Cesar Benemelis, a junior from Miami Coral Park Senior High School, took his passion for Physics, Aerospace Engineering and Material Science, and turned it into a company called Sparktech Tutoring.
Founded in 2021, Sparktech Tutoring gives children in African countries like Kenya and Sierra Leone the opportunity to experience the ever-changing world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math in an accessible and creative way.
While Benemelis is the Global CEO of Spark Tech, he has received help and guidance from Kenya CEO Humphrey Wawire Tundo, Pastor Alfred Onyango, Mrs. Dayani Lozano and Merc Reyes, the confounders of the coding division.
Benemelis also has a group of passionate tutors, which includes Reyes, Fabrian Novoa of the design division and Shreeya Gupta, the founder of the Biotech program of Sparktech Tutoring.
Benemelis credits his high school’s Engineering Magnet Program for teaching him skills in coding, 3D designing and mechanics that he’s now passing on to children in Africa.
“I’m showing them the changes they have around the world just by using a computer and just by using the things they have around them,” Benemelis said. “Our goal is to mainly just spread the word technology to all those kids so they understand what future they have with the constant evolution of technology.”
Learn more from our video interview on Sparktech Tutoring.
Benemelis’s past experiences as a youth pastor and part of his high school's JROTC Vex team have helped him connect with people and become a better leader.
“JROTC has helped me with leadership,” Benemelis said. “I've had some great lessons taught by a lot of friends there, because everyone's there's taught to be a better citizen in JROTC in our school. And being a youth pastor, I learned more about how, how being humble, loving-kindness is the best thing ever.”
Recently, Benemelis has expanded Spark Tech to Elyon ECED and Primary school in Kisumu Village. Benemelis said Principal Lily Amayo has helped provide more computers to Spark Tech and more students to teach who are spreading awareness of the program in their neighborhoods.
Looking ahead, Benemelis said he’s currently working on creating a Magnet School in Kenya and Sierra Leone with the help of Joseph Zelhofer Lawal, founder of Children Of God's Mission Sierra Leone, who is currently building the school in Sierra Leone with cement.
“The way we plan to reach it is by keep growing, keep striving and finding products for people to donate and just representing more and more Spark Tech as we grow on, so kids can begin to have more donations … but we also can add in implement technology in their lives, not just for lessons to be taught in school, but lessons to be taught around the world,” Benemelis said.