Meet Christian Simon, Hidden Genius Alum of cohort LA4. Christian’s experience in The Hidden Genius Project’s Intensive Immersion Program not only strengthened his technical skills but also helped him discover a deeper sense of self and purpose. Christian openly shares that the program was life-saving for him. Since graduating, he has stayed closely connected to the organization by serving as a Youth Educator, giving back to the same community that supported him. Driven by a passion for uplifting others and a commitment to equity and justice, Christian is now preparing to begin his next chapter as a freshman at UC Santa Cruz, where he plans to pursue a degree in Robotics Engineering.
How have you been?
My personal life has been pretty good. I’m currently completing orientation for my college admission. Work at The Hidden Genius Project has been a blast, and being able to come back to the organization as a Youth Educator (YE) and teach the same pod that I went through is awesome. I’m really looking forward to starting my freshman year at UC Santa Cruz this fall. I’ve never seen the campus before but I heard it is really nice so I’m excited to see it. Move-in day is still a while from now but I’ve already bought some stuff for my dorm room. Outside of work and school, I’ve been very active in getting involved in my Los Angeles community this summer. I’m a college student, I’m teaching in the very program that shaped me, and I work hard because I want a future in engineering, yet even with all that, I see my friends and family still suffering from injustice in the world. I will continue fighting against oppression and for my community for as long as it takes to see justice.
How did you first learn about The Hidden Genius Project?
I first learned about The Hidden Genius Project back in 2023, when they had a booth at my school during lunchtime. The Support Services manager at the time, Sherida Harris, was the one who got me into the program. When she was showing me the application, I was considering backing out because I felt that I couldn’t answer the questions, but Mrs. Sherida was able to support and encourage me. Ever since that first interaction, I have stayed connected with The Hidden Genius Project.
What was your experience in the program like? What did you enjoy? Program highlights?
During my time in programming, my understanding of the world completely changed. Leadership helped me develop skills to express myself better. I transformed into a person who knew how to command a room and give instructions to those I teach or have deep discussions with. When it came to entrepreneurship, I was able to conceptualize how I could be a business founder after believing for so long that I didn’t have the creativity to start a business of my own. In the technology track, my top highlight and true passion, I got to learn the ins and outs of coding. Learning coding with The Hidden Genius Project has opened doors for me that I never thought I’d have. One of which earned me income. A teacher at my high school who was familiar with The Hidden Genius Project approached me and asked if I could teach her how to code. I ended up doing that for a while and was paid for doing so.
Tell me about some of the challenges you’ve faced while in The Hidden Genius Project? How did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge I faced during my time at The Hidden Genius Project was my depression. Constant bullying at school and at home left me coming to the program upset and drained almost every day. After programming ended, I would often take the longest route home because I couldn’t bear dealing with the issues there. Noticing how down I was, Mrs. Sherida and Craig [Innovation Educator] would talk with me about my personal life and share their own stories, which gave me comfort. Through those conversations and connecting with other Geniuses in my cohort, I found reasons not just to stay alive, but to truly live and experience the world.
Describe the final project you created during your time in the Immersion Program.
My final project was a digital hub that showcases all the different AI projects that I worked on during that second summer. It consisted of a chatbot that could give responses up to 200 characters and a photo analyzer, which had the capability to use your computer camera to tell a user everything that the AI can see inside the terminal. The last project in the hub was an image generator. It could create images from prompts in different styles, like cartoon, realistic, and 3D.
How is The Hidden Genius Project different from other mentorship or training experiences that you have been involved in?
The biggest difference that separates The Hidden Genius Project from other mentorship programs is how deeply the staff cares about your well-being. In other programs I joined during difficult times in my life, it often felt like no one cared about how I was feeling. They only cared about the work I produced. With The Hidden Genius Project, it’s different. They give young people the support they need, and even if you’re not sure what kind of support that is yet, they still find ways to help while you figure it out. Being at the organization truly feels like having a family away from home.
What specific skills learned in The Hidden Genius Project have been most beneficial for you?
One of the most valuable skills I gained from The Hidden Genius Project is my elevator pitch. That alone helped me become a finalist for the Posse Scholarship, earn the SOLA Scholarship, and make countless connections both inside and outside the organization. I also learned the importance of pivoting. It is a powerful skill I still use regularly, even in my role as a Youth Educator at the organization, to help me adjust quickly and accomplish my goals efficiently. Alongside that, I developed adaptability. Working on many group projects over the 15 months taught me how to adjust to different personalities and work styles, a skill that’s essential in any collaborative environment.
What was the most important thing you gained on a personal level (development, relationship, community, etc.) from participating in The Hidden Genius Project?
I believe the most important thing I gained from The Hidden Genius Project was learning how to develop my own voice and build a support system. At home, I never had anyone I could consistently depend on, which often led me to isolate myself because I felt like no one was truly in my corner. I was so focused on making everyone else in my household feel seen that I struggled to express my own feelings or opinions at all. At the organization, though, I was encouraged to find my own voice and form my own thoughts. Most importantly, I was able to open up about many of my traumas and experiences with the staff at the LA site, especially Craig [Innovation Educator], Cam [Innovation Educator], and James [Pedagogy Coordinator], who listened and supported me.
How do you think your path might have been different if you hadn’t participated in The Hidden Genius Project?
I mean this in the most genuine way, The Hidden Genius Project truly saved my life. Before, and even early in my time with the organization, I had plans to end my life. I was in such a bad headspace that I couldn’t find a reason to keep going. I felt like I was only a muse to serve as an object of influence, not a person with my own purpose. The version of me before The Hidden Genius Project didn’t even understand what an elevator pitch was. He was uneducated, alone, and complacent, burrowed deep in doubt and tragedy, unable to see what life had to offer because of my toxic environment. I didn’t have the knowledge or tools to pull myself out of that place. While with the organization, they poured into my interests and helped me discover the benefits of truly living instead of just surviving.
In what ways have you remained involved with The Hidden Genius Project since completing the 15-month Intensive Immersion program?
Since my completion of the 15-month program, I continued to come back for office hours to work closely with the College Advisor to apply for scholarships and colleges. Later on, I actually met with James for my first YE opportunity at a Community Partnership Program (CPP), Gracehopper. With that CPP, I worked with another YE to teach 15 to 20 students leadership, Scratch, and life skills. After that, Craig and James asked if I wanted to teach AI pod at the Immersion program this summer, which I immediately accepted. Up to now, I’ve been teaching the pod with a fellow Genius alum. The staff has also stayed connected with me on Slack, where I’ve been kept up to date with opportunities for Hidden Genius Alumni.
If you could talk to yourself just before you applied, what is one thing you would say?
If I could talk to myself before I applied, I would say to take on all those opportunities that I passed on, thinking I wasn’t gonna get them. Just take a chance and at minimum gain the experience of going through the process, even if you don’t get those opportunities. I would also say to express yourself as much as possible and form as many connections as you can.
What words of encouragement do you have for future Geniuses?
It does get better as long as you put in the work. When it comes to being a part of The Hidden Genius Project, the community you find here will give you every opportunity you could dream of as long as you put in the effort and commitment. Lastly, there is no one specific way to be or show your true genius; everyone has such a unique and individual attribute that allows them to find their true selves for the world to see.
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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