BDPA Twin Cities Chapter Success Grows in High School Computer Competition

The success demonstrated by BDPA Southern Minnesota chapter in winning four of the past five national BDPA High School Computer Competitions (HSCC) is truly remarkable. However a few hours north in Minneapolis, MN is an untold story that I've enjoyed watching just as much.

BDPA Twin Cities chapter president Aaron Young and the chapter HSCC coordinator Michael Wulf and co-coordinator Kelly Martin have been quietly, persistently and passionately working to create a youth technology juggernaut in Minnesota.

The HSCC team from BDPA Twin Cities chapter came in 19th place during the 2006 national competition held in Los Angeles CA.


The BDPA Twin Cities chapter went back home, studied harder ... and at the 2007 national competition held in Washington DC the team took home 14th place honors.

Persistence and dedication to the educational process was evident during the training in 2008. The team traveled to Atlanta GA for the national competition and walked away with a 9th place finish.


Many of the members of the BDPA Twin Cities chapter HSCC team were entering their senior year in 2009. For many, this might be their last competition. They didn't have the funds to purchase air tickets ... so they rented a van and drove over 20 hours to compete in the 2009 national championship held in Raleigh NC ... and they walked away with $1,000 Bemley Scholarships as a result of their 4th place finish.


The sky is the limit for this chapter's youth education program in 2010. Judging from their progression over the past four years ... we shouldn't be surprised if the 2010 national HSCC championship banner remains in Minnesota next year! If any of our BDPA corporate sponsors in the Minnesota area are reading ... now is the time to sign up as a sponsor for this chapter ... trust me!

Drops in Corporate Giving Exceed Forecasts

By Miriam Kreinin Souccar

Big corporations are cutting back their charitable donations more than they had expected to just six months ago.

In a survey conducted this month, 52% of corporations reported that they have cut their charitable giving because of the recession. Just six months earlier 42% of those same companies had predicted that their budgets for charitable giving would decline this year, according the LBG Research Institute, a nonprofit that conducts research on community investment. The move comes despite a big upswing in pleas for funds, with over 72% of the corporations reporting an increase in grant requests.

Corporations aren’t turning their backs completely. More than 84% of those surveyed say they are encouraging more employee volunteerism to offset the decline in company cash donations, and more than 48% have increased the number of volunteer events this year. Meanwhile, 15% report that they are increasing their in-kind donations of such things as meeting space and office equipment; and 12% are giving away more products.

What cash is still flowing is being given away under higher scrutiny. Almost half of the corporations report that they are emphasizing partnerships with nonprofits over straight cash donations. Half also note that they are paying more attention to measuring the impact of their largesse, holding the nonprofits accountable for results.

“It’s not just check writing anymore,” said Donna Devaul, executive director of LBG Research Institute. “Corporations want measurable results and are actively seeking nonprofit partners that can produce win-win, impactful programs.”

More than 70 major U.S. corporations participated in the survey.

Grant Recipient: BDPA Orlando ($850)

BDPA Orlando needed financial assistance for their 2009 Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program. BETF approved $850 grant funding to BDPA Orlando chapter.

The funds helped Orlando-based students participate in the Youth Technology Camp. Sadly, BDPA Orlando chapter has not had a national team in the high school computer competition (HSCC) since 2004. Our hope is that students who benefit from this grant will become participants in the chapter's 2010 HSCC.

BETF-Blog readers can do their part to help us with larger grants in the future by making a secure online donation or taking advantage of the annual United Way process at your corporate workplace.

The Institute for Responsible Citizenship Internships

The Institute for Responsible Citizenship is an intensive leadership program for America’s best and brightest African American male college students. Our mission is to prepare men to be exemplary citizens and leaders. We inspire them to pursue extraordinary career success, not simply for their benefit, but as a platform from which they can serve others. [Read More]

Twittering for a cause: Web 2.0 and its philanthropic impact

Facebook may have just reached the 250 million user mark, but Twitter is the real media darling.

From news coverage to business marketing and back to the personal stories that launched it, the many uses of Twitter have revolutionized the way society thinks about communicating, 140 words at a time.

Twitter’s newest incarnation, according to TechCrunch, is philanthropy.

While the Washington Post reports that Facebook’s version of social media philanthropy - the Causes application - has received less than stellar financial results, Twitter philanthropy (or "tweetraising") has already provided promising returns.

The power of Twitter, especially in terms of philanthropy, may lie in its ability to spread information like wildfire.

Read the rest of The Daily Tell article here.

Grant Recipient: BDPA Richmond ($8,500)

BETF is proud to announce approval of a $8,500 grant in support of the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program in Richmond, VA.

BDPA Richmond chapter president Jamar Arvin indicates that the funds will be used to support the students, volunteers and instructors involved in the national high school computer competition and youth technology camp taking place in Raleigh NC on August 5-8, 2009.

Did you know that BETF has given out $178,884 so far this calendar year to National BDPA and 13 local BDPA chapters? Our foundation exists to provide financial support to BDPA on a local and national level. Our thought is that your chapter volunteers should focus on program delivery while BETF volunteers can work on funding for your education and technology programs.

Is your chapter learning about BETF through our social networks like Facebook, Groupsite, Twitter or YahooGroup?

Message from Southern Minnesota Chapter President-Elect

The BDPA Southern Minnesota Chapter is celebrating 10 years of promoting professional development and administering student programs. Our goal is to help high school students gain knowledge, skills and competitive experiences in Information Technology. We are also committed to enhancing the services we provide in the Rochester community. We just returned from the National Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina as three-peat first place winners of the High School Computer Competition (HSCC) award. A great honor for our hard working students!

BDPA Southern Minnesota has much more in store, as we continue to build partnerships with stakeholders in our community.

Charlie Perkins, President-Elect
BDPA Southern Minnesota

Grant Declination: Honda of America Foundation

BETF recently learned that Honda of America Foundation turned down our grant proposal on behalf of BDPA Columbus chapter.

In 1979, as Honda of America began operations in Ohio, a charitable foundation was established at Honda of America to provide financial support to help address the unique needs of our local communities. The auto industry has been reeling over the past year ... so it is not surprising that funding from a foundation based in the auto industry didn't support our youth education program in 2009. Our hope is that we will be successful with Honda of America Foundation when we try again next year.

Honda said 'no' ... perhaps you can say 'yes'?

Grant Award: Wells Fargo

UPDATE: Wells Fargo requested a change in the distribution of this donation. The funding now includes support for BDPA Charlotte chapter as well.

[Original posting: Jan 6, 2009]

We are pleased to announce successful completion of $10,000 grant award from Wells Fargo.

Dwight Handon (National BDPA corporate sales department director) was instrumental in securing these funds. This funding from Wells Fargo will support National BDPA, BDPA Bay Area chapter and BDPA Twin Cities chapter.

Our hope is that other corporate foundations will be receptive to our discussions about funding BDPA programs and services in 2009. Please let us know if YOUR company's foundation might be interested in working with us.

In the meantime, I encourage you to use the COMMENTS section below to share some love with the men and women of Wells Fargo!

Grant Award: Northrup Grumman Foundation ($3,000)

BETF and BDPA Los Angeles chapter are proud to announce that Northrup Grumman Foundation agreed to provide us with a $3,000 grant. The grant award comes as a result of the grant proposal we sent to Northrup Grumman Foundation earlier this year.

The foundation wrote:

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Dear Wayne:

On behalf of Northrop Grumman Corporation, I am pleased to send check number 312217 in the amount of $3,000.00 to sponsor Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) Program.

Please complete impact report upon receipt of check.

Sincerely,
Keta Davis
Community Relations

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BETF would like to express our appreciation to Andree Justin. Andree was our internal champion within Northrup. She set an example that we hope all BDPA supporters will follow in the coming weeks and months.

BDPA Foundation Blog is a 2009 Black Weblog Award Finalist

I am proud to announce that the BDPA Foundation blog is a 2009 Black Weblog Award finalist in two categories: Best Business Blog and Best Science/Technology Blog.

Voting is open for all BETF-Blog readers thru September 1st.

The Black Weblog Awards founded in 2005 to give recognition to Black bloggers (and those of the African diaspora) which were largely overlooked by other Internet award events online. What started out as a barely-known event has now grown into an international showcase. With participants from over 90 countries, the Black Weblog Awards stands out as one of the most widespread Internet award events for Black bloggers.

Call to Action: Please click here and vote for our blog! Winners are announced during the first week of September.

Message from Detroit Chapter President

My first BDPA experience occurred in the Detroit chapter. I served as a chapter program committee chairperson under the chapter leadership of Diane Davis. Many years later I worked to bring the annual national BDPA technology conference to Detroit MI. - Wayne Hicks

BDPA Detroit chapter president Anquanette Clegg shared her post conference thoughts with her stakeholders in the message below:

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At the 31st annual National BDPA Technology Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, Compuware Corporation received an award for "Best Companies for Blacks In Technology".


Compuware also financially supported BDPA Detroit's Student IT Education & Scholarship (SITES) Program. With the funding, Detroit was able to send four (4) students (Matthew Clark, Jourdan West, Daniel Rothchild, and Darryn Brundage-Forrest) to participate in a Web Design competition. This year there were 23 teams, and Detroit's HSCC Team won 2nd Place. The Jesse Bemley Scholarship goes to the top five high school student teams competing in the annual national HSCC championships. The top five teams are those that received the highest team scores in the three phases of the HSCC competition (Oral, Written, and Programming competitions). Each member on the Detroit Team will receive a Bemley Scholarship award of $2,000 for college from the BDPA Education & Technology Foundation (BETF).

Thanks to all the members who volunteered your time for the program. Many of you spent countless hours interviewing and training students and helping with the local mock competition. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed and they are appreciated! A SPECIAL thanks goes out to Tonji Zimmerman, Detroit's HSCC Coordinator and Trainer. She's given up practically all of her Saturdays for 5 months, to train the students and her hard work truly shined at the Conference.

While the Chapter can't repay anyone for their efforts, I hope you can find comfort in the great achievement of the Detroit Team.

Last but not least thanks to Renee Kent who was the student's chaperone this year!

Congrats to Detroit's Board of Director's and Members! At the Awards Gala the Detroit Chapter was the 2nd runner-up for the Chapter of the Year award! The National BDPA Awards Program provides a means to recognize individual chapters and members for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the mission and objectives of the National organization.

Thanks to the chapter Board of Directors for all of your support. A SPECIAL thanks goes to Tamika Smith (Diva Designs) for her work in preparing and submitting the Award Booklet. I, as Chapter President, have never been so proud to represent an organization of leaders who have effortlessley worked on behalf of this great Chapter.

Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

SAVE THE DATES

• September 10th at 7:00 PM - Board of Director's meeting - If you are interested in attending you must send an email to detroit-secretary@bdpa-detroit.org.
• September 17th at 6:30 PM at Tech Town - Information Exchange Meeting - Further details will be sent soon.
• November 12th - Detroit's 1st Technology and Education Banquet - Details will be sent soon!

We are still looking for volunteers to join the 2010 Board of Director's! If you are interested in serving, please contact chapter president-elect Markita Wadley.

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It goes without saying that I have a soft spot in my heart for BDPA Detroit chapter. As such, it feels great to know that we will be issuing $2,000 Bemley Scholarships to the young men that represented Detroit chapter at the recent national high school computer competition (HSCC) held in Raleigh NC. However, we need some grassroots support from BETF-Blog readers if we hope to have this same level of Bemley Scholarships in 2010. Won't you consider making a secure online donation in support of our efforts?

US Navy Seeks Workforce Pipeline of STEM-Focused Students

It was obvious to me that the United States Navy was on a mission during the 2009 National BDPA Technology Conference held in Raleigh NC earlier this month. The Navy needs to ensure that the pipeline of young people going through the public education system is trained sufficiently in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum. Only a strong STEM-focused nation can work in the future Navy.

As such, it was truly wonderful to see the strong presence of the US Navy during workshops, career fair and the Awards Gala. Speaking engagements were conducted by Asst SECNAV BJ Penn, VADM Harry Harris (OPNAV N6), Mr. Terry Halvorsen (Deputy Commander, NETWARCOM), Mr. Bob Whitkop (Executive Director, NGEN), CAPT Kent Flowers (CO, NROTC Savannah State) and CDR Ben McNeal (Chief Engineer, NGEN). Each of these speakers provided a glimpse into the US Navy that was eye-opening for most BDPA attendees.

My hope is that BDPA and the Navy will continue to build on their strategic alliance. The BDPA Education & Technology Foundation (BETF) hopes to be useful in setting up this strong value-added relationship.


An immediate success story occured when a BDPA high school computer competition student, Raven Stevenson (shown in photo with BDPA Greater Columbia chapter teammates Sami Patel and Dominique Geiger) received a NROTC scholarship to study Bio-Medical Engineering at Duke University.

Other interesting ways that BETF can leverage a stronger relationship with the US Navy and BDPA's youth education programs:

• BDPA College Students transition to Navy commissions via the Baccalaureate Degree Completion Program
• Officer Candidate School and Naval Postgraduate School for college graduates in the information technology arena is to become Information Warfare officers to learn how to defend our nation from cyber warfare.
• High School members could go to Naval ROTC. Raven Stevenson earned her scholarship through the Immediate Selection Program for high school seniors with a 1250 SAT and other eligibility requirements. BDPA can send letters of endorsement on applicants with an SAT below 1250. Lower SAT candidates are selected through a selection board process. Does your chapter have any students with 1250 SAT score?
• Gaining admission into the Naval Academy is a more challenging process, but yields a significant reward. Some of the BDPA high school candidates may be offered Naval Academy Prep School which is a good deal and a direct path to an appointment. Don't be put off by the congressional appointment process. It is a process and there are a number of opportunities.

BDPA's youth education programs regularly engage with young people of Raven's stature and accomplishments. Methinks that we should be able to identify at least 10 other BDPA students from our HSCC Alumni. The opportunity should exist for many more NROTC scholarship presentations in the future. BETF plans to explore this opportunity with US Navy officials.

What is your view of the growing relationship between BDPA, BETF and the US Navy?

2009 National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) Rankings

The 2009 National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships were held in Raleigh NC. We had 23 teams competing in 2009 ... tied for the highest chapter participation with efforts in 2004 and 2008.

There were a number of technical challenges during the national competition the 2009 competition. However, national HSCC coordinator Danna Sturdivant and her team were patient, professional and persistent throughout the entire week ... and the competition was successfully completed.

All of BDPA-nation was reminded at the end of the week that any HSCC team must be at the top of their game to defeat the Rochester MN team ... BDPA Southern Minnesota won the 2009 National HSCC championship ... their 4th championship in the past 5 years. The five students (James Arama, Yaa Kwansa, Ahmed Mahamad, Daniel Sheppard and Adwait Walimbe) under the direction of their coach (Zack Garbow) and chapter president (Nat Calvert) proved to be too much for the other teams.

BDPA Detroit chapter earned their highest ranking since 2000 with their second place finish in this year's national championship. BDPA Washington DC chapter students earned Bemley Scholarships for the 4th year in a row with their third place finish this year.

BDPA Education & 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 23 teams that competed in 2009 national HSCC championships with the scholarship winnings for each student in parenthesis:

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

Our foundation seeks to increase the number of students that receive Bemley Scholarships in 2009 and beyond. To do so, we need your help. Please consider making an online donation to help us interest young people in science and technology.

Finally, I encourage you to share your thoughts and memories of the 2009 National BDPA Conference held in Raleigh NC with others in this online community.

Message from Philadelphia Chapter President

BDPA Philadelphia chapter earned 'Chapter of the Year' honors at the 2009 National BDPA Technology Conference. It was the third year in a row that the chapter earned this high honor. Monique Berry has been president-elect and president of Philadelphia chapter for the past four years. Her skills and leadership abilities were recognized by the BDPA delegates as she was elected to serve as National BDPA President-Elect for 2010-2011 ... and Monique will ascend to the National BDPA President in 2012-2013. Monique shared her thoughts about BDPA in her message to chapter stakeholders earlier this week:

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The 2009 National BDPA Technology Conference has been unanimously voted a great success. We all forged new friends and new business connections to our ever growing network in the IT community. Whilst many of us get to catch up at a variety of regional events during the year, our conference still proves to be the one place where we can guarantee to see so many of our old friends.

This was a year of firsts.

• The conference was held in a convention center for the first time.


• This was the first time the Navy was a conference sponsor.


• We received a $50,000 donation to our endowment fund.


• Our first Robotics and Technology Expo was a resounding success according to the children that attended.

For those of you who missed our career fair, you missed an opportunity to be interviewed by companies looking to fill positions now. Johnson & Johnson, WellPoint, Merck, and HP were a few of the companies represented. If you did not attend the conference it's not too late to add your resume to the BDPA resume database.

This was my most rewarding conference and I can't name one single defining moment without trivializing others so I'll just hit on a few.

I was extremely proud when many students told me personally, that I facilitated the "BEST workshop of their conference."

I advised the participants in my workshop to introduce themselves to all of the men and women wearing white uniforms, because they were Officers in the U.S. Navy that wanted to see the caliber of students participating in BDPA programs. Raven Stevenson, from the Columbia, South Carolina chapter, left Raleigh with an $180,000 scholarship which she will use next month at Duke University!

Our chapter received the Chapter of the Year Award for the third consecutive year and the Community Service Award for outstanding achievements and contributions to the mission and objectives of BDPA.

I received the Outstanding President Award for demonstrating a commitment of time, talent, effort and exceptional leadership skills to the National and Local Association. The selection criterion for this award is by vote of all the Chapter Presidents in BDPA.

The Philadelphia students spoke with the Honorable B. J. Penn, Assistant Secretary, United States Navy.


The Philadelphia students met Vice Admiral Harry Harris, USN, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Communications Networks, and all Naval IT related programs and resources.

I have been nominated and elected as the Vice President of Business Management and President Elect. This means that in 2012 and 2013, I will be the President of the National BDPA organization.

Our sincere thanks go to our hosts Rick Leggett and the Triangle team for providing a chapter sponsored event like no other in BDPA history. The comedians had us laughing out loud and the performance by Jennifer Holliday was spectacular.

If you missed this year's conference you have no excuse to miss it next year. We'll be right here in the City of Brotherly Love and pre-registration for the 2010 conference will open this week. BDPA members may pre-register for $200 until October 31, 2009.

Warm Wishes,
Monique Berry, president
BDPA Philadelphia Chapter

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I am very confident that Monique Berry has the vision and passion to move BDPA in a mission-centric direction over the next six years. I encourage all BDPA members and leaders to support her efforts to change the current organizational culture, metrics and results.

Students from Southern Minnesota Win Third Straight National High School Computer Competition

High school students trained by IT professionals in our BDPA Southern Minnesota chapter won the national high school computer competition (HSCC) held in Raliegh NC earlier this month. The Rochester, MN chapter is no stranger to this competition, having won three national HSCC championships in a row.

Their victory in 2009 was hard-fought. The team competed against 22 other teams from much larger cities across the nation including Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit and New York. The Southern Minnesota team, now having won the last four out of the five years, ranged in age from 14-18 and included students throughout the Rochester area school district.

This year's championship team included (L-R): Adwait Walimbe, Daniel Sheppard, Yaa Kwansa, James Arama and Ahmed Mahamad. These students earned their spot on the local competition team by obtaining the top 5 scores among nearly 50 students from the local area who completed the rigorous seven-month Youth Computer Training Program/High School Computer Science Course sponsored by ISD 535 and BDPA. Those students who fulfilled their High School Computer Science Course requirements will also receive High School Computer Science credit from ISD 535. This training program/computer course is totally organized and operated by volunteers.

The National BDPA HSCC Championships spanned 2 full days, including an oral and written round and followed by a 7-hour programming project. This year's project, which the teams had no advance knowledge of, required the students to write a web based application allowing potential investors to fill out a form to invest in a venture company and immediately determine potential return of investment, using programming languages such as Java, ASP, PHP, .NET in conjunction with MySQL, HTML and CSS. The Southern Minnesota team completed the programming project with the highest overall score ... which was 10% higher than the 2nd place team. Each student from the winning team received a $2,500 Jesse Bemley Scholarship from the BDPA Education & Technology Foundation (BETF) plus an additional $250 from the Southern Minnesota Chapter.

BDPA Southern Minnesota is a non-profit organization that started in 1999. The organization offers professionals, executives, entrepreneurs and students a pathway from the classroom to the boardroom through education, mentoring, business networking and services that enhance innovation, technical skills, business savvy and personal growth.

All of Rochester MN is invited to celebrate the championship team, other students in the Youth Computer Training Program and area high schools & college BDPA Southern MN Scholarship recipients on Sunday, August 16, 2009 at the Doubletree Ballroom, University Hall at 5:30pm. The keynote speaker will be Corey Bell of TriFusion Technologies. Dinner tickets are $25 for students and $45 for adults.

Thanks to all of partners and supporters for making this a reality. Special thanks to Mayo Clinic, Rochester ISD 535, IBM, Zack Garbow: Technical Director, Jongy Calvert: Administrator Director, BDPA Board of Directors, and the many volunteers/instructors, including: Toni Adafin, Brian Brownlow, Nat Calvert, Emily Dirks, Eltayeb Elzain, Sophia Farr, David Fowler, Vi Johnson, Chris Kundinger, Osman Omer, Marshall Sheppard and Ray Ventura.

BETF is very proud of these students and this chapter. They have demonstrated the power of planning and hard work. Our foundation has provided more scholarship dollars to BDPA Southern Minnesota students than any other chapter's students in our history. I wonder if other chapters will close the gap in next year's competition?

Wendy’s High School Heisman Scholarship

In This Issue...

Wendy’s High School Heisman Scholarship – DEADLINE IS OCT. 1 2009
(click link to retrieve the information)

To be eligible to apply, students must be a high school senior for the 2009-2010 academic year, graduating with the Class of 2010, have a cumulative GPA of 3.0, and participate in a school-sponsored sport. For more information, click here. The online application must be completed by the student and reviewed by a high school official no later than 5:00pm

More Recent Articles (click links to retrieve the information)

Horatio Alger Scholarship Programs --Deadline: October 30, 2009
Coca-Cola Scholarships -- Apply Now
The QuestBridge National College Match - Deadline: September 30, 2008
Preparing for the ACT/SAT Exams
Class of 2010 -- College Preparation Updates

Also visit:

Planning and Preparing for College (Scholarships, Internships, Etc) located at http://www.ctherd.blogspot.com/ for many more great opportunities on scholarships, internships, fellowships, etc. As always, share with others!!!

A mind is a terrible thing to waste....It only takes a minute to change a life....A change is about to come...Be a part of it......

Getting Familiar Via Social Media

Facebook can be "the greatest time sink in human history," said Sree Sreenivasan, multimedia professor and dean of student affairs at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. But the most popular online social network on the planet also can be an invitation into a prospect's life to which nonprofits didn't previously have access.

Sreenivasan suggests "friending" people on Facebook whom you would invite to a garden party, such as friends and business clients. The mistake that's often made, however, is that people give everyone access to the entire house, and not just the garden. "You'd like everyone at your party to use the Port-o-potty" outside, not have hundreds of people traipsing through your bathroom. Friending everyone you know on Facebook is like giving everyone full access to your bathroom, all the way to your medicine cabinet.

Read the full Nonprofit Times article...

HSCC Testimonial: Justin Bagley (Orlando)

We often talk about our youth being the key to the nation's future. I am proud to be part of an organization that turns talk into reality with a national high school computer competition (HSCC). These youngsters deserve scholarships that will help them get into college.

For example, Justin Bagley was a member of the 2004 HSCC team trained by BDPA Orlando chapter. Justin shared his remembrances about his experience:

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My experience at the BDPA Conference in Dallas, Texas was remarkable. It opened my eyes to the world around me. By that, I mean having the opportunity to interact with other minorities from across the United States who shared the same interest in technology as I did. What I got from that exchange with other students was valuable information on how to further myself in my career as well as a network of friends that I could turn to later in life.

In addition to that, the speakers that were present at the conference were impeccable and served as true role models of what hard work and dedication can lead to in ones profession. With that said, I would recommend BDPA to anyone of any ages because the values showcased in the organization transcend age.

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Wouldn't it be great if we could offer scholarships to more students like Justin? If you agree ... then perhaps you should turn talk into action also!

Grant Declination: The Jenesis Group

BETF and BDPA Middle Tennessee chapter submitted a letter of inquiry to The Jenesis Group earlier this year. The Jenesis Group told us that there was no need to submit a full grant proposal when they wrote:

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Dear Mr. Hicks,

I am writing in response to your request for funding submitted to our office for review. After careful assessment, we regret to advise that due to limited funds and other funding commitments we are unable to provide the support you seek.

I wish you every success and hope you will be able to secure the funding you need.

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We will continue to support BDPA Middle Tennessee and any other chapter that follows our 7-step grant funding process. In the meantime, I hope that you will consider helping our funding efforts with your secure online donation!

Grant Declination: UTC Foundation

BETF and BDPA Boston chapter submitted a grant proposal to UTC Foundation earlier in the year. We recently learned that our proposal has been declined when they wrote us:

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Dear Wayne Hicks of BDPA Education & Technology Foundation:

Thank you for participating in the United Technologies online grant request process.

UTC is committed to corporate responsibility, especially in communities where we do business. Our strategic giving program is aligned with this commitment as well as our business objectives. We support non-profits in the areas of math and science education, arts and culture, and the environment. Our geographic focus areas are Hartford, Boston, New York City, and Washington DC.

We have given your request careful consideration, but our budget is fully committed and we are not able to support your initiative.

Sincerely,
The Corporate Citizenship and Community Investment team

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BETF will continue to seek funding in support of BDPA Boston MetroWest chapter and the other 50 chapters in the nation. You can help by making a secure online donation!

'Ambition' by Justin Wulf (BDPA Twin Cities)

It has been wonderful watching the growth of BDPA students around the nation as they compete for the National BDPA High School Computer Competition. This year I was rooting for the young 'uns from Twin Cities. After all, they drove over 20 hours from Minnesota to Raleign NC in a cramped van in order to compete.

One of the members of the team is Justin Wulf. He shared the following note on his Facebook page:

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As the anticipation builds, my strengths become more clear to the eye, and my mind, satisfied, only to rely on self-judgment. The fight through pain and suffering is just a matter of my level of ambition. If you don't have ambition, you're just of waste of space in time. Time is not a factor, you are the piece entwined in time and only you can find the other pieces that fit within the puzzle you are trying to complete.

Ever since January of 2009, I've been training for this computer competition which is held in North Carolina this year. About 25 teams from across the nation will be crammed into one large conference room, each with their own computer and 5 team members representing the future leaders of tomorrow, heck, the leaders of today. You probably heard me speak the acronym, BDPA, before, and if you haven't, one of my previous notes I think explains it. The TWIN CITIES chapter of BDPA will make a name for their self this year, i can feel it.

Life throws you obstacles. You have two options. Find the strength, passion, and ambition to overcome those obstacles, or just accept them and let them slow you down. I see life EXACTLY resembling a relay race, or any type of race for that matter. We all have one goal. Reach the finish line. People have higher levels of ambition than others, and as you see others further than you are, you gain jealously. Learn to break that jealously and focus on finishing the race. There are always other races. But it's key that you finish the race, wither it's first or last. Don't ever give up. If you miss a hurdle and get knocked flat on your face, get up. And finish the race.

Ambition.

CEDRIC.
LOGAN.
D.
EMMALY.

Get READY!!!!!! it's on. let's show no mercy. Twin Cities stand up.

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The four names (Cedric, Logan, D and Emmaly) at the end of the note are the other members of his HSCC team. I am proud to report that the HSCC team trained by BDPA Twin Cities beat out 41 other teams to take home 4th place at the 2009 national HSCC championships held in Raleigh NC. Each member of the team earned a $1,000 Jesse Bemley Scholarship!

National BDPA Elects New Officers -- Congratulations to Monique Berry and Charles Moore

National BDPA held elections last week during the 31st annual BDPA Technology Conference in Raleigh NC. Monique Berry (Philadelphia) won a unanimous vote to serve as our National BDPA President-Elect (2010-2011). She will subsequently serve as national president in 2012-2013. Monique has been chapter president-elect (2006-2007) and chapter president (2008-2009) in Philadelphia over the past four year. It is worth noting that the chapter has won the highest accolades given out to a chapter -- Chapter of the Year -- in each of the past three years.

Monique added to her legacy by being named the 2009 BDPA Chapter President of the Year.

Monique goes into the national leadership arena with a great deal of momentum. It is my hope that she and the incoming national president, Yvette Graham (Chicago) will form a mighty union that will take BDPA to greater levels of measurable success in 2010 and beyond. We can no longer afford to stagnate ... as we've done over the past few years.

The delegates also voted in a new Vice President-Finance (VPF) last week in Raleigh NC. Charles Moore (Charlotte) won a tightly-contested election over current national VPF Monica Bowe (Cleveland). I am not as comfortable or confident that the delegates made the right decision. I tend to think that the majority of the delegates voted with their hearts and not their heads on this one. Charles is a great guy ... but, I think that he is wrong-headed about a number of his election objectives (e.g., "Obtain BDPA’s 501(c)3 tax status").

I hope that Mr. Moore proves me wrong. I hope that he becomes a strong and disciplined financial leader that inspires the trust and fealty of all BDPA members. Further, I hope that he figures out a way to keep Monica Bowe on his team in 2010-2011. That would be a great sign of leadership on his part.

Personally, I will miss serving on the National BDPA Board of Directors with Yvette, Monique and Charles. I understand that the delegates decided to remove the BETF Executive Director from the National BDPA Board of Directors. I think that it was a short-sighted move. However, it is consistent with the short-sighted direction of our current national leader.

Time will tell if BDPA can re-focus on the big picture when it comes to programs, services, membership and finance. I have the utmost in confidence in incoming national leadership team (Yvette and Monique). I hope that BDPA can survive the new few months until the new team is officially in place on January 1, 2010.

In the meantime, I will continue to focus on building a strong national foundation that can provide additional financial resources in support of BDPA's local and national education & technology programs in 2010 and beyond. I know that Yvette and Monique beleive in the BDPA Foundation. I hope that Charles will take time to figure it out before he takes office.

I no longer hold out hope for the current national leader. She could never see the vision for BETF as evidenced by her unwillingness to work in synergy with us over the past 20 months.

Anyhow, I hope that all BETF-blog readers join me in wishing the best of luck to Yvette and Monique as they begin transition planning for 2010. It should be a remarkable year of hope and change for all of us that love BDPA. What say u?

Review: 2009 National BDPA Technology Conference (Video)

Did you attend? What are your lasting memories from the conference?

Fresh Faces of Philanthropy

Camera crews swiveled their lenses and a crowd of a few hundred teenagers cheered when they saw Zach Bonner stride toward the White House, the final steps of a 650-mile fundraising walk to help homeless children.There was a pause, though, before the hero's welcome, and a brief detour: He had to use the bathroom. Zach is, after all, just a kid.

At 11, he's one of cadre of child philanthropists who seem to be growing in number and visibility as corporations and colleges reward their efforts to help others.

Read the full Washington Post article here.

BDPA Member Annette Yates Buys Small Business in Phoenix AZ

One of our earliest BETF donors was Annette Yates. Annette is a long-time leader of the BDPA Richmond chapter. She worked in the information technology industry for over 30 years when she decided last year to move to Phoenix, AZ to be closer to her children and grandchildren.

If you know Annette ... then you know she wasn't going to sit in a rocking chair on her front porch. As such, we are not surprised that she opened up a Curves franchise. Curves provides an exercise and weight control program designed specifically for women. Whether you’re interested in getting more exercise for health and general condition, or want to lose weight or tone your muscles, Curves can help you establish a regimen to help you meet your goal. [SOURCE]

I congratulated Annette on her foray into entrepreneurship. She replied,

Thank you Wayne! Believe me it came as quite a surprise to me, but you know, what God has for you is for you!! I love every moment of it!! I didn’t realize that I would have as much technology at my disposal until I was exposed to all of the facets executing the Curves business processes. This definitely is a perfect fit for me. I love working out, I love inspiring people to do their best and the technology was definitely an added plus!!

I must credit BDPA for the majority of my business process knowledge. After being in the various leadership roles and especially running the Richmond Chapter for 5 years has definitely paid off in my new entrepreneurship career. There was no way I could have stepped into this ownership position and have been as successful as I have been in such a short period of time unless I had the prior experience that I gained over these last 20 years in BDPA.

For more information, contact Annette Yates at (602) 470-4500. Of course, you can share your thoughts and remembrances of Annette's BDPA legacy here in this spot as well.

Philanthropy Goes Digital

Nonprofit organizations attempting to engage a new generation of philanthropists - youth who are plugged into a digital world and expect immediate results - are turning to social networking and digital technology to connect young philanthropists with those in need.

Two new websites (Seeyourimpact.org and jolkona.org)allow online donors to track and even witness the impact of their donations, with the premise that more people would donate if they could see what a difference even a small donation makes.

Read the full article here.

Kroger Community Rewards

Kroger has a plan to give back to nonprofit organizations in Ohio or Michigan.

It's Easy... just shop, swipe your card & earn!

Kroger wants to give back to the community. The retailer is committed to helping our communities grow and prosper. Year after year, local schools, churches and other non-profit organizations will earn millions of dollars through our Community Rewards Program. The Kroger Community Rewards Program was designed to make your fundraising the easiest in town by simply using your Kroger Plus Card.

Kudos to George Brooks for pointing this funding opportunity out to us. Please let us know if your chapter wants to participate in this fundraising opportunity.

The Extraordinaries: Will Microvolunteering Work?

Got five minutes? Got a cell phone? Want to do good? The Extraordinaries can help. It's one of a number of newly hatched social-media enterprises that champion speedy cooperation. Here is the 30-second elevator pitch: The Extraordinaries delivers microvolunteer opportunities to mobile phones that can be done on-demand and on-the-spot.

Read the full article here.

Grant Declination: Bank of America Foundation

BETF and BDPA St. Louis chapter submitted a $5,000 grant proposal to Bank of America Foundation last year. Since that time we have been in communication with the our contact at the bank on a regular basis. However, it appears that we will not get funding to support our grant proposal. We don't have a written declination letter from the Bank of America Foundation ... but, sometimes if you're being ignored that is as good a sign!

Bank of America Foundation is one of the largest in the nation. Please let us know if you have any advice on how we can be more successful with them in the future.

2009 National BDPA Technology Conference (Video)

Check out the 50+ page Journal Pre-Conference Highlights to get a taste of what's in store for you.
What are your thoughts about the 2009 conference in Raleigh?

HSCC Testimonial: Jessica Anderson (Twin Cities)

BDPA Twin Cities did not participate in the national high school computer competition (HSCC) for a number of years. That changed in 2005 when Jessica Anderson and her teammates stepped up to participate on the chapter's national team during her senior year of high school.

We were able to catch up with Jessica and ask her to share her thoughts on the HSCC experience. Here is what she wrote:

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My name is Jessica Merie Anderson and I am an incoming senior at the University of Alabama majoring in Management Information Systems with a minor in computer software systems. BDPA has been a part of my life since grade school and given me skills that have contributed to my success and landed me great opportunities!

At first, I could never understand why binary numbers, databases, ASP, PHP, and HTML were so important, let alone why I enjoyed going every Saturday to learn something so foreign to me. Although at times I found myself frustrated, I got up every Saturday morning because I enjoy the challenge, my peers, my instructors and the opportunity to learn something new. The best feeling to me is when a program that I constructed from scratch has no errors and runs! That is when I knew I connected information technology. BDPA has also helped to establish great relationships with potential employers, teammates, and other individuals interested in IT from around the country. I have met some of my closet friends to date through BDPA.

Learning how to program at BDPA has helped me in courses such as C++ and Java in college. I find myself less frustrated and more successful than my classmates because of my previous training. The programming skills and knowledge of technology that I learned in BDPA and in college have made me a more marketable candidate and set me apart from all other applicants when applying for jobs and internships! Programming is a skill that not many people learn how to do thoroughly, and yet so many people use various programs on a day-to-day basis for numerous tasks. I wanted to be part of the world that constructed programs and utilized technology to help make things better, faster, and cheaper.

Growing up, I wanted to attend medical school because at the time I felt that was the only way I could help people. Helping people is what I live for. As time progressed, I had change of heart as to what field of study I wanted to enter into. I realized that there are other ways to help people and making lives better, and that I did not have to go to medical school to do it.

My plans include graduating in 2010 with my bachelors, and applying to Accenture, Procter and Gamble, and Ernest and Young.

Thank You BDPA!

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I'm still amazed at a young 'un from Minnesota attending the University of Alabama. I imagine that Jessica experienced some serious culture shock in her freshman year!

Anyhow, I look forward to seeing the continued progress of Jessica from the 'classroom to the boardroom'. I hope that the recruiters at Accenture, P&G and Ernst & Young are paying attention!

Jennifer Holliday Stars in Concert to Benefit BETF Endowment Fund

BDPA Triangle chapter and BDPA Education & Technology Foundation (BETF) are very proud to present a Night of Laughter and Soul starring Jennifer Holliday on August 7, 2009 at the Progress Energy Center in Raleigh NC.





We encourage all conference attendees to purchase a ticket to the benefit concert on Friday, August 7. Will you be able to attend?

BDPA IT Showcase: TeraGrid Outreach through HPC Student Competitions (Bryan Bemley)

Bryan Bemley earned the 2008 BDPA IT Showcase (College Division) silver medal last year in Atlanta GA. His presentation, TeraGrid Outreach through HPC Student Competitions, provided insights that should be of interest to BDPA leaders around the nation.

Bryan is a member of BDPA Washington DC chapter. We asked him to share insights on his background and plans as it relates to the information technology industry:

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My name is Bryan Christopher Bemley. I am a twenty-year-old undergraduate currently attending Bowie State University in Bowie, MD. I have been using computers since the age of four. Ever since then, I have been deeply involved with the field of computing. I learned basic C programming in the fourth grade and continued through the sixth grade. I learned Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) in the sixth and seventh grades. I am still in the process of learning C, HTML, and other programming and scripting languages including C++ and Artificial Intelligent Markup Language (AIML).

I have presented in many local and national conferences in many different topics of Computer Science. Some of the topics include Genetic Algorithms, Neural Networks, Smart Toys, and Programming. Some of the conferences that I have presented at include the National Technical Association (NTA) computer conference, the National BDPA IT Showcase, World Multiconference on Systemics, Cybernetics, and Informatics (SCI), the District Of Columbia Computer Conference (DCCSC), and the International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN).

Some of the papers I presented in the past was entitled 'Solving the Traveling Salesman Problem using Genetic Algorithms' and 'Solving the Touch Sensor Problem using Lego Mindstorms'.

I am currently doing research in 3D modeling and animation, graphic arts and design, web design and development, and C and C++ programming. Some of my future goals are to start my own 3D animation and web development company and to develop computer applications that can make the use of a computer better for everyday life.

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Wouldn't you agree that this is a remarkable young man?