor and artistic director
of Or-chestra 2100, serving Washington, DC, and Virginia. Ca-
reer highlights include a performance for President Bill Clinton’s
Global Initiative in Arkansas and performances in Shanghai at the World Expo and at
the Shanghai Conservatory of Music with renowned Diva, Angela Brown. Wolff is the
author of Zen and the Art of Piano.

David Michael Wolff will consider….

#tedxsandhillscc

Soul on Ice
8:00 a.m. to Noon

When people talk about Chris Currier’s “icy stare,”
it is not criticism. They are merely refer-ring to
his passion for ice. His ability to transform a
clear block of drastically chilled H2O into artistic
wonderment has taken him to the frozen Tundra
of Alaska, where he and his partner Todd Dawson
recently took first place in the World Ice Art
Championship 2017 in Fairbanks with their ice
sculpture Free Bird.

As The Pilot notes, “The teams had a 60-hour
window to convert a 7,800 block of ice 8 feet
high and 5 feet wide into a recognizable shape.”
In brutal cold, Chris and Todd made crystalline
magic that qualified them for the sculpting
cultural event at the Winter Olympics in Korea in
2018.

Throughout the morning of TEDxSandhills
CommunityCollege, Chris—who owns CRC
Iceworks—and a team of students from the
Culinary Program at SCC will be working with a
smaller block of ice similar to his Alaskan blank
slate.

As the TEDx audience takes the mid-morning
break, we invite them to stroll across Broad Street
to the Southern Pines train station, where they
can witness this transformative experience.

As you saunter to lunch, Chris and his students
hope to have reconstructed a piece of untamed
ice into yet another clear creation, proving once
more that the man has ice water running through
his veins.

#tedxsandhillscc

The Venue

The Sunrise Theater is situated amidst the
magnolias and long-leaf pines on Broad
Street in Southern Pines, North Carolina. The
building, erected in 1898, began as a hardware
store.

In the 1940s, the building became a movie
theater which remained a staple of downtown
Southern Pines for over 40 years.

When the movie house closed its doors, for
what appeared to be its last time, in the early 1980s, the Arts Council of Moore County
(ACMC) and the Sandhills Little Theater rallied enough community support to restore
the building and give it a third life as the Performing Arts Center, owned and operated
by ACMC.

In 1998, ACMC transferred the theater’s operation to the Sunrise Preservation Group
(SPG), citizens concerned with
keeping the theater alive for the
community. SPG formed a not-for-
profit organization and through
dedicated effort, compromise and
goodwill, the historical theater
building has a new lease on life. ACMC
transferred ownership of the theater
building to the Sunrise Preservation
Group in 2005.

Today, the Sunrise Preservation Group TEDx
is running a thriving entertainment Ticket-Holders
center, an “Art House” of sorts. With
first-run and independent films Center Rows
running weekly, the movies at Sunrise
have be-come a popular source of
entertainment for Sandhills residents.
Musical concerts, live broadcasts of
the Met Opera, live community theater
and a smorgasbord of other offerings
has helped Sun-rise Theater continue
to be the cornerstone of arts and
entertainment in the Sandhills.

Source: www.sunrisetheater.com

#tedxsandhillscc

The College and Its Community

Established in 1964 as the first
comprehensive community college in
North Carolina, Sandhills Community
College has grown to a student population
of 4,000 curriculum students and over
10,000 continuing education students.

Events like TEDxSandhillsCommunityCollege
are not the norm for most colleges in the
North Carolina Community College System.
In truth, our college is the beneficiary of
generous donors to the SCC Foundation. The Foundation Board recognizes that a
major part of what we do should be directed at enriching the community that supports
us in such generous ways. Thus, they inspire faculty and staff to explore new ways to
serve this community. TEDxSandhillsCommunityCollege is one such way.

SCC takes seriously one element of its name: “Community.” Not surprisingly, when SCC
was approved as the licensed organization for the TEDx event, the college looked to the
larger community for support. What the audience experiences today is a vibrant, caring
community engaged in sharing ideas for the betterment of humankind.

• The Sunrise Theater was the first to step forward to provide a truly unique and
intimate venue for the day’s events.

• The Town of Southern Pines and Southern Pines Recreation and Parks were the
next groups to offer a unique way to celebrate this event, providing the luncheon
venue for our ticketholders at the town’s signature railway station.

• The Pilot, our community’s award-winning newspaper, stepped up to provide
event promotional support and one of our two emcees.

• Diverse businesses provided in-kind support to ensure that the now defunct
Lance Cracker slogan of “Don’t go ‘round hungry” is the guiding principle of the
day. As audience members move from cupcakes and scones to roasted vegetables
and hometown ice cream, they will know what a culinary range this community
has to offer.

• Our volunteers from the Carolina Philharmonic, the SCC Foundation Board, the
community fine arts groups, and the SCC faculty and staff have given the blood,
sweat, and tears that will fuel this day-long effort to share ideas that inspire and
perhaps change our lives for the better.

#tedxsandhillscc

Our Theme

The irony is in the theme.

Considering the zany group of blockheads who first gathered at the planning table,
it is not all that surprising that this truly represents a three-month reconstruction of
thought on the part of the TEDxSandhillsCommunityCollege committee members.

The group navigated past the obvious tomfoolery
associated with the event date. They then plunged
“off the deep end” with a range of ideas that
showcased willing risks that are apparent in the
TEDx Talks the audience will witness today. In
building consensus as they moved toward a theme,
the committee looked for a home for the first
TEDxSandhillsCommunnityCollege and settled on
one place: the Sunrise Theater.

This community preserves the past while harkening to the future, and no location so
much embodies the spirit of this effort as the venerable home to today’s event. The
community once came together to reconstruct the entertainment showpiece of by-
gone decades. In doing so, they provided inspiration for the day’s event.

As the committee members carved their way through some final ideas, they arrived
at this simple truth: ours is a burgeoning community that builds on the gifts of artists,
writers, entrepreneurs, and creative thinkers who are building lives that truly matter.

The theme emerged as the event loomed large on the horizon. The TEDx committee
reconstrucTED its thinking.

The result is the hopeful, heartening event that unfolds today.

Thank you for being on hand as we nail down the final elements and hammer out the
details. We hope that, in some small way, we end the day having reconstrucTED your
thinking.

#tedxsandhillscc

The Art

On Stage

Unlike many community colleges, Sandhills embraces close photo of
the fine arts. The Music and Visual Arts departments fabric squares or
not only serve an important segment of the university Andrew
transfer programs, but they also serve as the artistic focal
point of the Pinehurst/Southern Pines/Aberdeen Triad.
Concerts, musicals, and art exhibits are integrated into
the academic year.

When Andrew Prieto, visual arts instructor, first heard
about the TEDx approval for the event, he met with
key members of the planning committee to pitch his
proposal that his SCC students could produce the focal
visual element for the stage. The result of those efforts appear with the opening of the
curtains today. In the tradition of boilerplate art, Prieto’s team constructed their work
from reclaimed lumber courtesy of local artisan S & J Woodworking. Thus, the effort
takes on a steampunk effect in its integration of fabric, wood, and welds that harken
back to the 19th century.

They then reached out to the campus community for donations of “the shirts off
our backs” to gather enough material so that the work truly represents the “fabric of
our lives” here in the Sandhills. The final piece was assembled in the wee hours this
morning on the Sunrise stage. Feel free to take a closer look during the lunch break.

In the Air

Andrew “Ryan” Book brings a different form of art to the
event. The classical guitarist who serves as department
chair for the fine arts degree programs appears as the
luncheon entertainment for our ticket holders as they
gather for lunch. Ryan represents one member of a
vibrant lo-cal music community that fills the night air of
the Sandhills. He performs as one of many local talents
who search for the lost chord and dazzle us with their
artistic art borne of bent, polished wood and taut strings.

#tedxsandhillscc

Event Hosts

David Woronoff

David Woronoff became publisher of The Pilot newspaper in
Southern Pines, NC, in 1996. The Pilot was named the best
community newspaper in the nation in 2002 and 2007 by the
Inland Press Association and in both 2015 and 2016 by the National
Newspaper Association. The organization has transformed from a
twice-weekly newspaper into a statewide media company during
David’s 20 years at the helm. Today, The Pilot publishes three
regional magazines (PineStraw in Southern Pines, O. Henry in
Greensboro, and Salt in Wilmington). He also owns The Country
Bookshop in downtown Southern Pines.

David lives in Pinehurst with his two daughters, Jenna (22) and Freddie (20). His
newspaper career began at The News & Observer. David was named President of the
North Carolina Press Association in 2010. He also serves on the board of the Southern
Newspaper Publishers Association. David was the first community newspaper
publisher appointed to the 112-year-old organization’s board of directors.

Heather Lyons

Heather Lyons is the Associate Dean of College Initiatives at
Sandhills Community College and the Executive Assistant to the
President.

A collegiate volleyball player at the University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, she lives in Pinehurst and moved to the Sandhills in
2007. She is the mother of two sons and a daughter and teaches
sociology for SCC.

A native of Chicago, she worked in publishing with Time-Warner and The Military
Officers Association of America Magazine in the Washing-ton, DC, region.

She has a B.A. in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a
Master’s in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

#tedxsandhillscc

Access to the Visual Archive of This Event

Visit Our TED Tangled Web

The beauty of the TEDx approach to the sharing of ideas is that the event travels for-
ward in time and space on the web.
If you liked one or more of the event’s speakers, very soon you can revisit the moment
or even send a friend to the show.
While we are newcomers to this game, we do have a plan for keeping you linked.

• Our website will soon include hyperlinks to the actual video production stored
under our TEDxSandhillsCommunityCollege event at TED.com.

• If you are a visitor to the site, you will be able to navigate to the speaker page, and
beneath each speaker biography, you will be able to go directly to that speaker’s
TEDx Talk.

• The SCC homepage will soon provide an additional link to our event.
Of course, in the age of search engines, you can key in a phrase like
TEDxSandhillsCommunityCollege, and the Algorithms that now control Planet
Earth will bring you the full TEDxSandhillsCommunityCollege universe.

toiumnseyedBooieuuasrrpuhsoroasectsisha.tlag

#tedxsandhillscc

The View from the
Committee Leadership Tetra

Candice Freeman

Clinical Coordinator and Associate Professor in the Medical Laboratory
Technology Program at SCC and head of the social media element of the event.

In roughly 1620, Cornelis Drebbel invented the first device used to
visualize tiny life forms. Scientists, mathematicians, and philosophers
of his time were introduced to a world that they may not have known
existed prior to the outrageous invention. Today, we know this device
as the simple, common microscope, and people around the world
use this tool daily to examine organisms and material otherwise left
unseen by the naked eye. Imagine the fascination and curiosity this new
device stimulated during Drebbel’s time; it was revolutionary, and many inventors who
followed him refined his invention into what we commonly use today.

What happens when people dream the impossible? Microscopes are invented. Devices
then allow us to peer into parts of life that otherwise would have gone unnoticed.
Metaphorically, “microscopes” can take the form of many items – the telephone, the
television, a needle used by a physician, a drug, a computer, or a cell phone. All of
these microroscopes with macroscopic impact were once far-fetched ideas from risk-
takers, dreamers, and innovators; these people were often cast out for their thoughts
or ridiculed for trying new things. What if instead of wondering why a person has an
idea, we choose to see that person as an innovator of a new microscope that has yet to
be discovered? What if we help that innovator get out of the safety of our conventional
thinking and into the realm of improbability and absurdity? What would happen? New
microscopes would be invented and new facets of our world would be revealed in ways
unimaginable.

This is the heart of TED’s mission – “Ideas Worth Sharing.” TED encourages bold
thinking from all people, from all walks of life, and from all socioeconomic and
educational backgrounds. Our TEDxSandhillsCommunityCollege journey has been
revelatory for me, as I have picked up a new microscope and discovered the richness
and beauty that so many people bring to the Sandhills Community—elements that
I had yet to discover fully . For me, in actuality, reconstrucTED happened a year ago,
last month, yesterday, and today, and it will happen tomorrow as well. I have been
inspired by the ideas of the individuals who have tirelessly worked to bring this event
to the community, and I can honestly say that through this process, reconstrucTED
has become my own personal microscope, revealing a college of innovators who are
dedicated to serving the citizens of our community. I am humbled to be a part of this
experience, and I praise my peers, colleagues, and supporters who all innovated, as
one, to make this experience this possible.

#tedxsandhillscc

Glenda Pope

Coordinator and Instructor in Religion and Humanities at SCC

Archimedes (arguably the world’s greatest scientist and inventor)
discovered the concept of displacement as a measure of volume when
he immersed himself in a tub for an ordinary soak. The story goes that
he was so excited that he jumped from his bath and ran down the street
naked yelling, “Eureka! Eureka!”—Greek for “I have found it!” He knew
that his discovery would have profound impact on humanity.

On the day that Candice, Chris, and I were told that we would be the co-chairs of
TEDxSandhillsCommunityCollege, Candice and I were so excited when we left the
meeting that—no we did not streak through campus—but we did jump up and down
outside the building, awash with ideas and enthusiasm. Then, we realized that we
were standing outside Dr. Dempsey’s office window. We quickly composed ourselves
and went about our day but with the exhilaration that comes with a new, but far from
ordinary, project. We believed that this event could have a profound effect on our
campus and on our community, and we were thrilled just to be a part of it.

As the months turned into a year of constructing and reconstructing this event, I have
seen the concept of displacement again and again: from trying to force an intimate
atmosphere in a large auditorium to settling comfortably into the naturally intimate
space of the Sunrise, from trying on themes that just didn’t quite suit to slipping into
one that so perfectly fits the human condition and the soul’s longing for refinery, from
letting go of individual ideas to become a fulcrum instead of a stumbling block. These
are the lessons of TED (Technology, Engineering, and Design) and how we can draw
inspiration out of displacement from the ordinary, redesign ourselves to better fit who
we are and who we long to be, and live reconstrucTED lives that are a measure of the
voluminous human spirit.

Chris Waldrop

Audio Visual Technical Specialist at SCC and integral to all technology for the
event.

I must confess that I am probably the only member of
TedxSandhillsCommunityCollege who was unfamiliar with TED prior to
receiving a seat on this committee. Perhaps “unfamiliar” isn’t quite the
right word. As I later realized, I had indeed been exposed to TED Talks
before; how-ever, the true purpose and meaning of TED events weren’t
made clear to me until I was tasked with bringing one to life, on stage,
here in the Sandhills.

#tedxsandhillscc

While I may have been a newcomer to TED in the beginning, this past year has changed
that. I have been delighted to discover the ideas and possibilities that these events can
open up. From a production standpoint, live events always present the most unique
set of challenges. This has certainly been no exception. Planning and prepping for
reconstrucTED has been a brilliant reflection of the name itself, with our oftentimes
having to head back to the drawing board and start again. After many reconstructions
over the past several months, I’m very proud of what we have finally constructed. It has
been a very long journey, but reconstrucTED has finally arrived in the Sandhills, and it
has been a great honor to be a part of TedxSandhillsCommunityCollege. I’ve enjoyed
the experience, and I hope you enjoy yours today.

Susan Grine

Department Chair for English and Humanities and committed to fostering a
caring community.

X marks the spot – Officially, it stands for “independently organized,”
but the “x” also suggests that the TEDx event “focuses on a local
community that concentrates on local voices.” Today, you’ll experience
our community’s culture as you nestle into your seats at the historic
Sunrise Theater, listen to the train rumble by, nibble a sweet scone, and
wander on stage for an up-close examination of our sculpture. The stars
of the day, though, are our local voices.

It was a process. A committee formed a committee to make a list to make some phone
calls to send an email to ask that question. “Would you be willing to…?” They heard
our familiar refrain: “It’s April 1. . .A long time from now. .. There are just a few rules, but
we’ll figure it out…”

And, they all said, YES!

When we first began the process of selecting your speakers for today, we didn’t plan to
have a professor and a student, a conductor and a singer/songwriter, a scientist and an
author, and two entrepreneurs—whose stores are right around the corner. It seems so
neat and tidy now, but all of those committees can’t take credit for that.

We credit our experts on life whose stories have humbled and humored us and to
whom we can-not wait to introduce you.

Thank you to our speakers. We are honored to know you and feel such gratitude for
your willingness to be in this spot in front of that big “X” today.

#tedxsandhillscc

Our Volunteers

Carolina Philharmonic Volunteers

We are grateful to the Carolina Philharmonic for their public relations efforts in
support of the day’s event.

Guarantor Volunteers

We appreciate the Sandhills Community College Foundation for their outreach efforts
and their engagement with our Ticket Holders during the three social elements that
fuel the nourishment breaks.

Stage Crew

Great physical and artistic effort went into the setup of the stage and construction of
the varied technical elements that are visible to our audience onstage today. We are
humbled to be in the midst of such talented, kind and caring individuals.

Hospitality Crew

Two meals, three breaks, and countless mad dash efforts to fulfill our guests’ needs:
a noble crew of hospitality members engaged in this noble task, for which we owe an
enormous debt of thanks.

Jim Saunders Lu Huntley Wendy Dodson
Kimball Saunders Mary Bridschge David Woronoff
Chris Dunn Wanda Tubbs Heather Lyons
Greg Bradbury Jerry Tubbs John Dempsey
Betty Sapp Amanda Begins Chris Waldrop
Joe Brown Susan Grine Glenda Pope
Lin Hilton Alyson Grine Beth Walker
Wilson McWilliams Will Grine Ava Blakely
Jennifer Dail Andrew Prieto Ellen Airs
Kathy Johnson Steve Sims Libba Thomas
Rick Kruska Abbe Allen Mike Thomas
Cathy Kruska Angela McArdle Sara Blakely
Dana Heath Chad Parrish Megan Pope
Sam Walker Gayvin Powers Kathy McPherson
Laurie Holden Germaine Elkins Marilyn Grube
Mollie McKenzie Karen Manning Chris Currier
Fi McKenzie Susan Senior
Micky Konold Sydney Mez

#tedxsandhillscc

SPONSORS

The Vivian and Ralph
Jacobson Fellowship
Pyramid Level

Colossus Level

Hubble Level
Golden Gate Level

In Kind

The Cake Lady
Sandhills Community College Physical Plant