Sixteen-year-old Kedesha Johnson, a student at Spot Valley High School, has her sights set on pursuing a degree in entrepreneurship and digital animation. While her goals are ambitious, she found renewed inspiration to achieve them from an unexpected source: Aerospace Engineer and Senior Manager at Virgin Galactic, Christopher Huie.
Johnson was among a group of Spot Valley High students invited to meet Huie at a session held at the Iberostar Hotel. The event was organized by the Flow Foundation in collaboration with Tech Beach Retreat and other partners, aiming to inspire young minds to dream big and pursue their aspirations.
“Meeting an astronaut is something that I would read about but never thought was possible for me,” Johnson remarked, still visibly moved by the experience. Huie’s presence brought a sense of awe and possibility to the students, as he shared insights from his career in aerospace and space exploration.
Huie was one of many speakers at the Tech Beach Retreat, which drew hundreds of tech enthusiasts, government officials, financiers, and entrepreneurs from the Caribbean and North America. After his presentation on the main stage, Huie spent time in a more intimate 45-minute session with about 20 students from Spot Valley High, where he shared his personal story and words of encouragement.
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Huie’s advice to the students was clear and profound: “Ensure you write down that big, audacious goal and meticulously record all the small steps that you will need to take to get to your destination. Then, day by day, take a step at a time towards it, no matter how small, until you achieve success.” His emphasis on goal-setting and persistence resonated deeply with the students, including Malike Stephenson, who engaged with Huie by asking several thoughtful questions, all of which were answered with patience and enthusiasm.
“I felt honored that someone so accomplished took the time to speak with us, and I appreciate that he was so humble and approachable,” Johnson shared, reflecting on the impact of the interaction.
The day’s activities continued with a session on cybersecurity, led by Delroy McLean, Senior Director at C&W Business. The students were captivated as McLean provided practical tips on creating strong passwords and protecting personally identifiable information (PII). For many, this was an eye-opening experience; however, 16-year-old Malcolm Green was already well-versed in cybersecurity practices. He uses passwords of no less than 16 characters and has a firewall installed on his phone. Green was praised by the C&W Business team for his cybersecurity knowledge and encouraged to share his expertise with his peers.
Shelly-Ann O’Connor, Operations and Projects Coordinator at the Flow Foundation, expressed satisfaction in facilitating the event. “The session was exciting and inspiring even for us as we heard from Christopher but also as we watched him interact with the students. It was heartwarming. Engagements of this nature form part of our overall mission to empower young people with the skills they will need to soar in the classroom and beyond,” O’Connor noted.
This event is the latest in a series of youth empowerment initiatives hosted by the Flow Foundation, which has included School-Based Assessment workshops, Connected & Protected forums, and strategic partnerships with community and non-governmental organizations to provide devices and connectivity to Flow’s fiber-fast network.
Christopher Huie’s visit to Spot Valley High School not only inspired students like Kedesha Johnson to dream big but also reinforced the message that with determination and the right mindset, even the most distant stars are within reach.
