Tell us a little about yourself.  

My name is James. I’m a Grade 10 student at Waterford Valley High in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. I originally come from Nigeria and moved to Canada a few years ago. I love math, reading, listening to music, traveling, and meeting new people. I also enjoy helping others by volunteering and getting involved in the community. I’m always excited to learn new things and challenge myself.

Why are you excited to participate in Shad? What are you most looking forward to?

I’m excited to join Shad because it will let me meet students from all over Canada and learn new things. I’m really looking forward to exploring Toronto since I haven’t been out of Newfoundland since I arrived in Canada. I’m also excited to learn from people with different experiences and to learn more about coding and other areas of STEAM that I haven’t had much experience with before. I think Shad will be a great chance for me to grow personally and academically.

What sparks your curiosity or interest in STEAM and/or entrepreneurship?

What sparks my curiosity in STEAM is how it can help solve problems that affect people’s daily lives. I’ve always been curious about how things work and that’s why I love math—it pushes me to think critically and come up with solutions. I like seeing how different ideas can come together to create something meaningful. STEAM excites me because it brings people with creative ideas and new ways of doing things to make a positive impact in communities.

How do you envision your future?

In the future, I plan to study Computer Science and work in tech to solve real-world problems and help people. I’m excited by how quickly technology is changing the world, and I see myself building skills in areas like coding, AI, and other fields shaping the future. I hope to use my knowledge and experiences to make a positive impact in my community.