Every generation has that one person destined for greatness, someone that’s going to achieve amazing things, maybe even become famous for their accomplishments. In this year’s senior class, that person could very well be Kedrick Gilliam, who could be the next Bill Gates with his expansive love of cyber security.
“What got me into [computers was] just when I got my first computer when I finally [learned] everything works,” said Gilliam. “Throughout the years, I’ve just kind of experimented more and eventually I was like ‘yep, this is what I want to do.’”
During his high school career, Gilliam has taken many computer classes, including Computer Science Fundamentals, Cyber Security 1 and 2, and AP Computer Science Principles.
“It’s a lot of processing. Once you actually figure it out and it works, it’s so satisfying,” said Gilliam.
Using what he learned, Gilliam has made many computer programs. One of which is a Rock, Paper, Scissors program that has a one-player and two-player mode,
“For this app, I added basic controls for the user playing the game, to use either rock, paper or scissors. Then, the computer would randomly generate a numerical value between 0 and 2,” said Gillam. “The number chosen relates to a choice between rock, paper and scissor for the computer. Once all of the values have been put together, they are output onto the screen, along with the winner of the game.”
Gilliam has been able to connect his two passions through FBLA, the Future Business Leaders of America. He was a finalist in 2024 at the State Leadership Conference, and at the 2025 State Leadership Conference, he was a finalist after taking a 100-question test in 15 minutes on cybersecurity and business related to cybersecurity. This was no small feat and required lots of practice.
“I studied as much as I could before taking the test, allowing myself to retain the information and make it effective during the test,” said Gilliam.
One thing that Gilliam likes about businesses is how it has shaped his character, balancing out the introvert with the extrovert.
“Typically a computer science person is very introverted,” said Gilliam. “But the business side has really made me try to go more out towards people, trying to network more and also think more divergently, just trying to come up with a solution to a problem rather than trying to go piece by piece.”
Gilliam plans to go to Tennessee Tech, where he hopes to major in Computer Science with a concentration in Cyber Security and a minor in Business Information Technology and Analytics. His main goal and dream are to create a cybersecurity program.
“I’m trying to make a business related to cyber defense, either for defending companies or making my own products for families or businesses that they can use to defend their network better,” said Gilliam.
Gilliam said that his advice for those just starting in computing is to just get the basics down.
“The fundamentals are the hardest part to grasp. […] As long as you just keep with it, keep doing something new, something interesting that suits you, that’s when you can get it down the best, something that’s actually fun.”
To Gilliam, the hardest part is presenting your business to possible investors. His advice to those wanting to go into business and get over the fear of presenting is to just go for it
“Calm the nerves, just go over it one more time, be like ‘you got this, just go out and do it,’” said Gilliam. “I mean, they’re here for you, so why don’t you just go get them?”
