Jada Wright made history in January 2024 as the youngest student ever admitted to the University of Technology, Jamaica.

At just 14 years old, she began pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science within the School of Computing and Information Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Computing, having successfully met the matriculation requirements.

Before transitioning to UTech, Jamaica, Jada excelled in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, earning nine grade ones. She also initiated and managed a home-school programme through the Caribbean Online Academy, her family’s educational venture. The academy is a virtual school designed to provide Caribbean students with a convenient, affordable way to study and take exams for CSEC and CAPE courses.

Now 15 years old, Jada has successfully completed her first year of studies at UTech, Jamaica, showcasing both exceptional academic prowess and a deep passion for technology. Her dedication to excellence, combined with her impressive achievements at such a young age, positions her as a future leader in the field of computer science.  With dreams of working as a Software Engineer at Microsoft, Jada’s drive and ambition are poised to make a lasting impact on the tech industry. 

Jada reflected on her university experience, describing her first year as “amazing!” She shared that what surprised her the most was how accepting everyone has been. “No one treats me like I’m a younger kid,” she explained. “I think most people don’t recognize me, but they do know me. So, I feel just like a regular college student.  It’s been a great year, and I’ve gotten all A’s so far.”

Despite being the youngest student in her programme, Jada has managed to balance her academics, social life, and personal interests. She credits her parents and brother for keeping her grounded.  She makes sure to preserve most of her weekends for personal time, noting, “I read a lot during the week and on the weekend. Reading is one of my favourite activities, other than coding.”

Jada is deeply passionate about technology and its potential to transform lives. Her inspiring perspective has earned her invitations from various organizations to speak about the future of tech. “I’m really excited to speak at the Cari-code Conference in April, where I’ll be sharing my generation’s take on artificial intelligence,” she said. “AI is a powerful tool—as long as we use it responsibly. It’s like the internet: eventually, it’ll be part of everyone’s life.” Jada also mentioned that she’ll be speaking with students at Jamaica College on March 28, where she’ll dive into the power and possibilities of programming.

Jada emphasized the importance of using AI as a tool to support learning rather than detract from it. “I can’t say that I haven’t used ChatGPT, but I think it’s important to use it in a way that supports us,” she explained. “If I don’t understand a concept, ChatGPT is the best at explaining it in the simplest terms possible.” She also expressed appreciation for how AI can assist with creating diagrams and study materials, helping her to better grasp complex concepts.

She further discussed how AI is becoming an essential part of the learning process, “everyone is going to be using it someday. It’s going to be just as much a staple as Google.” Jada believes the key is using AI responsibly and effectively, noting that students should learn how to set boundaries to avoid undermining their critical thinking skills. “It can be used for both good and bad. You just have to learn how to use it effectively to your needs,” she explained.

For Jada, AI also offers a creative outlet. “As a programmer, I’m terrible at art, but sometimes I do need artistic components in my websites, and you can have AI generate that now, which I think is really cool.” She shared how she recently used AI to create two pages of a comic book she’s been thinking about for a while, which she can now refine and share with others. “It’s just freeing up time to focus on these bigger solutions.”

Jada shared that her favourite project was from her Programming 2 class last semester. At the end of the course, the class was divided into groups of four or five to create a project. Her group’s task was to design a login system for a coffee shop, where employees could log their working hours. The system would track their arrival and departure times, indicating if they were early or late, and keep a record of late arrivals and early departures.

What she loved most about the project was the opportunity to work in a team. “My group members were awesome,” she said, “and we were able to work seamlessly.”  Although it was a challenge for her, as she had never worked on a project of that scale with so many moving parts, she beamed, “It was really fun to try out.”

For Jada, the most rewarding aspect of the project was building something with real-world applications explaining, “That can be very, very fun.”

Despite her impressive success, the young scholar remains humble and focused on continual growth. She attributes her straight A’s to the hard work and effort she puts into her studies. “I make sure I go through my assignments every day. I study every day,” she said. To help her through challenging times, she draws on advice from her dad: “My dad always tells me, if you find something fun, it can never truly be work, so I just find everything I do fun.”

Looking back at her progress since starting university, Jada shared, “When I look at what I can do now versus when I started last year, I’m absolutely amazed. I can design a database. I can build a full-blown application with multiple parts.” This growth has helped boost her confidence as a programmer to have an understanding of the practical and theoretical aspects of her field.

Sharing that several lecturers played a significant role in shaping her academic journey, she specifically mentioned Mrs. Penrose-Whittaker, her programming instructor in her first semester, who made a lasting impact. “She was amazing as my programming instructor,” Jada said. “She tried to make me as comfortable as possible, and I think just in general, everyone loves her because she makes sure everyone in the class is okay.  She teaches everything in such a broken-down way that it just makes everyone comfortable”

This semester, Jada is also enjoying classes with her current programming instructor, Mr. Panther. “I really love Mr. Panther. He’s very nice,” she said, adding that she’s been fortunate to have had great lecturers at UTech, Jamaica. “I just kind of love all UTech lecturers that I’ve met so far,” she said, adding “I must say, UTech has the best lecturers.”

Jada explained that regardless of the pressures of university life, “motivation has to come intrinsically”, emphasizing that it’s not about external validation. While she sometimes struggles to feel motivated, she relies on discipline and sheer willpower to keep going. “Even when motivation isn’t there, you just push through,” she shared. Small rewards, like having a tidy room or looking forward to a movie, keep her motivated during the week. Her long-term goal is also a driving force: “If summer Jada looks back at everything this Jada is doing, is she going to be proud of me or is she going to have regrets?”

In giving advice to young students who dream of starting university early but may be hesitant to take the leap, Jada advised students to take risks and not let fear hold them back. “You have to jump. You have to make the big moves, the big decisions if you want the big results and just stay determined, stay motivated, which I know everybody says and it’s hard, but you just have to keep on trying,” she said.

Jada emphasized the importance of self-accountability, stating, “I don’t make excuses—I make changes and improvements. You have to be able to call yourself out or have that inner voice reminding you that the work still has to get done, so you might as well enjoy it while you’re at it.” She explained how combining her studies with playing football helps her retain information more effectively.

Looking ahead to her second year at UTech, Jamaica, Jada expressed excitement about broadening her experiences, joining new clubs, and getting more involved in campus life. “I want to build my skills and just have fun, really enjoy everything I’m doing,” she said. With so much already accomplished at 15, Jada Wright’s future is as bright as it is boundless.