Learning to be Heard Winner: Transforming Subject Choice at School

For Javidan “Javi” Taghizada, leadership isn’t just a goal – it’s a practice. While many 15-year-olds are focused solely on their schoolwork, Javi is busy balancing his IGCSE studies with the development of an AI-powered app designed to help students navigate the complex world of university applications. “I like being a leader,” Javi says simply. “In business, you give yourself leadership roles and work as a team. That drive is what I love.”

It was this same drive that led him to enter the TED Global Speaking Challenge. Javi’s winning idea was born from a personal frustration: the lack of student agency in choosing subjects. He advocates for a system where students aren’t forced into “unnecessary” subjects but can instead focus on those that align with their future ambitions. “I vocalized my opinion in school,” he explains. “Why should I take a science if it’s not needed for my business career?”

The moment he discovered he had won a scholarship was perfectly timed – he was attending a Model United Nations (MUN) conference. “I was reading the email and I was a bit confused. I sent it to my mom and asked, ‘Am I reading this right?’” His mother, a teacher herself, encouraged his participation, recognizing the value of professional public speaking training for a future diplomat or businessman.

Javi is now preparing to travel solo for the first time to attend the TED Summer School in either London or New York. He is eager to strengthen his leadership capabilities and learn from a global network of peers. His advice for aspiring speakers is to “embody the person you are about to become.” He suggests practicing with someone you trust: “Talk to them face-to-face, look them in the eye, and act as if you are a person of big importance who has already achieved something in the world.”

Watch Javidan’s standout winning entry here:

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About the author

Javidan Taghizada

Javi is a 15-year-old student currently pursuing IGCSEs in Serbia. An aspiring entrepreneur and app developer, he is building an AI-powered platform to help students find their dream universities. Javi is passionate about educational reform, advocating for curricula that allow students to specialize in subjects aligned with their career goals.

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