AT just 10 years old Jamaican Knyhiem Fraser has achieved a feat well beyond his age cohort — earning a grade two in technical drawing at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level while living in Canada and attending a French-language school.

Speaking to the Jamaica Observer recently, Knyhiem shared that he spent a year preparing for the examinations — typically written by high school students after four to five years of preparation — through independent study and online classes with his father Everett Fraser, a master technical drawing teacher and author of technical vocational textbooks widely used in secondary schools across the Caribbean region.

The youngster then travelled to Jamaica earlier this year to sit the exam at Kingsway High School, all while balancing extracurricular activities that include soccer, hockey, and the creation of educational content for a YouTube channel.

At his Canadian school, Knyhiem has also distinguished himself as the top-performing French-speaking student in grade five.

His success is rooted in a strong educational foundation laid by his parents Tricia Smith and Fraser, Jamaican educators who believe in harnessing children’s potential from an early age.

The elder Fraser, who taught at Kingsway High School, shared that he had long embraced innovative teaching methods, including the use of video-based learning, to support students who struggle academically — an approach that, ultimately, resulted in all his students passing their external examinations. Recognising the effectiveness of this method, he applied the same strategy to his son’s learning routine, guiding Knyhiem through the CSEC syllabus.

Though initially nervous, Knyhiem said he welcomed the challenge, viewing it as an opportunity to test his abilities and push beyond traditional academic boundaries.

“In my head I was wondering why I was doing it at such a young age. I didn’t think I was gonna do that good but I still put my mind to it and said that I can do it. I did routines, I studied harder, and I changed the words from, ‘I can’, to ‘I can, and I will pass the exam, no matter what,’ and that’s how I got confident,” the 10-year-old told the Sunday Observer.

Knyhiem said the journey was not without its challenges but his structured routine allowed him to balance his academic responsibilities with competitive soccer and ice hockey — training up to five times per week — as well as leisure time. His adaptability to circumstances is a skill that came in handy when a technical glitch disrupted his AutoCAD software during the examination.

Initially anxious, Knyhiem said he remained calm, reset the system, and continued. He credited the encouraging words and guidance of his parents, which helped him manage the setback and stay focused under pressure.

“They helped me to learn never to give up, even though things get tough…I can do whatever I put my mind to. If I need to do scary stuff like bungee jumping, I can do those things because I can just say, ‘I can, and I will do this,’ ” he shared.

Knyhiem added that he also applied this mindset to hockey — a sport he started playing at eight years old. He said, unlike other children on the team, he did not learn to skate when he was younger. However, recognising his disadvantage he practised diligently and applied himself, eventually becoming the goalkeeper for the team.

With dreams of becoming a professional soccer player and entrepreneur, Knyhiem encouraged other children with big dreams to maintain a clear mind, get enough sleep, and stay focused.

“They have to put their mind to it. The way to heaven is like hell, because you have to make sacrifices and take risks. I say, ‘Take risks; it can bring some good moments,’ ” he encouraged.

His parents, championing the importance of the early childhood period, urged parents to challenge their children at a young age, noting that if the right foundation is set, a child can excel in anything they put their mind towards.

“Children learn…like a sponge at this age…I mean, they observe so much more, and this is the stage where we tend to ignore them…If we stimulate them earlier at this age, they’re way more focused. I have children I teach who are in grades eight, four, five, and seven, and they’re in a class with grade 11 students. Every single one outperforms, outdoes, and out-submits all the grade-level students,” Fraser explained.

He added that he had no doubt Knyhiem would excel, noting that in some of these same classes the 10-year-old surpassed older students.

“We had a revision class online and I invited students across the region to join; we had over 100 students at any given time. Knyhiem was leading the field and he was asking questions, so I knew that he’d be able to achieve his desired grade,” he told the Sunday Observer.

Smith added that while she was initially nervous about the idea, she quickly embraced it when she realised her son had the ability to excel.

“Even though I’m not on the technical side as a teacher, I know from experience what to ask. And I could gauge from there whether or not he understood, what he learned, or what he was doing right…He pulled through well, and I’m so proud of him,” she shared.

Smith encouraged parents to be just as involved in their children’s education, noting that the outcome is worthwhile.

“I always tell parents that the classroom is not the place where learning takes place. There’s so much that we, as parents, can do for our children at home to just ensure that they have a strong foundation, because having a strong foundation is a plus. Most of the time it helps to determine the path that our children will move in life academically, so just ensure that children have that foundation,” she encouraged.

Parents Tricia Smith and Everett Fraser pose for a family picture with their son Knyhiem Fraser.

Knyhiem Fraser is a goalkeeper for the West London Hawks competitive ice hockey team.