AI-Powered Success: How Old Harbour parents helped gifted 10-y-o son ace PEP exams

Mickel’s father, Andre Thompson, an accomplished IT specialist and software engineer, leveraged AI to create a custom-learning assistant that targeted his son’s weaknesses and optimized his exam preparation. 

“We used resources from the Ministry of Education’s website, like past papers and curriculum guidelines and I decided to create a GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) study assistant for about USD $20 a month. I gave it specific instructions and trained it using Mickel’s curriculum material and past papers. I even uploaded his school reports and test papers, so the GPT could develop a personalized study guide that targeted his weaker areas,” the married dad-of-four told Old Harbour News.

“Based on the data I provided and the time frame I set for exam readiness, GPT generated an intensive study plan. It even suggested creative activities, like writing a story from a picture or finishing a composition and it generated full mock PEP papers for him to practice. I made sure he completed them within 90 minutes, just like in the actual exam setting. He used to fuss and complain and mommy would say I was being too intense. But I told her: ‘no, he needs to be ready for those 90 minutes.’ So I made sure he had his time markers and completed the exercises within the allotted time.”

Mickel’s mother, Darla-Jay Thompson, complemented the AI-driven approach with hands-on reinforcement, ensuring their son reviewed his work thoroughly. “We also emphasized the importance of reviewing his work. Mickel had a habit of saying, ‘I’ve done it, it’s easy’ and move on. But I had to remind him that when something feels easy, that’s exactly when you should review it multiple times because that’s when mistakes tend to happen,” said Mrs Thompson, who is a communications specialist.  

The strategy paid off spectacularly for the recent Old Harbour Primary graduate, who skipped a grade and faced bullying, outperformed expectations with self-assurance to record a 93% average. 

“I felt very proud,” she said with an air of fulfillment. “We went through something similar when we sat the Common Entrance Exams. So I told him, ‘now it’s your turn so do it to the best of your ability. We know you're smart, so just give it your best shot’. When the results came, we were ecstatic. He was very calm and happy, and I was deeply moved.”

During an interview with the family, Mickel told Old Harbour News that his parents played the biggest role in helping him prepare for his exams. “They were the ones who supported me, no matter what through thick and thin. They were always by my side,” he said. “It has always been a dream of mine to do well, and I’ve always wanted to go to Ardenne High School, so I feel very accomplished.”

“Ever since I was four or five years old, I used to pass there on my way to kindergarten and I called it the basketball school,” Mickel revealed. “From then, I wanted to go there and now that I actually am, I’m really excited! When I get there, I’m going to join the basketball team.” 

Excelling at such a young age ignites an undying feeling of pride for Mickel’s immediate family but there were those who understandably had concerns about his rapid academic rise.

“His grandmother would say, ‘I’m so worried. I wonder how he’ll react if he doesn’t get his first choice,’” his mother recalled. But Mickel’s supreme self-confidence erased all doubts when he told his grandmother bluntly ‘I will pass for Ardenne, because I know what I’ve done and what I’m capable of’.

“That really struck me,” she said. “It showed how much confidence he had in himself and the work he put in. I’m very proud,” Thompson shared, unable to conceal the excitement in her voice.”

Beyond academics, Mickel’s journey reflects his parents’ dedication to nurturing his potential. Recognizing his giftedness from as far back as a toddler, when he devised clever ways to reach objects, they tailored his education to challenge him. 

“I remember when he was about five months; he had just started pulling himself up, standing, and walking around in his crib. We had a chest of drawers next to the crib with baby items like lotions and powder. He was fascinated with the powder and was always trying to reach it, but his arms were too short,” the mother recalled. “I used to watch him daily as he stacked pillows and teddy bears to build makeshift steps to get to it. When I took away the teddy bears, he began rocking the crib to get what he wanted. Eventually, I moved the crib altogether, and after that, I’d see him sit and think about how to get to the powder. I remember saying, ‘how can a five-month-old be thinking through something like this?’ That’s when I knew he was a strategic thinker.”

“That was a big moment for me, too, but what stood out even more was his fascination with objects and how things worked. I’d give him puzzle pieces, and he would quickly figure out how to place them. If I looked away for even 15 to 20 seconds, by the time I came back, he had already fit the pieces into the correct spaces,” she added. “I tried giving him more complicated puzzles. He would watch how I took them apart and then try to assemble them himself. If he got stuck, I guided him. This was when he was just one year old. Even now, Mickel still loves assembling things.”

Mrs. Thompson also opened up about some of the challenges Mickel faced socially. “Mickel wasn’t the most liked child at school. I had my doubts about sending him into the public school system, but his father reassured me that he would be okay,” she shared.

She commended the role of educators in his journey, particularly the teachers at Old Harbour Primary School. “If he ever lost focus, they would tell us right away. They always reminded us that Mickel is brilliant and has even more potential than he’s currently showing. But he tries to fit in with the older kids, so sometimes he holds back. We continue to remind him that it’s a blessing to be where he is at just 10 years old, and he should give his best. His teachers often say, ‘mommy, daddy, make sure you keep pushing him,’ and we make sure he knows he needs to settle down and focus,” she said.

Looking ahead, the Thompsons are planning to expand their efforts, revealing plans to build an educational app for “our children to succeed in key areas”. “It’s designed not just for academics, but for developing life skills too. Right now, it’s focused on our four kids, but there’s a possibility we’ll make it available to the public in the future,” she said.

Though pathways exist for advanced learners like Mickel, the Thompsons believe more can be done. “I was one of those people who skipped grades, and it worked for me because I had teachers who supported me,” Mr. Thompson shared. “But when you don’t have that kind of support, you fall behind. Some teachers believe that if a child is, for example, 10 years old, they should stay in their grade regardless of ability. They don’t want to push them too far, thinking it might cause stress. On the other hand, there are those who say, ‘challenge the child’. I believe it’s a 60-40 split. 60% of teachers will encourage the child, while the other 40% won’t,” he added.

Mrs. Thompson noted the level of support can also vary by location. She tells Old Harbour News “I found that in Kingston, schools are more willing to challenge a child and test their capabilities. If you say you have a gifted child, they’ll at least listen and assess. But we had challenges with both Mickel and his sister Mia. If Old Harbour Primary hadn’t given us a listening ear, Mickel would’ve had to remain in home school. I was homeschooling him at one point because no one would accept him. They said he wasn’t six years old yet and had to wait for the recommended age. If we didn’t push through that, he might’ve become bored and lost in the system because he wouldn’t have been challenged.”

Mr. Thompson added, “It got to the point where we were looking at overseas homeschooling programmes that could help him progress.” 

He also offered words of encouragement to parents with gifted and high-achieving children. “Support them three million times. When you set up a strong support system for a child, they’ll start to believe in themselves and once they believe, they’ll go beyond everything that’s set in front of them.”

For Mickel, the next goal is clear: joining Ardenne’s basketball team and pursuing his dream of becoming an engineer. Thanks to his parents’ blend of AI innovation and unwavering support, he’s already proven no challenge is too great.