Anthony Wayne High School senior, Mallory Rettig was selected as one of the speakers who will present at the TEDx event sponsored by Maumee Valley Country Day school. Her talk, entitled “More Than a Name” will reflect her experiences in interacting with others and the importance of remembering and using a person’s name when interacting with them.
Her inspiration came from her work at Jonathan Khoi Nail Spa, where she noticed how impactful remembering a client’s name can be. “There is sort of a power dynamic between the employee and the guest,” Mallory explained. “It’s so off-putting when someone calls you by the wrong name or mispronounces it. That one small detail can really change the whole interaction.”
The importance of remembering someone’s name became even more personal after attending Buckeye Girls State, where she ran for Governor. “People would approach and give their campaign spiel and move on, and later didn’t even remember talking with me,” she said. “It felt like they were just looking for votes. That experience reinforced how important it is to build real relationships.”
The encouragement to apply to be a TEDx speaker came from a classmate, Arjun Jayaraman, while they were working together in computer science class. He was a speaker at the 2024 event and enjoyed the experience and suggested that Mallory check it out.
Though Mallory is excited to speak, the preparation has been intense. “I have to memorize an eight-minute speech—it’s about four pages long,” she said. “I’m adding an audience engagement piece, and that’s probably the most terrifying part.”
To get ready, she has been attending workshops and getting advice from past TEDx speakers like AWHS junior, Aradhya Muthumula. “She told me to record myself and listen to it over and over to get more comfortable,” Mallory said.
Mallory’s passion for TED Talks started early. “I’ve been obsessed with TED Talks since freshman year,” she said. “I could always tell when it was a TED Talk—there is a certain style to them and the presenters are so intentional in how they move and speak. I started studying that.”
Outside of school, Mallory stays busy. She plays tennis, works 25–30 hours a week at Jonathan Khoi Nail Spa, and has been focused on scholarship applications—often written while walking on a treadmill. “I average 20,000 steps a day while writing. It helps me focus.”
She’s also an avid reader and poetry lover, especially drawn to longform poetry and novelists like Ocean Vuong. “I feel like I get to be a detective and explore the metaphors to figure out what they really mean,” she said. She was excited to get to see Vuong speak at the Toledo Museum of Art last spring.
Mallory is almost certain she’ll attend UC Berkeley in the fall, where she plans to major in comparative literature with a minor in philosophy, politics and law. Her goal is to become a medical malpractice attorney and defend doctors.
For students who are nervous about public speaking, Mallory offers this advice: “I used to be afraid of class presentations—my hands would shake and get sweaty. But put yourself out there. You gain confidence by just doing it. At the moment, you might wonder, ‘Why did I sign up for this?’ but afterward, you’ll be glad you did.”
She views the TEDx event as an opportunity to practice her public speaking skills and is keeping the experience in perspective. “In the end, the people watching don’t know who I am. If the worst comes to worst, and these people don’t think I did a good job, it’s okay. I will have many more opportunities to speak.”
Mallory is hoping that one of those opportunities is at graduation this spring. “It’s been a goal of mine to speak at graduation, and I plan to apply.”
You can hear Mallory’s TEDx Talk at Maumee Valley Country Day School on Friday, April 25. Students speakers will present from 5:00–9:00 p.m. in the Millennium Theatre. Admission is free, and the event includes snacks, interactive activities and dinner from Chipotle.
WATCH:
Aradhya Muthumula and Arjun Jayaraman represented Anthony Wayne High School at last year’s TEDx Talks event.