After completing our award-winning Intensive Immersion Program, Najid Smith, (Oakland 10 Gold Cohort Hidden Genius Alum), transformed from a quiet student uncertain about his future into an aspiring engineer, entrepreneur, and mentor. Through hands-on experience in leadership, tech, and business, he not only developed the confidence to speak up but also discovered a passion for using technology to uplift his community. He recently wrapped up a summer internship at Berkeley Labs, graduated high school with honors and college-level coursework, and is preparing to start his next chapter at San José State University as an Engineering Technology major. With his sights set on launching two businesses, Najid credits The Hidden Genius Project for helping him find the passion and motivation to chase his entrepreneurial dreams.
How have you been?
Life has been good. I’ve been getting numerous opportunities that will benefit me in the long run. I recently celebrated my high school graduation with my family, and I had the opportunity to spend quality time with my grandparents and cousins. I graduated from high school with strong grades, including honors and college-level classes, and I am now preparing to attend San José State University. I’m pursuing a BA in Engineering Technology, and I want to get an MBA in Business. I also aim to work at Berkeley Labs starting in either my freshman or sophomore year, especially since I just wrapped up a summer internship with them.
In the future, my goal is to start two businesses, one of which is tutoring for middle school and high schoolers. The other will be a business that creates small boxes that detect movement and let the user know. This started in my computer science class with a friend of mine as a project that would help visually impaired people. But in the short term, I am about to start working part-time at a tech company called Aerotek, helping them train AI models to do basic tasks.
How did you first learn about The Hidden Genius Project?
I first heard about The Hidden Genius Project from my school principal. My principal said that it might be something that I’d be interested in. My first impression was that I would be working a lot on different projects and get a lot of experience, skills, and connections. While I was a little nervous at first, I was mainly excited because I heard about all of the perks you get from being a Genius. Now that I am done with the program, I have gained a lot more experience than I initially expected. The most important being the opportunity to get involved in my community with events like Interview Day and Black College Expo.
What was your experience in the program like?
I had a great experience in programming for many reasons. I loved Leadership because we always discussed important issues that our communities never talked about, or things that affected a lot of us. This stuck out the most because we thought deeply about different things happening in our communities, the impacts, and things we could do. Leadership made me realize there was a lot more I could do in these situations than I thought I could.
The entrepreneurship part was also fun. My favorite part was the “Shark Tank” business pitch we did. It gave me practice with making a convincing business pitch. Initially found communicating to be challenging, since I’m shy, I don’t talk much, unless there’s a topic that I particularly resonate with or want to share my ideas. I challenged myself by talking to people more, and Entrepreneurship was one of those instances where I did that. It wasn’t until I did Entrepreneurship as a Youth Educator that I became interested in starting my own business. This has had a massive impact on my career because this is now something I want to pursue full-time. Before the program, I had always thought about starting my own business, but I was never as passionate as I am now.
Describe the app you designed during your time in the Immersion Program.
I had a lot of problems completing my final project because one part of my website wasn’t working. But Demetrious and Abraham (Oakland Innovation Educators) helped me troubleshoot. The app I designed was a platform where people could buy affordable prosthetics that still function properly. Instead of paying thousands of dollars, users could access high-quality prosthetics for under $200. The goal was to make essential medical technology more accessible for people who can’t afford the typical prices.
How is The Hidden Genius Project different from other mentorship or training experiences you have been involved in?
In my experience, most mentorship programs will work with kids until a certain age or until they finish a certain project. Once that happens, they send you on your way with no follow-up. If you choose, The Hidden Genius Project works with you even after doing the Intensive Immersion Program. Most people want to return and become a Youth Educator or get involved in some other way. I was one of the Alumni who became a Youth Educator because I wanted to teach younger generations what I learned and inspire them to pursue their passions. For me, that was teaching our Geniuses how to use tech to help and support their communities. After the program, The Hidden Genius Project continues to support me, especially when it comes to my career. I’ve received a lot of advice on my career path and what they would suggest I should do based on my interests.
What specific skills learned in The Hidden Genius Project have been most beneficial for you?
The most important skills for me were group work and attention to detail. These two have been the most beneficial to me because we did a lot of group work and collaboration in the program. When it comes to our projects, we each have our own, but in the first summer, the Innovation Educators encouraged us to help each other out and check on each other. By the time we started working during the school year, we easily supported our brothers who needed additional help if someone, for instance, finished an assignment early. Before the program, I was more shy and didn’t communicate as much. Now, I’m more open and I will communicate more, especially if I need something. I was always a shy kid, but while being in the program, I had to talk a lot more. I felt myself opening up more as I started talking to more Geniuses. For attention to detail, we would often come across errors in our projects. So paying attention to details was very important because lots of times, it was a small error that was hard to spot.
How might your path have differed if you hadn’t participated in The Hidden Genius Project?
If I hadn’t participated in The Hidden Genius Project, I wouldn’t have as much coding experience as I have now. I also wouldn’t have gotten as many opportunities as I have now. One of those opportunities is Where There Be Dragons. Eddie, the Oakland Alumni Coordinator, reached out during March 2024 and told me that The Hidden Genius Project was having a new partnership with Where There Be Dragons. Where There Be Dragons is a travel program taking people ages 16-22 on trips in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. They gave two Genius Alumni the opportunity to go on a trip of their choice during the summer. After being told by [Senior Alumni Engagement Coordinator Eddie Heard] that he thought I would be a perfect fit, the next month, I was communicating with someone from Where There Be Dragons who paid the full tuition for the program. That summer, because of this, I got to travel with them to Senegal for a whole month.
In what ways have you remained involved with The Hidden Genius Project since completing the 15-month Intensive Immersion program?
[In addition to] the opportunity to travel with Where There Be Dragons through their partnership with The Hidden Genius Project, I’ve helped out with Brothers Code. During this event, I was in charge of teaching the kids Scratch as a Youth Educator. I’ve also helped out with Interview Day and the Black College Expo.
If you could talk to yourself just before you applied, what is one thing you would say?
I’d tell myself, “You have no idea how much this is going to help you. Just trust the process—it’s worth it.
What words of encouragement do you have for future Geniuses?
Follow your passions no matter what. Don’t let fear or other people hold you back. You belong here, and your voice matters.
Since 2012, nearly 11,400 students have revealed their genius through our Immersion, Catalyst, and Community Partner Programs, and so many more are waiting to shine.
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