Thomas A. Edison CTE High School: Sibling Cadets Earn Prestigious Tech Certifications

Cadets Ismail Khalid and Ruhani Khalid are the first known high school students in the nation to earn all four industry certifications from the IT industry association CompTIA.

Written by Army Instructor Qiyu Luo

A pair of sibling cadets from Jamaica, New York, have accomplished something no one has before. Cadet Ismail Khalid and his younger sister, Cadet Ruhani Khalid, are the first known high school students in the nation to earn four Information Technology industry certifications from CompTIA.

Since its inception in 1982, CompTIA has issued certifications in IT, as well as providing educational resources to help people build tech careers.

With their four certifications, Ismail and Ruhani have achieved the CompTIA “Secure Infrastructure Specialist” certification pathway, a milestone widely recognized as foundational in the IT and cybersecurity industries. Many colleges and universities recognize CompTIA certifications, as well, offering three college credits per certification.

The Khalid siblings attend Thomas A. Edison Career Technical Education High School, one of nine schools nationwide selected to pilot the Army JROTC Cyber Program.

“After four years of continuously improving our cyber program, seeing our first two cadets achieve this level of success is an incredibly proud moment,” said Army Instructor Qiyu Luo.

The milestone reflects the cadets’ extraordinary dedication, technical expertise, motivation, and commitment to excellence. Earning even a single certification requires substantial study and mastery of technical competencies in computer hardware, operating systems, networking, cybersecurity, troubleshooting, and infrastructure defense.

This historic accomplishment demonstrates the tremendous potential of JROTC cadets when provided with rigorous instruction, industry-aligned curriculum, and opportunities to excel in emerging career fields.

“This accomplishment is not just about certifications,” said Senior Army Instructor G.R. Gulley. “It represents persistence, resilience, and the ability of our cadets to compete and excel at a national level.”