Bemley Scholar Nia Love Heads to Valdosta State University

BDPA Atlanta chapter had its greatest finish in the National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships back in 2008. The members of that team came in fifth place and earned Jesse Bemley Scholarships.

One of the talented members of that team was Nia Love. She is a multi-dimensional graduate who played basketball, golf and softball at Mt. Zion High School in Atlanta GA. She plans to use her Bemley Scholarship to study criminal justice at Valdosta State University.

Nia shared thoughts about her BDPA experiences:

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It was an outstanding experience being part of the BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team. At first, I didn't want to be part of something that took away my free Saturdays. I didn't know how much being part of BDPA would change my life for the better.

I competed against a number of students, including my brother and cousin, to gain a place on the Atlanta HSCC team that participated in the 2008 National BDPA HSCC Championship. We trained really hard to prepare for the competition. It took a lot of dedication on the part of me and my teammates.

The conference itself was one of the best experiences that I have ever had. We hosted it in downtown Atlanta … about 15 min away from my house. I was in my comfort zone to start the competition and that was awesome. The Opening Ceremony keynote speaker (Ephren Taylor) was great. I found it cool that he was famous. The best part of the opening ceremony to me was the inspiration of Mario Armstrong. He told us not to let "dream killers" get in or way. The most memorable moment was when Mr. Armstrong gave away hardware, software and training to a BDPA student in the audience who carried around his graphic artist portfolio.

Mario Armstrong & Atlanta HSCC Team

The competition was intense and enjoyable at the same time. The most nerve racking part was trying to make sure that the coding was done correctly and in a timely manner. I was in charge of our team presentation to the judges. Coach Wes prepared me very well. I still use some of the pointers he gave me in my everyday life.

It was a great feeling to get 5th place overall in the national HSCC championship in 2008.

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I met Nia at the 2008 BDPA Midwest Regional HSCC held in Cincinnati, OH.

I found her to be a smart young woman with an attitude of success that would serve her well in her future. I'm glad that she earned this Bemley Scholarship and I wish her well in the future!