The Influence Ideas Mentorship Program (IIMP), hosted by the MHHS TEDx club at Mountain House High School, has completed a transformative two-month journey, training over 115+ (5th-8th grade) students from Peter Hansen and Julius Cordes Elementary in the art of public speaking, providing them with skills necessary for their future careers. This initiative culminated in a Showcase event held at Mountain House High School on March 24th, where 28 selected finalists showcased their remarkable talents.
The IIMP leadership team, including officers Pranavi Battula, Anvi Sharma, Cheryl Justin, Mihika Sinha, Sahana Puliyadi, and MHHS TEDx Advisor Ms. Jessica Gonzalez, worked tirelessly to organize the program and support the students throughout their journey. Their dedication and great efforts have significantly enriched the experience for all involved. 
Throughout the program, IIMP students engaged in nine comprehensive sessions every Friday that covered essential public speaking skills, storytelling techniques, and effective body language. Each session was designed to guide students step-by-step from A to Z, helping them bring their ideas to life through engaging content and effective delivery. Students received personalized homework feedback and benefited from weekly informative slideshow presentations.
One parent shared, “The experience has been wonderful. I like the slideshow presentations and the instructors. The slideshows are always very informative, and the instructors ensure everyone has time to take notes, answer questions, and encourage their students.”
 (Cheryl Justin, Mihika Sinha, Pranavi Battula, Sahana Puliyadi, Ms. Jessica Gonzalez(Advisor), and Anvi Sharma pictured above) |
Students echoed this enthusiasm, with one stating, “Awesome experience. This is the first time I am participating in something like this, and the officer team helped me greatly.”
The IIMP Showcase 2025 on March 24, 2025, drew an enthusiastic crowd of over 100 attendees, including parents, mentors, and community members at Mountain House High School. Attendees enjoyed food trucks and introductory speeches, creating a celebratory atmosphere encouraged students to shine. The event highlighted the dedication of all participants, culminating in the selection of the top four winners: Joad Jesin, Elena Trang, Arnav Shah, and Ankitha Badrinarayanan, who will present at the TEDxMountainHouseHS Conference in October 2025, received an extra certificate. All 28 finalists received an engraved trophy and 1 certificate.
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As excitement builds for next year, many attendees expressed interest in enrolling for future sessions, and plans are in place to expand the program to even more schools. “We’re thrilled to see such enthusiasm from the community,” said Pranavi Battula, President of MHHS TEDx. “Our goal is to empower even more students to develop their public speaking skills since it’s so incredibly vital for our personal as well as professional lives, and we can’t wait to continue to make an even bigger impact in the community. A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the parents
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and students for their hard work and commitment. The support from families, high-school volunteers, and photographer Hadi Zain, who played a crucial role in the program's success.
Congratulations to all the participants, especially the top finalists, for their outstanding achievements. The Influence Ideas Mentorship Program, under MHHS TEDx, is making a lasting impact in the community, empowering students to become confident speakers and leaders. With plans to expand more next year, the IIMP Program is set to include even more schools and shape the leaders of tomorrow, empowering every student to find their voice and share their ideas with the world.
Any questions please contact Pranavi Battula at 1075799@lammersvilleusd.net regarding next year’s program.
Participants must be incoming 5th–8th grade students enrolled at any of the K–8 elementary schools in Mountain House.
Please note: This article was not written by Macaroni KID Mountain House-Manteca-Tracy. A big thank you to the MHHS TEDx Club at Mountain House High School for their contribution. Keep up the amazing work you're doing in the community!
If you're a local high school student and would like to submit an article, feel free to reach out to me at xochitl@macaronikid.com — I'd love to hear from you!
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