Educator Aida Zilelian shares storytelling mission at TEDx

Aida Zilelian, a Queens-based public school teacher and author, delivered a TEDxCabarete talk on the importance of children sharing their personal stories. With 23 years in education and two published novels, Zilelian discussed how storytelling builds confidence and emotional processing in young people. She distinguishes between "low-risk" stories about lighter moments and "high-risk" stories revealing deeper emotional experiences. Zilelian emphasized allowing students to share at their comfort level, especially during first public speaking experiences. Co-founder of The Armenian Power Hour storytelling event and board member of the International Armenian Literary Alliance, Zilelian was initially rejected by TEDxCabarete but was invited to serve as a speaking coach before reapplying successfully. She also conducted a workshop on weaving narratives into presentations.