This Week in BDPA (Oct 31 - Nov 7)

BDPA has 45 chapters around the nation. You can always find programs, services or networking activity here or here. BDPA supports your efforts for career advancement in the IT industry. Our hope is that you will continue to support Our Cause!

Are you taking advantage of these programs? Here is a weekly preview of upcoming events gathered from the centralized BDPA calendar :

• Nov 3: Indianapolis - Program Meeting, 'What Big Businesses Need from Small Businesses'
• Nov 6: St. Louis - Fundraiser, 'Book Fair'

We encourage all BDPA leaders to take advantage of the centralized BDPA Groupsite Calendar to post your upcoming events! Please let us know of other BDPA events that we may have missed. Most importantly, let us know if you plan to attend any BDPA events this week.

Tech Corps Ohio

I learned about Tech Corps Ohio during a recent conversation with a member of the BDPA Columbus chapter leadership team. It was suggested that I get in touch with the Tech Corps Ohio state director -- Lisa Chambers. I used social networking to reach out to Ms. Chambers and we're scheduled to sit down with one another on November 18 to see if there are ways that BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) can support Tech Corps Ohio. I think that she is interested in expanding the concept to the greater Cincinnati area.

Anyhow, I thought I would share this orientation video with our BETF-Blog readers. It gives you some insight into what Tech Corps Ohio is all about.








Is there a Tech Corps operation in your state? Can you envision a strategic alliance between Tech Corps and your local BDPA chapter? What say u?

Career Coaching Webinar Offered by National BDPA on November 8, 2010

BETF-Blog readers are invited to join National BDPA for an exciting webinar on Monday, November 8th at 8:00pm EST.

Dr. Fay Cobb Payton, Director of the ITSMF Executive Protege' Program (EPP), will discuss the EPP program and mentoring opportunities. Dr. Payton was recently featured in Diversity Careers in Engineering and Information Technology for her mentoring work with minority doctoral students.

All BDPA members are invited to register for the webinar. Details can be found on the Global Database under events, and additional information available in the following flyer.

Flyer: Career Coaching Webinar (Nov 2010)

View more documents from Wayne Hicks.

Top 50 Amazing Tech Tastemakers

Soulclap to Angela Benton and the other leaders of Black Web 2.0 for creating a forum to identify and celebrate the Top 50 Most Notable African American Technology Tastemakers.

Black Web 2.0 tells us that tastemakers are the developers, the thinkers, and the risk takers. They're the entrepreneurs that sink their last dollar into their dream, the writers who report on it, and the evangelists that spread the word. Tastemakers are not influenced, they create influence and they do it through amazingly bold and innovative action. They are redefining the world of tech and ensuring the digital revolution will be televised, tweeted, blogged, and crowd-sourced.

Black Web 2.0 is seeking insights and feedback from you to determine the majority of the spots on this year's Top 50 Amazing Tech Tastemakers. If there's a person that should be included on the list, vote for them in "Submit Your Own Tastemaker". The tastemaker with the most votes will move to the top of the list.

I would love to see BDPA members represented on this list. After all, BDPA has been working to advance African Americans in the IT industry from the 'classroom to the boardroom' for over 35 years.  The BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) has given out $318,000 in scholarship funding to over 150 students since 1999.  Much of this work has been done under the radar.  Here is an opportunity to share some love for the efforts of BDPA over the years.   I noticed that @BDPA is currently one of the options for you to vote on. Anyhow, I encourage you to check out who made the list and submit your own!

Grant Recipient: BDPA Baton Rouge ($765)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that a $765 grant disbursement was recently approved for the BDPA Baton Rouge chapter. The funds will be used in support of the 2011 Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program in Louisiana.

BETF will continue to work closely with chapter president Randy Powe and chapter VP-Finance Glenda Chappell to obtain additional funds for the youth technology education programs hosted by BDPA Baton Rouge chapter.

We encourage the other 44 local BDPA chapters to aggressively seek funding in partnership with BETF!

Become a BDPA Lifetime Member and Be Part of the Founder's Club

One of my favorite moments at the 2010 BDPA Technology Conference in Philadelphia was the introduction of the Founder's Club. BDPA created the Founder's Club to honor 'lifetime members'.

The Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF) and Deloitte sponsored a private reception to congratulate the lifetime members. All members of the Founder’s Club were presented a certificate of participation and a unique memento designed by founder Earl Pace. Admiral Gary Roughhead, Chief of Naval Operations, was also there to congratulate each member.

There is still a window of opportunity for you to become a charter member of the Founder's Club. The Charter Member designation concludes on December 31st. I encourage all BETF-Blog readers to join this remarkable group right away!

Contact Mildred Allen, VP-Membership Management by email (vpmm@bdpa.org) or phone (800.727-2372) if you are interested in learning more about lifetime membership or the Founder's Club. Tell her that BETF sent you!

BDPA Foundation Announces 2010 Eli Lilly Scholarship Winners

The BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF), in coordination with Eli Lilly and Company, is pleased to announce the winner of the fourth annual Eli Lilly and Company Scholarship for BDPA Students. The two winners this year are Leslie Vasquez, a graduating senior at Pike High School and Gerardo 'Jerry' Dominguez, a Chicago State University senior majoring in Management Information Systems.


The purpose of the Eli Lilly Scholarship for BDPA Students is to recognize outstanding minority students, with an interest in information technology, who make significant contributions to society. Applicants must excel academically, show exceptional leadership potential, and make an impact on their communities through service to others.

“Eli Lilly and Company continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to the development of tomorrow’s leaders within the information technology industry,” said Wayne Hicks, BETF Executive Director. “The BDPA Foundation is pleased to work with Eli Lilly to help cultivate these future leaders. Our hope is that other corporations will contact us for similar scholarship opportunities”

Part of the application process is an essay that answers the question 'Why is Information Technology Important'. Leslie's essay focused on the development of nation's economy, environment and education. Click here for the full text of her winning essay.

Jerry's essay focused on the impact of the computer on information technology and society. Click here for the full text of his winning essay.

Previous Eli Lilly scholars were:

• 2009 - Carrine Johnson (Palos Verdes Peninsula High School) and Hung Vo (Georgia Tech University)
• 2008 - Khalia Braswell (North Carolina State University) and Christian West (Northwestern University)
• 2007 - Daniel Puente (Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center School of Business and Management) and Lee Reed (University of Michigan)

Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon Foundation

The Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon Corporation Foundation cares about the communities in which they operate. Working with nonprofit partners, local agencies and their global corporate neighbors, BNY Mellon invests in initiatives that make their communities better places to live and work.

Powering Potential, BNY Mellon's philanthropic focus, is designed to help others in need by concentrating on basic needs and workforce development. BNY Mellon works with its community partners to provide food, clothing, energy and housing assistance to those who require immediate help. The company's workforce development investments are designed to improve access to employment through job training, education, mentoring and skills development, adding a rung to the ladder of opportunity.

Grant requests are reviewed and awarded throughout the year. All requests must demonstrate impact in either or both of the focus areas: workforce development or basic needs provision. Applications are accepted by invitation only.

To apply for funding consideration, please submit a two-to-three page Letter of Inquiry containing organizational background, a brief description of the program or project, who will benefit from the program, geographic areas served and the requested amount.

Letters of Inquiry and other general questions about the Charitable Giving Program can be directed to powering.potential@bnymellon.com. Please include the registered name of the nonprofit organization or charity, the registered number (if applicable) as well as the geographic location served in the subject line of all e-mail correspondence.

Is your chapter city within BNY Mellon footprint? Do you have 'workforce development' aspects to your chapter's program? If so, this may be a decent funding source to consider. BETF operates on a first-come, first-served basis. What say u?

Message from Youth Technology Camp Participant

Kelly Cooke is a student member of the BDPA Los Angeles chapter. She participated in the chapter's youth technology training classes earlier this year. Although she wasn't a member of the chapter's 2010 national High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team ... she did take advantage of the opportunity to participate in the 2010 BDPA Youth Technology Camp (YTC) that was held in Philadelphia PA.

Kelly shared her thoughts on the experience with members of the BDPA Los Angeles chapter leadership team. We are publishing her message for the world to see:

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Dear Beverly, Temitope, John, and Rodd,

After all the Saturdays the students came in to learn about designing websites, I was happy for the people who were picked for the L.A. team. Although representing the BDPA Los Angeles Chapter would have been an honor, I still consider myself privileged to have attended the conference. This provided a great experience to meet students interested in the IT field.

Although, in the beginning I was not excited to go to the YTC Workshops, I am happy that I decided to participate. I participated in activities that I had not done prior to the workshop, talked to new people, and created memories. The activities that were planned for the kids that weren’t in the competition made us feel important and still a significant part of the conference. I loved the fact that none of the activities were boring or dull but instead, they were upbeat and exciting.

I want to thank you for a great class and for allowing me to experience part of the fierce BDPA national HSCC championship event. Honestly, I had a really great time in Philadelphia.

Thank you Beverly for being a really cool/chill chaperone :).

John, Temitope, and Rodd thank you for the Saturday classes, lunch every week, and the awesome trip to Philadelphia.

Sincerely,
Kelly Cooke

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BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) hopes that we will see at least 100 students at the 2011 Youth Technology Camp that will be held in Chicago IL. Will you help 'make it so'?

HSCC Testimonial: Brandee Lyles (Columbus, 2010)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) strives to share testimonials from any of the students who participated in the 2010 national High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship held in Philadelphia.

Today, our HSCC alumni testimonial is from Brandee Lyles, a young lady currently completing her senior year at Licking Heights High School. Brandee was a member of the national HSCC team trained by our BDPA Columbus chapter. Here are her thoughts on the experience:

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I truly enjoyed myself at the BDPA conference. To be honest at first I didn’t think I would have liked being there. I thought that it would be boring, just all work and no fun. In the end the whole trip turned out to be successful, even though I had to leave early, the time I spent there was very beneficial.

All the activities worked my brain and kept me on edge the whole time. I always looked forward to what was next, other than the long boring speeches. It was nice to be around other children that you could relate to and had somewhat similar interests. Most of the adults there were nice and helpful.

I believe the best part of the trip was the people I was around, my teammates (see above photo) and chaperons. I felt comfortable with all of them, all the laughs during dinner (we were dead during breakfast), the frustrations of trying to figure out why the code wasn’t working, even the staying up late then struggling to get up early in the morning. Plus who could complain about free meals? Overall I think my team and I worked very well together and I am looking forward to doing the program again.

HSCC Testimonial: Khadijah LoveJoy (2005)

Khadijah LoveJoy is a young mother entering her freshman year as a criminal justice major at West Virginia State University. She was a member of the high school computer competition (HSCC) team, trained by BDPA Hartford chapter, that took home the silver medal in the 2005 national HSCC championships held in Detroit.

She shared her thoughts on the experience with our blog:

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Back in the day it was said that women would be unfit for motherhood and marriage if they had a good education. It was a very old saying and it holds no truth in this age or time. Women with education succeed, prosper, and allow themselves to have more opportunities than those without education. And I can truly testify to this.

In 2004, I joined BDPA to further my education in IT and website building. I was one of the very few females from the Hartford Public Schools to join this “club” and become involved in the unthinkable. Unthinkable meaning: hard work, a job that took determination, a job that took persistence. I possessed all these skills but BDPA allowed me to show the skills I needed to be a “winner”.

I used these skills as part of the team that earned second place in the 2005 national HSCC champhionships. BDPA taught me to work as part of a team, become a professional in my work and further my knowledge in many areas outside of the classroom.

BDPA also gave me comfort to be around other youth that shared the same passion as me. I couldn’t get that in my school. I was considered a “nerd” ... an outsider. The program ensured me that “education is the key”. It had been one of the BEST programs I’ve been involved in. The program helped me build my leadership skills. I took risks, I panicked, I was scared when I got to Detroit for the national HSCC championships. But when I spoke to leaders and students from all over the U.S. they gave me comfort and guidance. I’ve learned so much from BDPA and still do to this day. I still use that knowledge I’ve gained.

Over the past six (6) years I held high positions in my school and at work because of my experience with BDPA. I used the layout skills that I learned with BDPA to serve as President and Layout Editor of my high school newspaper. I used the marketing and design skills taught by BDPA to land a job with a non-profit. BDPA has opened up so many doors for me over the past few years. And I thank BDPA by the grace of God for starting a foundation of knowledge for me that is allowing me to succeed.

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Khadijah is an example of the positive impact BDPA is having on our young people. However, we need your support if we hope to continue doing so. Share some love with Khadijah by making a secure online donation to the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF).

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.

This Week in BDPA (Oct 17-23)

BDPA has 45 chapters around the nation. You can always find programs, services or networking activity here or here. BDPA supports your efforts for career advancement in the IT industry. Our hope is that you will continue to support Our Cause!

Are you taking advantage of these programs? Here is a weekly preview of upcoming events gathered from the centralized BDPA calendar :

• Oct 18: Triangle - Program Meeting, 'What Does It Take to Be a Minority Entrepreneur'
• Oct 18: New York - Workshop, 'Creating Your Safety Net for the Internet'
• Oct 19: Cleveland - Program Meeting, 'Introduction to Community Partners in Northeast Ohio - LifeBanc and BRICK'
• Oct 20: St. Louis - Program Meeting, 'Network for Hire'
• Oct 14: Philadelphia - Program Meeting, 'Annual Recruiter's Roundtable'
  

We encourage all BDPA leaders to take advantage of the centralized BDPA Groupsite Calendar to post your upcoming events! Please let us know of other BDPA events that we may have missed. Most importantly, let us know if you plan to attend any BDPA events this week.

YourCause.com Supports BDPA Foundation Fundraising

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very proud of the growing number of people that care enough about BDPA programs and services to create a cause page showing their support. Our supporters include:

1. Elaine Ellsberry - Under construction
2. Shawn Franklin - Helping Our Youth Succeed in Science & Technology [BETF General Fund]
3. Wayne Hicks - Bringing Science and Technology to Our Youth [BETF General Fund]
4. Reggie Hillery - Inspiring Young People in STEM [Columbus Chapter Fund]  * NEW *
5. Brenda Johnson - Bringing Science and Technology to Our Youth [BETF General Fund]
6. Gibran McDuffie - Teaching Technology to High School Students [Chicago Chapter Fund]
7. Frantzy Jean Philippe - Exposing Students to Engineering and IT [New York Chapter Fund]
8. Stacy Stewart - Bringing Science and Technology to Our Youth [Dallas Chapter Fund]

Each of these supporters connected their cause page to the BETF charity page. As a result, BETF receives donations to support the operations of our foundation, our scholarships and our local BDPA chapters.

Each of the supporters shown above are making a difference for African Americans in the information technology industry who strive to advance from the classroom to the boardroom.

What are you waiting for? Why don't you create a cause page as well!

Letter of Inquiry * RGK Foundation (BDPA Chicago)

BDPA Chicago chapter and the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) agreed to submit a joint 'letter of inquiry' to RGK Foundation seeking $25,000 funding to support the 2011 SITES program in the greater Chicago area.

RGK Foundation awards grants for education-based programs that focus on formal K-12 education (particularly mathematics, science and reading), teacher development, literacy, and higher education. We feel that the youth education programs put on by our Chicago chapter match nicely with this focus area.

There are no geographic restrictions to the Foundation's grant-making program and most grants are awarded for a one-year period. Click here to view listing of recent grants awarded by the Foundation.

We will keep BETF-Blog Readers updated on our progress with this potential funding source.

20 Ways to be a Great Mentor

Generally I think that informal mentoring programs are better than formal ones.  However, I must admit that an exception to the rule is the ITSMF Executive Protege Program (EPP).  The mission of the EPP is to fill the next generation of African American executives.  EPP provides the mentoring and networking that mid-level IT managers need to advance their IT careers to the senior and C-level.  It is the only national mentoring program focused on cultivating executive talent among African American IT professionals.

I can vouch that one of the most important elements of personal and professional success is the influence of a sincere and caring mentor.  Mentoring not only helps build and support a foundation of success for the protege, it also provides a great opportunity for you to build your leadership skills and management.

A great deal of the success of the ITSMF EPP can be found in the fact that ITSMF mentors are primarily Black CIOs.   After all, to be an effective mentor, the protege has to have a true appreciation of the mentor and what she has achieved in life and in their career.

Mentors must establish an open and honest relationship where both have the freedom to be themselves.  With that freedom comes the ability to talk openly and share information that will help build the relationship into a positive and progressive one that can last a lifetime.

Here are 20 ways to be a great mentor:

1. Ask your protege to share specific items they can share with you to expand your horizons.
2. Be forgiving of your protegee, allow them to make mistakes.
3. Be sure to listen aggressively and encourage them to speak as freely as possible.
4. Challenge your protege to build in weak skills; provide rewards accordingly.
5. Demand that your protege operates at the highest personal and professional levels possible.
6. Don't try to provide answers, but rather effectively lead them to the right choices.
7. Have fun with your protege -- keep it light.
8. Help them identify clear goals and objectives for the year.
9. Help your protege see their growth and progress through your eyes.
10. Insist your protege read great stuff; share books and magazine articles to discuss and teach from.
11. Learn and share birthdays, holidays and special occassions in the year.
12.  Learn your protege's likes and dislikes to understand their fears and dreams.
13. Never allow them to make excuses or steer away from that which is ethical and moral.
14. Organize outings with them at least once per quarter.
15. Provide exposure to someone or something new and relevant.
16. Share 'life lessons', even the foolish ones you now regret.
17. Share your history of setbacks.
18. Speak favorably about your protege.  Expose them to others who are positive and progressive.
19. Spend at least an hour per month with your protege.
20. Take the time to learn their family background.

Anyhow, I encourage any BETF-Blog reader interested in attaining Senior or Executive level leadership positions in information technology to check out the ITSMF EPP.  For more information about the ITSMF Executive Protege Program, contact the EPP coordinator by email (epp@bdpa.org) or phone (800.727-2372).

What is your personal experience with the mentoring process?

Cardinal Health Foundation

Since 2001, Cardinal Health and the Cardinal Health Foundation have contributed more than $150 million in cash and product donations to non-profit organizations, domestically and abroad.
This foundation focuses their philanthropic efforts on three program areas that are:

1. Essential to Healthcare: improving healthcare efficiency, enhancing quality and enabling cost-effectiveness;
2. Essential to Wellness: building healthy communities; and
3. Essential to Community: connecting the company’s employees to their communities in meaningful ways. They also work through international agencies donating product for humanitarian efforts.

Contact information:


Cardinal Health
c/o Community Relations
7000 Cardinal Place
Dublin, OH 43017
Email: communityrelations@cardinalhealth.com

It appears that this funding source would only be useful for BDPA if your chapter has Cardinal Health employees that are active with BDPA. Does this apply to your chapter?

RGK Foundation

The RGK Foundation is an independent Foundation established in 1966 by Ronya and George Kozmetsky. For many years,the Foundation's primary focus was medical and educational research without geographical restriction.

The Foundation's focus has broadened over the years and now includes areas of Education, Community, and Medicine/Health. Interests within Education focus on formal after-school tutoring integrating technology into curriculum, teacher development, and higher education. Within Community, the Foundation supports a broad range of human development programs and community improvement programs.

My review of their website indicates the BDPA programs are most likely to fit into the 'Community' category.

RGK Foundation no longer accepts unsolicited grant proposals. All applicants must complete an electronic Letter of Inquiry as the first step. There is no deadline for submitting an electronic Letter of Inquiry. Foundation staff reviews electronic Letters of Inquiry on an ongoing basis and typically responds within two days, although the foundation asks that you allow up to two weeks for a response.

You can see the 2008 grant recipients on page 28 of their 990-tax return. This list gives an idea of the size of grant funding successfully rec'd by organizations in the past.


1301 W 25th St, Ste 300
Austin, TX 78705
(512) 474-9298
shaffey@rgkfoundation.org
Suzanne Haffey, Grants Associate

I encourage BDPA chapter leaders or national business area leaders to visit their website to see if they feel any synergy with RGK Foundation. If so, we can submit online letter of inquiry. BETF operates on a first-come, first-served basis. So, don't procrastinate with your online research!

Grant Recipient: BDPA Dallas ($880)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) approved an $880 grant disbursement request from BDPA Dallas chapter. The funds will be used to allow a chapter representative to attend the annual High School Computer Competition coordinator's meeting set to take place in Naples FL later this year.

Grant Proposal: Druckenmiller Foundation (New York)

Last year, billionaire fund manager Stanley F. Druckenmiller shifted $700 million of his own money to his family foundation.


Druckenmiller Foundation
Address: 40 W. 57th Street, 25th Floor
New York, NY 10019-4001
Phone: (212) 830-6650

Before the transfer, the Druckenmiller Foundation had assets of about $6.5 million. Transferring a quarter of his reported net worth to the nonprofit earned Druckenmiller the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s No. 1 ranking of largest individual charitable contributions in 2009. Druckenmiller joins other billionaires, including Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates and Citigroup Inc. Chairman Emeritus Sanford Weill, who have stepped down from top executive jobs to devote more time to philanthropy.

After reviewing the foundation's 990-tax return we decided to submit a $10k grant proposal seeking support for the youth education programs delivered by our BDPA New York chapter.   Our hope is that the Druckenmiller Foundation will be open to consideration of our funding request. Wish us luck!

Newsletter: BDPA Northern Delaware (Aug 2010)

Newsletter: BDPA Northern Delaware (Aug 2010)

View more documents from BDPA Foundation.

This Week in BDPA (Oct 10-16)

BDPA has 45 chapters around the nation. You can always find programs, services or networking activity here or here. BDPA supports your efforts for career advancement in the IT industry. Our hope is that you will continue to support Our Cause!

Are you taking advantage of these programs? Here is a weekly preview of upcoming events gathered from the centralized BDPA calendar :

• Oct 12: Gr Columbia - Program Meeting, 'How to Find and Win Grants'
• Oct 13: New York - Networking, 'BDPA Meet & Greet'
• Oct 14: Cleveland - Program Meeting, 'Building a Strong Network'
  

We encourage all BDPA leaders to take advantage of the centralized BDPA Groupsite Calendar to post your upcoming events! Please let us know of other BDPA events that we may have missed. Most importantly, let us know if you plan to attend any BDPA events this week.

Google Code-In

Soulclap to BDPA Chicago chapter member Bruce Montgomery for pointing us to Google Code-in.  Google created this contest, starting on November 22, 2010, to introduce pre-university students to the many kinds of contributions that make open source software development possible.

How cool would it be to see some of our BDPA students engaged in this contest? Our students are quite capable of producing a variety of open source code, documentation, training materials and user experience research. Google Code-in tasks include:

1. Code: Tasks related to writing or refactoring code
2. Documentation: Tasks related to creating/editing documents
3. Outreach: Tasks related to community management and outreach/marketing
4. Quality Assurance: Tasks related to testing and ensuring code is of high quality
5. Research: Tasks related to studying a problem and recommending solutions
6. Training: Tasks related to helping others learn more
7. Translation: Tasks related to localization
8. User Interface: Tasks related to user experience research or user interface design and interaction

You can learn more from the Google Open Source Blog or by subscribing to the contest  announcement list for updates.

Grant Proposal: Waste Management Charitable Foundation (Columbus)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) partnered with BDPA Columbus chapter on a $5,000 grant proposal to the Waste Management Charitable Foundation.  We need the funding to support the chapter's youth education programs in Ohio's capital city.

We should have an answer by late November.  Wish us luck!

Grant Declination: Ohio National Foundation (Cincinnati)

We recently learned that Ohio National Foundation did not approve our grant request. BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) partnered with BDPA Cincinnati on a $5,000 grant request to Ohio National Foundation in an effort to partially fund STEM-based youth education programs.

The declination letter read as follows:

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Dear Mr. Hicks,

Our Contributions Committee met recently to consider outstanding requests and I am sorry to inform you that The Ohio National Foundation will be unable to provide a contribution to BDPA Education and Technology Foundation.

We are sorry we cannot aid you in your endeavor; but, as you may understand, we receive many such requests and are unable to honor them all.

Best wishes in your fund raising endeavors.

Sincerely,
Anthony G. Esposito

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BETF will continue to seek funding to support operations in our Cincinnati chapter. However, you can help us right away if you so desire. Please consider making a secure online donation to support our efforts!

Microsoft: Elevate America Community Initiative

Microsoft recently announced the availability of a request for proposals (RFP) for the Microsoft Elevate America community initiative. Microsoft will contribute $4 million in cash and up to $6 million in software, plus technology skills training curriculum, over the next two years to support nonprofit organizations providing IT skills training in their communities to help people improve their skills and find employment.

Organizations may request between $100,000 and $250,000 cash, not to exceed 50 percent of the program’s total cash budget. Additionally, software and curriculum can be requested as part of this process. The grant request should be commensurate with the proposed program design and scale.

Since 2003, Microsoft has been committed to providing IT skills training to individuals across the country. In partnership with thousands of nonprofit organizations, they’ve reached more than 27 million people. Through the Elevate America community initiative Microsoft will continue to expand and deepen their IT skills training investments in the U.S. by working with organizations that seek to grow their reach with programs that have the ability to scale and leverage partnerships at the local, regional and national level.

For this request for proposal process, Microsoft wants to partner with organizations who serve people in underserved communities - individuals with limited or less than average (compared to the relevant broader population) access to the education and training resources required to meet the needs of local labor market demands. Microsoft has a particular, but not exclusive, interest in working with partners who are focused on the needs of women and young workers (ages 18-25) who are at an even greater risk within the broader population.

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) encourages you to review the RFP and eligibility criteria on the Elevate America website.

Interested organizations have until October 8, 2010 to apply to this initiative and successful applicants will be announced in January, 2011.

Microsoft is doing some important work in communities across the country and around the world and I hope that BDPA can make the connection with them this year!

Oracle Scholarship Winners in BDPA Atlanta Chapter

BDPA Atlanta High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team members Trene Long-Reed and Hung Vo were each awarded $1,389 in scholarship funding from Oracle Corporation to pursue degrees in the fields of science and technology. The scholarships were presented to each of the students at the chapter's 2009 annual awards banquet.

Hung plans to use his scholarship for his continued studies at Georgia Tech University.  Trene will use her scholarship to offset the expense needed to attend college once she graduates from Redan High School.

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation remembers the talents of both youngsters.  BETF provided an Eli Lilly Scholarship to Hung in 2009 and we are holding a Bemley Scholarship (earned in 2008) for Trene.

You can learn more about BDPA Atlanta chapter here.

Newsletter: BDPA New York (Sep 2010)

Newsletter: BDPA New York (Sep 2010)

View more documents from BDPA Foundation.

BDPA New York HSCC Team Meets Chief of Naval Operations

Student finalists from BDPA New York Chapter High School Computer Competition Team speak with Admiral Gary Roughead, CNO, during the 35th annual BDPA Awards Gala Reception.

Pictured above (L-R) are Nicholas Reid, Kevin Rey Castillo, Cazemba Richards, and Alan Rosales with the Admiral.

PSEG Foundation

Good corporate citizenship is one of Public Service Enterprise Group's (PSEG) core values and an integral part of the Company’s way of doing business. One way in which PSEG demonstrates its community engagement is by providing funding to nonprofit organizations. Through the PSEG Foundation and the PSEG's Corporate Event Funding, PSEG supports a variety of programs in areas that align with PSEG business strategies. Contributions made to nonprofit organizations are viewed not merely as gifts, but as strategic investments.

The PSEG Foundation invests in programs that support education, the environment, community development and economic development. Organizations with programs that meet these criteria can apply online (required) from January through October. Completed applications will be forwarded internally to the appropriate PSEG representative. Please read our priority area descriptions and other criteria carefully. Feel free to print our list of application questions and shortcut tips before applying.

In the Education arena, PSEG’s main focus areas are: workforce development for K-12 or higher education; science/technology/engineering/math (STEM) programs; and, limited funding for special youth programs providing education to underserved populations. This seems to be a nice match for BDPA SITES program.

It appears that this is a funding source that only works for our BDPA New Jersey chapter if they are interested in partnering with BETF on a grant proposal.

Best Buy Children's Foundation

The mission of the Best Buy Children's Foundation is to improve the lives of youth aged 5-18 in communities where Best Buy maintains a business presence. The Foundation awards grants to nonprofit organizations with innovative approaches to developing life skills in young people through education, mentoring, and leadership development. Funds can be used for: program development; direct project support; specific curriculum development; and scholarship aid for participants in life skills or mentoring programs.

The Foundation typically awards grants ranging from $2000 - $10,000 to nonprofits.

Is your chapter eligible and interested in exploring this funding source?