Matthew Mugeni Will Use Bemley Scholarship at North Carolina State University

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that Matthew Mugeni will use the Bemley Scholarship awarded all the members of the BDPA Triangle High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team with a $1,000 college scholarship at North Carolina State University.

Matthew Mugeni * Bemley Scholar (2017)

We asked Matthew to share his thoughts on BDPA:

"I am 18 years old living in Raleigh, North Carolina. I graduated from Leesville Road High School and currently enrolled at North Carolina State University for Engineering. I have been part of BDPA for 4 years and for every year and I got the chance to attend and compete at the National Conference. In my final year of competing my team and I placed 3rd in the competition. I have loved every second I've been in BDPA and owe the organization a great thanks.

Without BDPA I would not have learned the technical skills of information technology, such as computer programming, or soft skills, such as public speaking and how to act or present yourself in corporate settings. Finally, BDPA allowed me to participate in a movement of Black professionals and allowed me to work with people that looked like me especially since there is a scarcity of people of color in STEM fields. Ultimately, BDPA has pushed me further to pursue my dreams of becoming a Black Professional in the STEM field as has also taught me never to waver from that dream."

BDPA is blessed to have such a young and talented student as a winner of the Bemley Scholarship. We look forward to supporting Matthew's career as he seeks to advance in the technology industry.

Bemley Scholar Cameron Reaves Begins STEM-Based Education at Harvard University

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that Cameron Reaves will use the Bemley Scholarship awarded all the members of the BDPA Atlanta High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team with a $5,000 college scholarship at Harvard University. He earned three Bemley Scholarships based on his work at the High School Computer Competition at the 2014 ($500), 2015 ($2,000) and 2016 ($2,500) BDPA Technology Conferences.

We asked Cameron to share his thought about BDPA with us:

Cameron Reaves * Bemley Scholar

"My name is Cameron Reaves and I am a freshman at Harvard University studying Computer Science and Environmental Science. I am from Duluth, GA and participated in four years of BDPA, beginning right when I started high school. I hope to combine my two interests to impact the energy/environmental sector using computing problem solving skills and technology expertise. I am currently planning to attend graduate school after college to earn a PHD, but anything can happen!

My involvement with BDPA was pivotal in my growth as a student and also my decision to pursue STEM. I have always been a big reader, so I loved literature and history (and still do). Prior to BDPA, I had no experience coding or learning about computers, so I probably would have continued down the path I was more familiar with. However, my father brought me to an introductory meeting my freshman year, and after that I joined the Atlanta Chapter and didn't look back! I am thankful for my time spent in the program and the many individuals I met. In the future, I hope to remain apart of the organization, volunteering to share its wonderful benefits to kids who were just like me.:

BDPA is blessed to have such a young and talented student as a winner of the Bemley Scholarship. We look forward to supporting Cameron's career as he seeks to advance in the technology industry!

Preethiya Sekar Uses Her Many BDPA Scholarships at Carleton College

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that Preethiya Sekar will use the Bemley Scholarship awarded all the members of the BDPA Southern Minnesota High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team with a $2,500 college scholarship at Carleton College. She also applied the Monsanto Scholarship ($2,500) and Oracle Scholarship towards her education at Carleton College as well!

Preethiya Sekar * Multiple BDPA Scholar!

Preethiya Sekar was a member of BDPA Southern Minnesota chapter since 2010. She graduated from high school in June 2015 and decided to attend Carleton College in the fall of 2015. Currently her major is undecided but she would like to go to medical school. She haven’t had much experience in the working world but she did hold a research mentee position in a molecular medicine lab. As for what she would like to do when she grows up ... she's leaning towards becoming a pediatric surgeon!

We asked her to share her thoughts on BDPA:

"For the past four years (2012-2015), I spent most of my Saturdays at BDPA talking with friends, checking my rank, and learning new things. Before BDPA I didn’t know anything about computers or programming, much less did I have any interest in learning. However, my instructors made what I was learning exciting. They taught me things and then encouraged me to go out and learn more. What was most thrilling for me was being able to create something. Seeing my code transform into a web page was just so incredible.

2014 So. Minnesota HSCC Team (Preethia, 2nd-from-right)

Being selected to go to the National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) after class was done was probably one of the most rewarding things. After all who wouldn’t like to go to big cities and meet new and important people? But, when I became a part of the competition team I remember all the work we put in. We refer to the summer before competition as “boot camp”. So while all my friends were out enjoying summer, I was sitting with my BDPA friends staring at a computer screen. But I guess, it was always worth it in the end. It’s a good feeling going through the competition and knowing all your hard work was paying off. But no amount of preparation takes away the nerves and angst during the programming portion. They give you seven hours but it feels like less than one. I think we all learned to thrive under the stressful conditions. We knew our part in the team and held ourselves accountable. No matter the outcome, it was always a great experience: either something to learn from or something to remember.

2015 BDPA IT Showcase * Preethiya Sekar

The people in BDPA Southern Minnesota chapter did more than just teach me computer programming, they taught me to believe in myself (sometimes that was the biggest obstacle), they taught me to carry myself with dignity and pride, and to be thankful for everything I have. Over the past four years, BDPA has had a major impact on the person I have become, they remind me to give back selflessly and help others around me."

We just completed the 32nd anniversary of the High School Computer Competition. We are grateful to Monsanto and Oracle for sponsoring their scholarships. BDPA has given out hundreds of Bemley Scholarships over the years. However, this is truly a scholarship fund that is supported by BDPA members and supporters. I encourage you to make a secure online donation today! BDPA is blessed to have such a young and talented student as a winner of the Bemley Scholarship. We look forward to supporting Preethiya's career as she seeks to advance in the medical industry!

Braxton Smith Will Use Bemley Scholarship at North Carolina A&T State University

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that Braxton Smith will use the Bemley Scholarship awarded all the members of the BDPA Triangle High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team with a $1,000 college scholarship at North Carolina A&T State University.

Braxton Smith * Bemley Scholar

Braxton had a 4.0 GPA in high school and his overarching goal is to study computer science and utilize the skills he learns to enter the information technology field.   Braxton was a member of Art Club, Anime Club, Music Club and Computer Club. He has been a bowler for the last 13 years and he joined Movement of Youth, a mentoring and volunteer program that exposes students to the ‘college experience’. He volunteered at several local groups, such as Project Seeds, Durham Urban Ministries and the Durham Rescue Mission. Braxton also assisted Omega Psi Phi Fraternity as a volunteer at several church outreach programs. He worked as a summer intern with CISCO configuring servers in conjunction with being an apprentice with the Shodor Foundation. Both positions allowed him to work with web design, code development and languages and mathematical calculations. To finish it all off, Braxton worked in the Genome Science Department at Duke University.

Braxton plans to study computer science at North Carolina A&T State University. Braxton believes in the personal statement from Colin Powell, "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."

We asked Braxton to share his personal testimonial on BDPA:

2017 BDPA Triangle (Braxton is on the right)

"I have been with the BDPA for a total of two years and in that time-frame I have had the honor and privilege of doing things people dream about. I got to attend two national conferences as the lead front end coder for the High School Computer Competition team. Since the first day I entered the BDPA, I have been truly taken from the classroom to the boardroom. Better than that, I found a second family at BDPA Triangle Chapter, one where the bonds between us members cannot be broken. My success that is to come is greatly due to this family I share here and I will not hesitate to come back and assist the Triangle Chapter with HSCC teaching or just for motivation. Additionally, I look forward to possibly partake in the college BDPA IT Showcase and BDPA Mobile Application  Showcase competitions. In conclusion, BDPA is an organization, group, and a family that I would recommend to any hungry, curious mind that searches for ways to truly disrupt the system."

BDPA is blessed to have such a young and talented student as a winner of the Bemley Scholarship. We look forward to supporting Braxton's career as he seeks to advance in the technology industry!

Tristan Trejo Will Use Bemley Scholarship at University of Minnesota

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that Tristan Trejo will use the Bemley Scholarship awarded all the members of the BDPA Southern Minnesota High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team with a $3,000 college scholarship at the University of Minnesota.

Tristan Trejo * Bemley Scholar

Tristan is a young man who plans to become a well-known architect, who can find ways to incorporate Computer Science to experience the design process in each stage of Architecture, to benefit both the Architects and the client. He had a wonderful high school experience at Century High School serving at a referee in the Minnesota Soccer League, rink Attendant for the city at the Recreation Center. Tristan was also on the varsity track and field team (state medalist for pole vault) and varsity soccer team.

Tristan has been a member of BDPA Southern Minnesota for six years and a part of the chapter's youth computer team for the past 3 years. We asked him to share his thoughts on BDPA:

The most memorable moment of BDPA, was when our team was named the National winner at the High School Computer Competition (BDPA Disrupt 2017) in Cincinnati, Ohio. Our team members were all first-time competitors, but we surprised ourselves and won! The competition was tough, and requirements for the competition were very challenging and complicated. All of the other teams were very good teams. Our team members looked at each other, paused, pondered, and simultaneously, put our heads together, and strived for the best.

2017 BDPA SMN HSCC Team (Tristan is 2nd-left)

We really astonished ourselves! BDPA has had a great impact on my life. I have learned many lessons over the course of 6 years as a member, and not just lessons on coding, but I have learned to be a leader, a good public speaker, and learned how to understand my peers better, and much more. I have been able to help promote this program to the community, and I’m proud of it. The amount of knowledge I have obtained through out my BDPA career is immense, and I am very grateful that I was part of such a giving organization. I am very thankful to the people who made this opportunity available.

BDPA is blessed to have such a young and talented student as a winner of the Bemley Scholarship. We look forward to supporting Tristan's career as he seeks to advance in the architecture industry!

Lyndon Bowen, Jr. Will Use Bemley Scholarship at North Carolina Central University

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that Lyndon Bowen, Jr. will use the Bemley Scholarship awarded all the members of the BDPA Triangle High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team with a $1,000 college scholarship at the North Carolina Central University.

Lyndon Bowen, Jr. * HSCC Alumni (2015-2017)

Lyndon is an aspiring entrepreneur, technology advocate, and space exploration enthusiast. He has devoted himself to improving many aspects of his community, from youth inclusion in technology related fields to the mentoring and revitalization of troubled youth. He has worked very closely with the Black Data Processing Associates and the National Youth Rights Association. Currently, he is pursuing a degree in Computer Science and Business with a concentration in Information Systems at North Carolina Central University located in Durham, NC. Lyndon strongly believes in the role that his generation must play in the future and he is dedicated to bringing his ideas to fruition.

We asked Lyndon to share his thoughts on BDPA:

BDPA Triangle HSCC Team (Lyndon, 2nd-Right)

"I have been a member of BDPA Triangle chapter for three years. During the time that I have been part of the organization, I have had the amazing privilege of attending three national conferences. For the past three years, I have been the project manager and full stack coder of the High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team. While I had the privilege of leading my team our ranking at the National BDPA Technology Conference increased from nearly last place to third place. I look forward with great anticipation to continuing to be a part of the BDPA, moving towards working with the college aspect of the Triangle Chapter as well as coaching and mentoring the next HSCC Triangle team. I am also greatly interested in competing in either the college mobile app competition or the college IT showcase. BDPA is an organization that I would recommend wholeheartedly to any young mind to set them on a journey from the classroom to the boardroom and to show them how to truly disrupt."

BDPA is blessed to have such a young and talented student as a winner of the Bemley Scholarship. We look forward to supporting Lyndon's career as he seeks to advance in the technology industry! 

Braxton Garner-Robinson Will Use Bemley Scholarship at University of South Carolina

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that Braxton Garner-Robinson will use the Bemley Scholarship awarded all the members of the BDPA Greater Columbia High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team with a $2,500 college scholarship at the University of South Carolina. He won the scholarships by working as member of the HSCC team in both 2014 (2nd place, $1,500 scholarship) and 2015 (3rd place, $1,000 scholarship).

Braxton Robinson * Bemley Scholar

Braxton is a freshman at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. He plans to study computer information systems, and become a network analyst. Eventually, he would like to own his own business focusing on cybersecurity. During the summer of 2014, he worked as a poll worker with the Lexington County Voter’s Registration Office for local and state elections and he has been a front service clerk (bagger) at Publix Supermarkets since June 2015.

We asked Braxton to share his thoughts about BDPA:

"Throughout middle school and high school, I have participated in the BDPA Greater Columbia as a student and also as a part of the HSCC team. This program has helped me strengthen my coding skills and soft skills such as communication, problem solving, adaptability, and conflict resolution. During my time being a part of the high school computer competition team, we have earned 2nd and 3rd place in the national competition.

My most memorable moment is earning 2nd place in the competition, the feeling of hard work being turned into results gave me a sense of accomplishment. I apply this moment to my daily life as I will begin college this fall, and I know that if I work hard there is no limit to what I can accomplish in the future. HSCC has had such a positive impact on my life, I begin every day with the goal of working hard and I know that everything else will fall in line, it has taught me so many important lessons that have prepared me for the many challenges that I have faced in life.

BDPA is blessed to have such a young and talented student as a winner of the Bemley Scholarship. We look forward to supporting Braxton's career as he seeks to advance in the technology industry!

Jalil Peterman Will Use Bemley Scholarship at Coastal Carolina University

Jalil Peterman

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that Jalil Peterman will use the Bemley Scholarship awarded all the members of the BDPA Greater Columbia High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team with a $1,000 college scholarship to support his study of graphic design at the Coastal Carolina University. Jalil is a 2017 graduate from Dutch Fork High School. Regarding career goals, Jalil plans to study graphic design at Coastal Carolina University to gain better knowledge of this field and become a Graphics Designer for a shoe or clothing company.

We asked Jalil to share his thoughts on BDPA:

"The most memorable moment from BDPA that I can take with me would of course be the experience of the HSCC competition. From the day we left for the conference until the day we got home, we had a very unique experience. I remember our instructor coming over to our room to give us presenting tips and reviewing key words with us. The day of the competition had my mind everywhere, being in a room full of other competitors that possess the same skill as us but only few could come out on top. On the day of the award ceremony I was very surprised when they called our name for coming in third place. Knowing you worked hard on something and it paying off like that is something I will never forget.

BDPA Gr. Columbia (Braxton, Briana, Jalil)

Participating in the BDPA program has left me with a more open mind about how to solve problems and most definitely how to interact with others and present myself to others. I have also taken away 'how to plan out' and 'how to get certain task done' is a much better use of my time."

BDPA is blessed to have such a young and talented student as a winner of the Bemley Scholarship. We look forward to supporting Jalil's career as he seeks to advance in the technology industry!

HSCC Testimonial: Suntheng Taing (Atlanta, 2013)

Suntheng Taing

One of our most active and successful chapters in the High School Computer Competition (HSCC) is from Atlanta. BDPA Atlanta students earned 3rd-place in National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship held in August 2013. The HSCC competition comprises three components: oral testing, written testing and a programming project. Suntheng Taing was a member of the Atlanta team. He earned a $500 college scholarship that he would like us to apply towards Georgia State University. Suntheng was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and he currently lives in Lilburn, Georgia.

Suntheng wrote, "Growing up, my fascination with technology and art allowed me to create magnificent projects which resulted in my efforts to major in Computer Science. With my studious mindset, I chose Georgia State University as an opportunity to grow my intellectualism in the future."

When asked to share his thoughts on the HSCC competition, Suntheng wrote,

"It was an honor to be a part of the BDPA HSCC Atlanta Chapter. I enjoyed the marvelous teachers and coordinators that work hands-on with students who have an immense passion in the field of technology. The most memorable aspect of participating in the HSCC is knowing the determination in my peers and in myself. What struck me the most about my experience was the growth that I encountered in the Chapter because of the drive that I did not know I had."

We encourage our readers to make a secure online donation to the Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship Fund so that we can continue to recognize young scholars like Suntheng in the future!

Malik Saafir * 2016 Bemley Scholar (Morehouse College)

Malik Saafir

BDPA Atlanta students earned 1st place in National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship held in August 2016. The HSCC competition comprises three components: oral testing, written testing and a programming project. Malik Saafir was a member of that team. He earned a Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship which he used at Morehouse College.

Malik is a seventeen-year-old senior at Georgia Cyber Academy. Outside of school, he is a member of the 100 Scholars Robotics Alliance (100SRA). He works with BDPA and 100SRA to lead teams that compete with other high schoolers from around the state and the country. Malik has been with the 100SRA since since his sophomore year and currently serves as the captain of two FIRST Robotics teams under its umbrella. Malik has been accepted to Morehouse College with a full ride for the fall of 2017, and plans to double major in chemical engineering and computer science. Also, he was recently named valedictorian of his high school's graduating class of 2017.

We asked Malik to provide his thoughts on BDPA and his experiences in the HSCC event:

"The most influential experience I have had so far with the BDPA was the High School Computer Competition season of 2016. The regional and national levels of the High School Computer Competitions (HSCC) took place in June and August of 2016. The HSCC is a web development competition hosted by the Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA), and it involves teams of students from around the country. Of the seven students on the Atlanta team, only two were champions from the prior season. The rest of us were rookies to the program. Consequently, we had a ton of studying to do over the four months from March until the regional competition in June.

Malik Saafir (2nd-Left) and his Teammates

My team and I needed to internalize web development, computer theory, and history, all while working on our presentation and public speaking skills, so we met every Saturday for approximately four hours. We studied the various programming languages and theories that we would apply, including PHP (PHP Hypertext Preprocessor), HTML (HyperText Markup Language), and SQL (Structured Query Language). With the help and guidance of several dedicated mentors and instructors, we learned everything we needed to know and more.

By June our team was ready for its first competition of the season, the regionals in Raleigh, NC This competition was to determine which Southern teams would continue to compete in the nationals. The competition consisted of a multiple-choice test on computer theory and history, which was eye-opening to our dire need of more practice, and a web development component. The coding section entailed four hours of programming with one laptop, no Wi-Fi, and a prompt detailing the requirements. After those tiring hours of designing and coding, we presented a website with an expansive range of functions, but barely any visual appeal due to time constraints. However, the application’s functional nature, in addition to our presentation, brought the season’s first victory home to Atlanta.

Malik and his teammates are 2016 HSCC Champions!

Following our encouraging win in June, the rest of the summer was spent diligently preparing for August’s week-long conference and national competition. Being the GA team meant we were defending our title as the reigning champions on our own turf. I am proud to say that my teammates and I brought Atlanta its second consecutive national victory. Over 30 teams were present from across the country. Rather than four hours, this contest required each team to huddle around two laptops for eight hours straight. The moment the BDPA president said that the first place team “should feel right at home in Atlanta,” I realized we had won. I felt a sensation of extreme joy and pride in myself and my teammates. There are no words to describe my ecstasy as we received our trophies on the stage. This experience was instrumental in my journey from childhood to adulthood because it built my confidence in myself and my ability to lead."

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation is very proud of Malik's involvement with BDPA. I encourage everyone who support BDPA to make a donation to the Bemley Scholarship Fund.

2015 National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) Rankings

2015 National HSCC Champions * BDPA Atlanta

The 2015 National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships were held in Washington DC. We had 15 teams competing in 2015. The two-day competition was fierce and we had a new champion from Atlanta! The 2014 HSCC Champion were from BDPA Atlanta and they earned HP laptops and a $2,000 Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship for attending college. They beat out the defending championship team from BDPA Washington DC and the team who placed won the silver medal at the 2014 competition from BDPA Greater Columbia.

The winning team from Atlanta included Cameron Reaves, Saket Shirsath and Yash Shirsath.

Here are the rankings for all 15 teams that competed in 2015 national HSCC championships with the scholarship winnings for each student in parenthesis:

1. Atlanta ($2,000 Bemley Scholarship for each student)
   
2. Washington DC ($1,500 scholarship)
3. Greater Columbia ($1,000 scholarship)
4. Southern Minnesota ($750 scholarship)
5. New Jersey ($500 scholarship)
6. St Louis
7. Cincinnati
8. Middle Tennessee
9. Indianapolis
10. Chicago
11. Dallas
12. Twin Cities
13. Triangle
14. New York
15. Milwaukee

Our foundation seeks to increase the number of students that receive Bemley Scholarships. To do so, we need your help. Please consider making an online donation to help us interest young people in science and technology.

Bemley Scholar Isaac Gullickson Continues STEM-Based Education at University of Minnesota

Isaac Gullickson * University of Minnesota

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) proudly announces that a Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship has been awarded to Isaac Gullickson. Isaac earned the Bemley Scholarship as a result of participating in 2013 (1st place); 2014 (3rd place) and 2015 (fourth place) won by the team trained by BDPA Southern Minnesota chapter at the National High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship.

Isaac is now a freshman at the University of Minnesota majoring in Computer Science. He is passionate about programming and web development thanks to the experiences he received in BDPA. He seeks to be a computer programmer or a full stack web developer. Isaac has a host of experiences with web development that he learned in high school. He was on a mentorship with Mayo Clinic and IBM. He also participated on his first robotics team.

We asked Isaac to share his insights about BDPA, and he wrote,

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"I had a friend in 9th grade who I thought was the bee’s knees when it came to anything technical. I’d ask some vague question about recent inventions or coding and he’d answer, narrating the tale of how programming languages were developed or describing the latest tech from Google, for instance. He’d do so with a passion that was contagious. It was from him that I heard of BDPA and the weekend class that taught some of this wondrous programming that he had told me about. I took the leap and signed my Saturday mornings away. I could not have imagined the impact that my experiences in BDPA would have. BDPA defined my future goals and gave me the skills to achieve them.

Even before I had any goals, I always liked computers. Though this was mostly because of the games I played on them as a kid, the science behind how they worked intrigued me. My only goals at the time for this interest were to wait until college, where I knew I could take courses on coding. This remained my mindset and I never took advantage of the wealth of information the internet could have provided, as I didn’t have the drive to take advantage of it. BDPA changed that very quickly. Creating website applications - tangible products of my work - was immensely rewarding. I worked on projects in class on weekends, at home, in school, whenever I could. BDPA transformed my dormant interest into an active passion. My goals became to teach myself more about web development, to take it further in college, and then a career in programming. However, skills are essential to achieving any goal.

BDPA taught me many skills, including the technical skills of web development programming, to using IDEs, CPanel, and database manipulation. Equally if not more important however, are the soft skills that are transferable to any career. These include public speaking, people skills, networking. Developing these made for some of the most memorable experiences. The experiences of preparing many summers with a team of fellow BDPA students for the competition, developing our communication, programming, and teamwork skills, but more importantly, bonding and becoming friends. Some of my favorite memories are sweating over the programming problems each year at the competition, slowly figuring them out, and implementing the solution with my friends.

2013 HSCC Champions from Southern Minnesota

In 9th grade, I never thought I could have programmed in part a complete web application that created routes for a lawn care company, or a bus routing service, or any of the professional grade problems that we worked on at the national competition. I never would have believed that I would have the focus and passion to be a part of technology and programming so soon, or to realize my childhood interest. Now in college, I find myself trying to keep building on the impact BDPA has had on me, to continue developing the skills and chase the goals I found in that Saturday morning web development class with my friends."

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BETF is proud to support young people like Isaac! However, we need your support. Please take a moment to make a secure online donation in support of the Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship Fund so we can help more young squires like Isaac!

2011 National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) Rankings

The 2011 National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships were held in Chicago. We had 19 teams competing in 2011. The 2011 HSCC Champion were from BDPA Southern Minnesota and they earned $1,500 Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship for attending college. They beat out the student members from BDPA Detroit and BDPA Atlanta.

The winning HSCC team from Rochester MN included: Zakaria Ahmed, Hassan Hassan, Daniel Sheppard, Herchran Singh and Adwait Walimbe.

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to note that we provided financial support to over half of the HSCC teams that competed this year ... including the Bemley Scholarshps provided to the top five (5) performing chapters in the national HSCC championships.

Here are the rankings for all 19 teams that competed in 2011 national HSCC championships with the scholarship winnings for each student in parenthesis:

2011 Southern Minnesota HSCC Team

1. Southern Minnesota ($1,500 Bemley Scholarship for each student)
2. Detroit ($1,000 each)
3. Columbus ($500 each)
4. Atlanta ($500 each)
5. Twin Cities ($500 each)
6. Washington DC
7. St. Louis
8. Indianapolis
9. New Jersey
10. Chicago
11. Charlotte
12. Richmond
13. Cincinnati
14. Los Angeles
15. Middle Tennessee
16. Triangle
17. Greater Columbia
18. Philadelphia
19. Dallas

Our foundation seeks to increase the number of students that receive Bemley Scholarships. To do so, we need your help. Please consider making an online donation to help us interest young people in science and technology.

2014 National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) Rankings

BDPA Washington DC HSCC Team & Coach

The 2014 National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships were held in Indianapolis. We had 18 teams competing in 2014. The two-day competition was fierce and we had a new champion from Washington DC! The 2014 HSCC Champion were from BDPA Washington DC and they earned HP laptops and a $2,000 Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship for attending college. They beat out the scrappy team from BDPA Greater Columbia and the perennial high-ranking team from BDPA Southern Minnesota.

The winning team from Washington DC included Lauren Battle, Beleicia Bullock, Zion Emanuel, Johnathan Legrant and Alex Li.

Here are the rankings for all 18 teams that competed in 2014 national HSCC championships with the scholarship winnings for each student in parenthesis:

1. Washington DC ($2,000 Bemley Scholarship for each student)
2. Greater Columbia ($1,500 each)
3. Southern Minnesota ($1,000 each)
4. Atlanta ($500 each)
5. Cincinnati
6. Middle Tennessee
7. Chicago
8. New York
9. St Louis
10. Twin Cities
11. Indianapolis
12. Central Illinois
13. Triangle
14. Milwaukee
15. Dallas
16. New Jersey
17. Detroit
18. Charlotte

Our foundation seeks to increase the number of students that receive Bemley Scholarships. To do so, we need your help. Please consider making an online donation to help us interest young people in science and technology.

2013 National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) Rankings

2013 HSCC Champions from Rochester, MN

The 2013 National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships were held in Washington. We had 16 teams competing in 2013. The tension during the 2 days of the competition centered around the team trained by BDPA Southern Minnesota chapter. This chapter won 6 of the past 7 national competitions and arrived in Washington DC seeking to defeat the defending champion BDPA Atlanta chapter.

The winning team from Southern Minnesota included five students --  Isaac Gullickson, Preethiya Sekar, Daniel Sheppard, Herchran Singh and Prabhjot Singh.

Here are the rankings for all 16 teams that competed in 2013 national HSCC championships with the scholarship winnings for each student in parenthesis:

• Southern Minnesota ($1,500 college scholarship for each member)
• Los Angeles ($1,000 each)
• Atlanta ($500 each)
• Washington DC ($500 each)
• Cincinnati
• Twin Cities
• New York
• Greater Columbia
• Chicago
• Charlotte
• Detroit
• Dallas
• Middle Tennessee
• Philadelphia
• Triangle
• New Jersey
• St. Louis

Our foundation seeks to increase the number of students that receive Bemley Scholarships. To do so, we need your help. Please consider making an online donation to help us interest young people in science and technology.

Marcus Schumann Uses Bemley Scholarship to Study Computer Science at CSUDH

Marcus Schumann

Marcus Schumann earned a Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship as a member of the BDPA Los Angeles chapter. His High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team who won the silver medal at the 2013 BDPA Technology Conference. He plans to use his Bemley Scholarship at Cal State University at Dominguez Hills where he seeks to complete a major in Computer Science.

Marcus believes that having a degree in computer science would open up many job possibilities for the future. He joined BDPA Los Angeles chapter in 8th grade and that sparked his interest in coding and creating applications. Marcus believes that coding can be used to do just about everything. It is no secret that almost every job available today will require a programmer or computer scientist to help their company grow. In the modern age, technology rules our lives.

Marcus is African American and German heritage. He visited Germany twice with his family. During those visits Marcus noticed how tapped into technology the people are. Technology is valued highly in Germany. Technology and innovation can solve worldly problems. Marcus is also an avid gamer and loves to play video games. Marcus hopes to use his skills to work for the entertainment industry. He believes video games brings the player out of reality and lets them take a break from the stresses of the real world.

We asked Marcus to share his thoughts on BDPA:

"Before I joined the BDPA I did not know anything about what programming was. I only knew that I could go on websites and get information, I didn’t know how any of the web pages actually work. BDPA is the reason I am majoring in Computer Science today and I am so thankful towards my teachers.

Marcus Schumann and his 4 HSCC teammates!

On my first year at the BDPA chapter Los Angeles we went to competition as the HSCC in Washington D.C. It was a great experience I saw famous monuments and our team got second place out of all the chapters for our website application. Our team was top notch, we had a great connection that drove our team forward and to push to the limits. Participating in the HSCC was such as great experience for me, I learned how to work under pressure, present our project to people, and work well with others. Before the competition I had always been afraid of presenting in front of people. Now, the fear is still there but I am able to push through it and speak in front of an audience.

I miss the team we had and the great people I met. The HSCC was something I will never forget. I learned some much and we worked so hard to get second place that year. The experiences and connections I made at the HSCC is it’s own award and it taught me valuable lessons that will last me a lifetime. Thank you for giving me that opportunity."

Marcus is a remarkable young man. BDPA looks forward to following his career as he progresses through college and on into his career in the IT industry! Please note that the Bemley Scholarship Fund is made up of individual donations from people like yourself. Please take a moment to recognize young people like Marcus with a secure online donation!

Jordan Stipp Uses His Bemley Scholarship at Stanford University

Jordan Stipp * Stanford University

Jordan Stipp earned a Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship in his senior year in high school as a member of the BDPA Central Illinois chapter. He was a member of the BDPA Central Illinois chapter team who won the bronze medal at the 2016 BDPA Technology Conference. He plans to use his Bemley Scholarship at Stanford University where he seeks to complete a major in Computer Science.

Throughout his primary and secondary educations, Jordan took an interest in technology that would eventually propel him towards participation in BDPA Central Illinois Chapter. His career goal is to become a professional software developer.

We asked Jordan to share his thoughts on BDPA.

"BDPA provides a platform for promoting the advancement of education in computer science to youth that may not have the opportunity to take advantage of elsewhere ... myself included. Some of the best memories of my final year of high school are the extensive sessions of educational coding provided by BDPA and its sponsors on Saturday mornings. Not only has my ability to develop computationally improved but also my confidence in doing so."

Jordan is a remarkable young man. BDPA looks forward to following his career as he progresses through college and on into his career as a software developer! Jordan is also an amazing dancer! Please note that the Bemley Scholarship Fund is made up of individual donations from people like yourself. Please take a moment to recognize young people like Jordan with a secure online donation!

Michael Espey * 2012 Bemley Scholar (University of Wisconsin)

Michael  Espey

BDPA Southern Minnesota students earned 4th place in National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship held in August 2012. The HSCC competition comprises three components: oral testing, written testing and a programming project. Michael Espey was a member of that team. He earned a Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship which he used at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. He majored in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science with two concentrations: Software Development and Information Assurance and Cyber Security. Michael had many life goals including getting a job in Rochester, MN. He was successful in his goal as he is now a software engineer at IBM.

We asked Michael to provide his thoughts BDPA and his experiences in the HSCC event:

Hello my name is Michael Espey and I (attended) the University of Wisconsin-Stout majoring in Applied Math and Computer Science. Within my major I am concentrating in software development as well as information assurance and cyber security. BDPA has been a part of my life since my senior year in high school and has helped me so much giving me lifelong skills that have contributed to my successes and future opportunities.

When my brother in law, William Smith came to me suggesting that I join BDPA, I was a bit hesitant. I wasn't much of an outgoing person to try new things, but I went anyway since IT had interested me. On the first day of class I found myself sitting in a room of complete strangers, but I felt welcome and happy to be there. Once I met the instructors and the people there, I knew that i was in a good place to learn about web design and programming. I had taken a web programming class a year before in high school, so I was curious what new things I would learn in BDPA. The first couple weeks were things that I already knew - HTML and CSS. After a few weeks passed I was learning something new every week including PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript just to name a few. Getting up every Saturday to be to class by 9 am was sometimes challenging, but every week I went to class and found myself happy with that decision every time. Before i knew it, I was excited for Saturdays to come so I could be with my great instructors, peers, and new challenges. I had always been interested in computers and programming, but after I had joined BDPA is when i knew I would want to do this for my life career. BDPA has opened so many doors in my life including meeting potential employers and people interested in IT just like me!

When it came time to announce the team that would represent Southern Minnesota in the 2012 HSCC, I was eager to hear if my name made the list. I had worked very had throughout the school year, and after hearing my name as a member of the team, I was so excited! When we arrived in Baltimore, we were among big cities such as Los Angeles and the Twin Cities chapters. I knew it was not going to be an easy competition, but we had a great team and had prepared for so long. The HSCC had 3 different tasks for the competition including a team questioning, individual questioning, and team programming. My most memorable part of the HSCC was the day of the programming part of the competition. I remember being really nervous yet excited for a 7 hour task that we had been preparing for all summer long at our boot camp meetings. The thing that I can remember the most is sitting down with my team members, developing a totally functional website in only 7 hours. We worked together so well and got along great!

2012 HSCC Team (BDPA Southern Minnesota)

Even though our team only got 4th place that year, I have gotten so much more from BDPA. BDPA has helped me become more social with others, meet lots of new people that I will communicate with for the rest of my life, develop skills that I can use for the future including time management, teamwork, working hard to achieve my goals, and preparing me for college. My plans for the future are to receive my bachelors degree in 2016, help my BDPA chapter as much as I can, and get a job that I will enjoy for the rest of my life. I couldn’t have had such a great start to college and programming if it weren’t for BDPA guiding me along the way.

Thank You BDPA!

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation is very proud of Michael's involvement with BDPA.  I encourage everyone who support BDPA to make a donation to the Bemley Scholarship Fund.  You can contact Michael on Twitter: @StoutGradMike16.

Zion Emanuel Uses His Bemley Scholarship at Penn State University

Zion Emanuel * Bemley Scholar

Zion Emanuel earned a Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship for his final three years of eligibility as a member of the BDPA Washington DC chapter. He attended the Academy of Health Sciences at Prince George's Community College. His scholarship earnings included winning the entire High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship in 2014 and coming in second place in both 2015 and 2016. He plans to use his Bemley Scholarship at Penn State University where he seeks to complete a major in Information Science and Technology.

Zion is part of the National Honor Society which is a special group of high-level academic achievers. Zion is a responsible scholarly student who provides service to his community. He earned the Barack Obama Presidential Award and was part of his school's Dean's List in 2015 and 2016.


When asked to share his thoughts on being a Bemley scholar, Zion wrote,

"My name is Zion Emanuel and I am an incoming freshman at Penn State University majoring in information science and technology. Ever since my sophomore year in high school, BDPA has been an amazing part of my life as it showed me the joys of computer science and gave me the ability to spread the knowledge I gained to others.

2014 HSCC Champions from Washington DC

During my sophomore year in high school (2014), one of my classmates referred me to BDPA and I decided to join the Washington D.C. Chapter. I already had a little background in coding but I learned so much more about concepts like databases, java server pages, and styling. I made the competition team and we won first place in HSCC that year. During my junior year (2015), I helped new students in the Washington D.C. chapter learn how to code and the basics of programming. I made the competition team again in 2015 and 2016 and we placed second in HSCC.

BDPA has also influenced me outside of the Washington D.C. Chapter and HSCC. After my first year in BDPA I became so interested in the world of computer science that I began to research different programming languages to increase my arsenal. During my senior year in high school, I helped start a computer programming club at Prince Georges Community College where I helped teach college students the basics of coding.

BDPA has left a lasting impact on my life and will continue to influence me as I pursue a career as a software engineer in the future. Aside from my career, I also plan to increase the percentage of minorities in computer science. I want to spread the joy and excitement of coding and computer science to individuals who do not have the same opportunities as others. None of these achievements or goals would have been possible without the help of BDPA. I am very grateful for these opportunities and proud to be a member."

Zion is a remarkable young man. BDPA looks forward to following his career as he progresses through college and on into his career as a software engineer! Please note that the Bemley Scholarship Fund is made up of individual donations from people like yourself. Please take a moment to recognize young people like Zion with a secure online donation!

Yash Shirsath Uses Bemley Scholarship at University of Pennsylvania

Yash Shirsath

Yash Shirsath is on of the rare students to earn a Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship for all five years of eligibility as a member of the BDPA Atlanta chapter. His scholarship earnings included winning the entire High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship in both 2012 and 2015.

Yash will use his Bemley Scholarship towards his education at the University of Pennsylvania.  Yash is a National Presidential Scholar and part of the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology.  As part of this selective program, Yash will receive a bachelors degree in Economics from Wharton Business School and another bachelors degree in Computer and Information Sciences from the University of Pennsylvania. He is very interested in entrepreneurship and plans to innovate in the startup space.

When asked to share his memories of the HSCC journey, Yash wrote,

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"I have had the pleasure of being part of the HSCC program for five years. I came in as a timid rising 9th grader who knew nothing about the fantastical world of computing. HSCC not only gave me concrete and marketable but it also fostered a great passion within me.

2015 HSCC Champions

One of my favorite memories from HSCC that really encapsulates my experience in the program occurred right in the maelstrom of competition. We had just completed eight grueling hours of coding and we were pitching our product to a panel of judges. It had all come down to those few moments. Months of preparation and dedication. From myself. From my teammates. From my coaches.

I was in the middle of explaining the intricacies of the security features that we had encoded into the product, when it hit me. This wasn't just a competition. I could have just as easily been standing in a boardroom, talking to executives about our product. We had gained so many skills from this program that we blurred the line between student and professional. This knowledge has really propelled me throughout my career as a computer science student. When I look forward and envision all of the opportunities that lay ahead, I know that HSCC opened the door to so many of them."

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Yash is a remarkable young man. BDPA looks forward to following his career as he progresses through college and on into the boardroom within Corporate America or his own company! Please note that the Bemley Scholarship Fund is made up of individual donations from people like yourself. Please take a moment to recognize young people like Yash with a secure online donation!