HSCC Testimonial: Krystal Cooper (Los Angeles, 1991-1992)

Krystal Cooper was a member of the High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team trained by BDPA Los Angeles chapter in 1991 and 1992. Krystal went on to major in computer science at UC Riverside. She currently works in the entertainment industry with a focus on visual effects and animation.

She took a moment to share her testimonial with us.

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I began my participation in the BDPA HSCC as a freshman in High School. I started programming at age 6 and if they had a BDPA competition for elementary schools I’m sure my mother would have enrolled me in it then.

It was an amazing experience to be so young (about 13) and being trained as professional computer programmer at the Digital Equipment Corporation. Our training curriculum was intense but we were taught a wealth of computer history that is still with me today.

We were given real world experience by being taught the same technologies and languages being used by DEC employees. I’m pretty sure I was one of the few teenage girls that had a professional computing resume by the time I graduated high school.

Besides increasing my technical skill set, it also taught me how to work under pressure while being part of a team and how to present technical ideas to a large group. My participation in the program was instrumental to my future professional development in the field of computer science.

The competition experience was phenomenal. The BDPA conferences held in NY (1991) and Detroit (1992) were my first big trips away from home without my family. I was one of the few kids and the only girl on my block growing up with a computer at home.

The HSCC changed all of that, In NYC and Detroit I found myself at a convention with hundreds of other Black teenagers my age who held the same interests as I did (computers, programming and video games). It was a very inspiring to see so many successful Black men and women doing exactly what I wanted to do in the future.

My experience in the HSCC helped me focus on my future career aspirations and academic goals. It definitely prepared me for my entrance into the University of California, Riverside as a computer science major and subsequent computational research at Jackson State and Elizabeth City State Universities.

Our BDPA mentors taught us the important role technology played in our communities but also gave us a global perspective on computing as a whole. It made a lasting impression on me and as a professional I have made a lifelong commitment to bridging the digital divide.

Since then I have given back to BDPA as a convention planning member and HSCC supporter to show my appreciation to those who made a commitment to my technical education..

I encourage all HSCC alums to do the same and give back by sharing their experience with the next generation of technology leaders.

Find BDPA Volunteers in HandsOn Network

Krystal Cooper was on the 1991-1992 high school computer competition (HSCC) teams trained by BDPA Los Angeles. It turns out that she graduated from the same college (University of California, Riverside) as the BETF executive director. Cooper is currently an arts patron and visual effects professional who enjoys pop culture, advocacy and community service.

Anyhow, she contacted BDPA about Disney for a Day program created to inspire one million people to volunteer and celebrate volunteerism with a free ticket to a Disney theme park.

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) ended up participating in this program through the HandsOn Network. HandsOn Network provides a remarkable process for any BDPA chapter to identify volunteers.

BDPA Orlando was the first chapter to take advantage of this program. Chapter president Pablo More wrote,

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BDPA Orlando signed up thru the BDPA Foundation to participate in the Hands on Network Give-A-Day-Get-A-Disney-Day program. This program has been very successful for us in getting volunteers for various program meetings as well as for next month's Black Family Tech Awareness Week activities. We have received more than a dozen responses from potential volunteers in the first 2 weeks of the year. I would like to thank John Malonson, BDPA Los Angeles chapter President, for making us aware of this program, as well as Wayne Hicks (BDPA Foundation) for coordinating this fantastic program!

I encourage other chapters whom are in need of volunteers to take a look at this program and also search out other similar programs in your area that can be utilize like this for volunteers. I believe that we will see this model replay itself with other non-profit organizations and private enterprise giving the economic climate and the call for more community action and volunteering to help our neighbors and those less fortunate.

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So far we have three chapters -- Los Angeles, New York and Orlando -- participating in this program. Who's next?