Stewart garners acclaim for Microsoft proficiency

In Lori Beasley’s business technology course, she teaches Mountain Brook High School students how to use Microsoft Office programs such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

The semester-long class culminates in credentialing tests. If passed, students earn Microsoft Office Specialist certifications they can take with them to college and beyond.

“We have a generation right now of digital users, and what we see is although these students are really tech savvy when it comes to their devices, they generally cannot demonstrate basic proficiency in Microsoft Office or in the programs the industries are using,” Beasley said.

In November, MBHS junior Byars Stewart demonstrated the highest possible proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint. He notched a perfect score — 1,000 out of 1,000 — on the in-class exam, and it only took him about 25 minutes.

“It was basically just formatting PowerPoint slides, and you just had to know everything about PowerPoint,” he said.

Stewart discovered in December that his combination of accuracy and speed made him one of Alabama’s state champions in PowerPoint.

The Mountain Brook school board recognized him at its January meeting. This summer, he’ll have the opportunity to compete at the MOS U.S. National Championship in Dallas.

“To get a perfect score, that’s rare, because the questions are multifaceted, so you have to answer multi-step questions, and not only do you have to know how to do the skill, but you have to know how to apply it,” Beasley said.

Stewart hadn’t used Microsoft Word or PowerPoint before enrolling in Beasley’s business technology course. Instead, he relied on Google Suite offerings such as Google Docs and Google Slides. But his inexperience didn’t hinder him.

“When we took all the practice tests, I just paid attention, and I kind of just learned how to do each of the tasks,” Stewart said.

Beasley, who has taught Microsoft Office for close to a decade, said she has had only one other student earn a perfect score on a certification exam. But not even that standout garnered statewide recognition like Stewart.

“He put in the work, and I think it’s a direct reflection of his hard work on it,” Beasley said.

Stewart said he is oriented toward math and science and has always understood computers. In eighth grade, he constructed his own personal computer with parts he purchased on Amazon. He still uses it today.

“I’ve just always liked computers,” he said. “I’m just good at them.”

Stewart said he didn’t expect his performance on the exam to be such a big deal. He just approached it like he approaches most endeavors.

“I wanted to do well on it,” he said. “I usually try to do well on things.”

Stewart, a member of Boy Scout Troop 63, said he plans to attend June’s national competition, where prize money and hardware will be on the line. One day he hopes to become an aerospace engineer.

“I want to go to the Air Force Academy,” he said. “ I’m trying to get in, but that is my dream.”