1 . Last year, I raced the Acura Ten Miler in Toronto. With 1-2 miles left, I noticed a female runner ahead of me who was weaving (穿行) in and out of a group of people, looking pale. Realizing something was wrong, I found a police officer and told him about it, and waited until she was close enough that I could point her out. He immediately called for an ambulance. I ran off and wondered how many people passed me, but I knew I did the right thing.

This Saturday, I raced the Canada Day 5K in Burlington. I’ve raced the course many times. My friend Monica and I went together with a goal to run competitively. I wanted to finish faster than I did in June, when my 5K time was 21:57. I felt it realistic to beat that time.

When the starting gun sounded, I went out fast and happened to run shoulder to shoulder with Monica’s daughter, but I soon pulled ahead. Shortly after, though, I heard “Please help me” from behind. Monica’s daughter is athletic, but she’s learning to run faster with her asthma (哮喘). Knowing that she had trouble, I stopped.

We finished the last 2K together. It troubled me when some runners passed me, and I had to stop to walk with her for a bit. But I thought making sure she was okay was more important, so I talked to her through the rest of the race. We finished together and cheered for her mom as she crossed the finishing line.

At last, my time was a bit longer than I wanted, but I was okay with that. If I had based my time on my age group’s winning time, I would have met my goal time. But I thought I made the right decision to help this girl get to the finishing line safely. For me, that was what mattered on Sunday morning. There will always be another race.

2 . Youth Speech Competition

UNICEF is working towards a world where every child has what they need to survive and develop. But we can’t do it without big ideas from young people — young people who are brave enough to share their brilliant ideas with the world. UNICEF USA and TED-Ed invite young people to create their own talks on the rights of children and the problems young people face around the world.

One winner will be invited to UNICEF USA’s Annual Student Summit to make his/her speech on stage!

Youths aged 10-18 (if you are under 13, you must have a parent or teacher to help you register (报名)).

Must register online.

Your video must be under 2 minutes.

Winners will be announced on February 4, 2023.

One winner will be invited to make his/her speech on stage on UNICEF USA’s Annual Student Summit in Washington, D. C. on March 16-17, 2023!

UNICEF USA will pay for all travel expenses (flights and hotels). The student will be responsible for personal meals and personal expenses. If you are under the age of 18, you will need to travel with a responsible adult chaperone (监护人). UNICEF USA will pay for the chaperone’s travel expenses as well.

Create an account (账户) using this link: ed.ted.com/unicefusa.

Once your account has been created, return to the TED-Ed Student Talks page and register!

Once you’ve handed in your registration, allow 2-3 days for processing.

Once you’ve recorded your talk, upload it using the “Upload” tab in your Resource Library on the TED-Ed website.

4 . When Vance Hinds learned of comedian Bert Kreischer’s no-wine October challenge last year, he felt inspired. Hinds decided to prove to himself that he could also achieve something _________ he tried his best. In early 2019, he _________ it.

The Georgia native began his weight loss journey weighing in at 475 pounds. To make sure he stayed on_________, he recorded the weekly weigh-ins and _________ his progress on Youtube. While his aim was admirable, one of the most special aspects came from his friends’ consistent _________.

From the very beginning of his decision to change his life, Hinds’ friends willingly _________ him for a walk around the park. As the weeks went by, not only did he _________ strength, his walking group grew as well. After a while, he was _________ to walk around the park once without stopping. It’s a milestone, and he _________ recorded it on video with his supporters __________ behind him.

Day after day, Hinds made his __________ a priority (优先考虑的事), completing some form of exercise six times a week. Not long after __________ to lose pounds, he received a tweet from a fitness instructor and motivational speaker, Diamond Dallas Page. He __________ to help him take his progress to the next level.

With Page’s help, Hinds __________ to lose weight every single week. The pounds __________ and as 2019 began approaching, he became closer and closer to __________ his goal.

When he weighed himself one year after beginning his challenge, he felt really __________. The number on the scale (秤) read 277 pounds. He had lost __________ 200 pounds in one year, gained significantly more __________, and kept his spirits high.

Hinds’ excitement and __________ attitude are obviously a heartwarming reminder that all you need to realize a goal is a healthy mentality and continuous efforts.

5 . Standing at the finish line, 70-year-old Bob Long spent a while reflecting on the achievement he’d just made. Behind him was the wild, endless Mongolian grassland extending into the distance. This American had just become the oldest person ever to complete and win the Mongol Derby, the world’s longest horse race.

Long, a rider all his life, entered the race after being inspired by All the Wild Horses, a movie based on the grueling event.

Fearing that he wouldn’t be able to complete it, he set about preparing his mind and body for this “hardest, toughest, most demanding thing you can do on a horse”, an annual 1,000-kilometer race that was recognized as the world’s longest horse race by The Guinness Book of Records in 2011.

Although Long had been riding horses for many years, the hardship and uncertainty of the task pushed him to his limit and forced him to depend entirely on his own will. The race organizers had provided an extensive support network to keep an eye on the participants from afar. Despite that, the physical strain of riding such a long distance made simple things like squatting (蹲) down at the end of the day almost impossible.

Along the vast race course there were unpredictable circumstances beyond Long’s control, however well prepared he’d been. Weather was one of them, which could switch from heavy rain to burning sun unexpectedly.

Above all else, the biggest obstacle was the state of mind. Without a living soul in sight, Long was desperate for interaction, guidance, and comfort. This feeling of loneliness accounted for his hope that one of his fellow competitors would catch up.

Regardless of the hardship, Long felt a sort of spiritual adventure while traveling through the wilderness. He was provided with some memorable moments while connecting with nature. Still holding the passion for riding, Long never dismisses the idea of competing in another Mongol Derby.