One-hour tutorials are available in more than 30 languages. No experience needed. Ages 4 to 104. Great marketing opportunity for BDPA on a local or national level!
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Schedule an Hour of Code, December 8-14, 2014
One-hour tutorials are available in more than 30 languages. No experience needed. Ages 4 to 104. Great marketing opportunity for BDPA on a local or national level!
Monday, September 29, 2014
Letter of Inquiry: Exelon Foundation (BDPA Chicago)
Our letter of inquiry sought permission to submit a $5,000 grant proposal for our BDPA Chicago chapter.
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Grant Proposal: BlueCross BlueShield of Alabama
Our grant proposal asked the company for partial funding of the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program in Birmingham. The objective of our SITES program in Birmingham is to effectively use technology to stimulate and sustain the interest of young people in science and technology. SITES works with children from disadvantaged backgrounds to provide them with science, technology, engineering and math skills development needed to be productive, engaged members of our future workforce.
BDPA Greater Birmingham has already identified other funding sources that they want to approach for funding of its 2015 SITES program. BETF encourages all 46 local BDPA chapters to aggressively partner with BETF on these grant proposals. In the meantime, shower your good thoughts on BDPA Greater Birmingham as they seek to raise $27,720 in the near-term!
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Grant Declination: Sprint Foundation (BDPA Dallas)
Unfortunately, our grant proposal was declined. The declination letter read as follows:
Thank you for submitting a grant request for the 2014 Sprint Local Giving Grant Program. We had an overwhelming response to our program and received applications from non-profit organizations all over the area. As you can imagine, the allocation process was difficult.
All applications were scored by a team of internal reviewers. We regret to inform you that your application was not selected by the review committee to receive funds.
We will post a list of the grant applications that were funded on www.sprint.com/localgiving by November 30 and I encourage you to visit our site to learn more about the projects that received funding from Sprint.
Sprint is committed to supporting great youth development, arts and culture and environmental stewardship programs in local communities. I encourage you to apply for funding during next year's Sprint Local Giving Program. We will notify you via email of the key program dates and any changes to the grant program.
Again, thank you for submitting an application for the 2014 Sprint Local Giving Grant Program and best wishes for a great year.
Sincerely,
Ralph Reid
President & Executive Director, Sprint Foundation
BETF will continue to aggressively pursue funding for all 46 local BDPA chapters. However, God loves the child who has his own ... so we encourage you to support BDPA scholarship programs by making a secure online donation!
Friday, September 26, 2014
Who and What is BETF?
BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF or BDPA Foundation) is a 501(c)3 non-profit charity, founded in
1992 to support the education and technology programs of Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA).BETF recognizes that to close the gap of computer and technology literacy, youth of African descent must participate and compete in today’s digital economy. We want students from historically disadvantaged communities to learn advanced computer science and community responsibility from any of the BDPA chapters located around the nation.
In 1986, we began developing high school youth for future entrance into the IT industry through the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program. Annually, w
e train up to 900 of these students in after-school computer camps on the latest computer and Internet website developing languages as well as the much-needed industry knowledge and presentation skills.In addition to the computer camps, we encourage each of the BDPA chapters to bring 5-person teams to the annual BDPA Technology Conference to demonstrate the skills they have learned. The students from the best-performing teams at this annual High School Computer Competition (HSCC) earn Jesse Bemley Scholarships that they can use for post-secondary education. We are very proud of the alumni from this annual program.
Recently, the BDPA Foundation created an Endowment fund with the intent of increasing the number and size of the scholarships awarded these students. The scholarships target our young people seeking a degree in Information Technology or related discipline at accredited colleges or universities. The local BDPA chapters assist and encourage future IT Professionals through college and into the IT Industry. We ask these HSCC alumni to come back and help train the next group of SITES participants. This cycle comprises our “Classroom to the Boardroom” concept.
BETF is led by a powerful and innovative board of directors. However, we are fueled by the donations made by supporters like you!
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Hewlett-Packard Renews Platinum Sponsorship Investment in BDPA
HP is pleased with the sponsorship benefits that they have received from BDPA as well.“I am honored to announce Hewlett-Packard as a Platinum Level Sponsor. With the support of organizations like Hewlett-Packard, BDPA continues to bring quality programs and technological careers to its members through its local chapter communities. It is my pleasure to announce this sponsorship,” said National BDPA president Dr. Craig Brown.
"National BDPA provides an environment for our youth to explore the realm of possibility when it comes to careers, challenges and opportunities in science and technology. I have seen firsthand how this type of environment instills confidence and fosters creativity. The students participating in BDPA today are investments in the IT professionals of tomorrow that will fuel innovation and drive business outcomes. HP is proud to support an organization that places such a high value on education and development of IT professionals. This is our fifth year as a Platinum Sponsor,” reported Jeff Henderson, HP executive director.Founded in 1975, BDPA is the premier organization for African American professionals in the information technology industry. BDPA continues to bridge the digital divide by providing career growth and development opportunities for its members.
To become a sponsor like HP or to learn more about BDPA sponsorship opportunities, please contact BDPA Corporate Sales Team by email (corpsales@bdpa.org) or (301.584-3135 x108)."As an HP employee, it has been and continues to be an honor to partner with National BDPA. Their commitment to advancing youth in technology, as well as providing opportunities to network with professionals in the IT industry throughout the country speaks volumes about the character of the organization,” stated Robert Gavin, HP business consultant. “BDPA fosters an environment of education, hands-on learning, and growth in many areas of technology for all its youth and adult members. Partnering with National BDPA has been one of the most rewarding endeavors of my professional career,” Mr. Gavin added.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Future Face of Technology: Polite Stewart, Jr. (Southern University)
He plans to pursue a career in biotechnology that will allow him to apply the science he loves to the real world. He is currently programming for BL7.3.3(SAXS/WAXS),providing user support, completing mechanical work and devising research proposals as a Post-baccalaureate Fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
BDPA Birthday Love for Milt Haynes
Milt is a husband, father, grandfather, brother and son. He is also one of the hardest working brothers in BDPA. I think it is fair to say that Milt has raised more funds for BDPA through corporate sales than anyone in the universe.
I appreciate Milt because he served as my BDPA mentor from 1999-2001 when I served as president of the BDPA Cincinnati chapter. We rejuvenated the chapter from oblivion to the second largest chapter in the nation ... and much of the success is due to Milt's willingness to share best-practice information from BDPA Chicago chapter.
Milt will be a member of the BDPA Hall of Fame at some point. For now, we honor him here in cyberspace.
Please share your memories of Milt and wish him a happy birthday!
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
BDPA iRadio Show - September 23, 2014
BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very proud to be the creator of the BDPA iRadio Show. You can listen to the archive version of the show using the widget shown in the right-hand sidebar of this blog. FREE download from the iTunes Store is also available for our listeners!
Check Out Technology Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with BDPA on BlogTalkRadio
The guest on the September 23rd show:
We hope you enjoy the insights and commentary on the show from each of these guests. Please take a moment to post a comment to let us know that you care!
Monday, September 22, 2014
NCWIT's Accepting Applications from Technical Young Women
Criteria and Eligibility
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| BDPAer Hadiya Harrigan won in 2014 |
Prizes
Each award recipient receives recognition at an award event, scholarship and internship opportunities, access to a peer network of technical young women in the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Community (sponsored by Bloomberg), and various other prizes — computing resources, gadgets, sponsor swag, engraved awards and certificates, and more. Additionally, National Award recipients receive:
- $500 in cash
- a laptop computer
- a trip to attend the Bank of America Technology Showcase and Awards Ceremony in Charlotte, North Carolina on March 7, 2015
- an engraved award for both the student and her school
- networking opportunities with Bank of America employees
Students can apply online at http://bit.ly/AiCHSAward no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on November 2, 2014.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Technology is the New Basic
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Kai Dupé |
Technical Trainer at Riversand Technologies
Cross-posted from LinkedIn Network
I was having a discussion via Facebook recently regarding technology integration in our schools. Many people still wish to hold on to this notion that our schools should not focus on technology and just focus on the basics. They are mistaken. These attitudes are why the digital divide still persists. I am so tired of hearing this silly argument.
This mindset must be changed. And to be honest I spend a great deal of time trying to change this mindset. I do not want the next generation of our young people to be the designated serfs of the information age. What exactly are the BASICS? Most folks would define the basics as reading, writing and arithmetic.
So, the idea is that we should not teach our young people about technology but focus on the basic subjects. Here is the problem with that. Do you think those subjects are taught without using technology? What exactly do these folks think a chalkboard, a pen, a book, a pencil or an overhead projector is. These things are technology.
What do you consider the basics? What do you consider technology? There is no such line between learning the basics and using technology. This is why I used the word INTEGRATION. It should all be one and the same the way it was when we learned in school. We did not learn 'the basics' sans technology.
No one said learn how to read, and you can use the technology (book) after you learn to read. No. You learned to read from a book. And now you may learn to read a Kindle or a iPad. Please tell me what is the difference?
Take a look at the comments from a PhD student in Carnegie Mellon's Computer science department regarding the teaching of computer science in our schools. These comments are from a recent study:
"The point is not that every student needs to become a computer scientist, but that all students have the basic knowledge they need to understand an increasingly technological world", said Leigh Ann Sudol, a PhD student in Carnegie Mellon's Computer Science Department and another study co-author.Make no mistake about it technology is the new basic.
Saturday, September 20, 2014
H.O.P.E. Project Founder Selected as BDPA Washington DC Member of the Year
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| Raymond Bell |
Based in the District of Columbia, The H.O.P.E. Project is a unique technical career training operation designed to rapidly prepare socially and economically disadvantaged young adults ranging in ages from 18 to 24 for rewarding careers with advancement as Help Desk Technicians and Application Support Professionals with information technology industry bona fides, CompTIA certifications, or security clearances.
Mr. Bell will be honored at the chapter's National Championship Awards Gala and Fundraiser on November 12, 2014
Friday, September 19, 2014
Grant Declination: Vulcan Materials Company Foundation
BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) partnered with BDPA Greater Birmingham chapter to submit a grant proposal to the Vulcan Materials Company Foundation seeking $5,000 funding to support the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program in Alabama.
Vulcan Materials Company Foundation seeks to “be a good corporate citizen in each community in which we operate. We will support and take an active part in public and charitable projects.” Vulcan established the Vulcan Materials Company Foundation in 1988 to assist in carrying out that mission. Because contributions made by the Foundation are corporate-based business dollars, it is essential that they be made in a planned and consistent manner that best serves the combined interests of Vulcan and the communities in which they operate.
BETF and BDPA Greater Birmingham understood that Vulcan was interested in efforts to encourage young people to develop an interest in math, science and business. The Foundation, therefore, gives consideration to proposals designed to help maintain students’ curiosity and excitement about the world of math and science and to explore the world of industry and business. The Foundation is particularly interested in helping young people and their teachers understand the relevance of math and science to society, and supports efforts to link these subjects to their application in the workplace. The Foundation also will consider programs designed to educate our students about the vital role of business and industry in society.
In any case, we learned that our grant proposal has been declined. The Vulcan Foundation wrote,
Dear Mr. Hicks,
Thank you for your recent proposal to support the BDPA Greater Birmingham Chapter’s SITES program. Unfortunately, the Vulcan Materials Company Foundation budget has been established for 2014. In addition, Vulcan supports STEM education in our operating areas locally and across the country through our adopted schools and programs. While we understand the importance of your work in our community, we must decline participation at this time. We will you success in securing the funds you seek for your program.
We wish you success in securing the funds you seek for your program.
Sincerely,
Carol B. Maxwell
Secretary/Treasurer
Vulcan Materials Company Foundation
BDPA Greater Birmingham chapter president LaDonna Crum is aggressively working with BETF on other funding opportunities. However, we encourage the readers of this post to consider making a secure online donation to support the efforts of Birmingham Blacks in technology as they seek to lift up our young people from the classroom to the boardroom.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Corporate America, Your Future STEM Professionals Aren’t Attending Career Fairs Anymore
Undergraduate enrollment in computer science programs continues to rise impressively, growing by double digits year-over-year. Pair that with the fact that employer demand for computer science majors is very steep - with CS majors earning some of the highest starting salaries in the country - it's obvious that computer science and engineering knowledge is more valuable today than ever before. So why are universities and employers alike scrambling to keep up? Why is it seemingly so difficult to find skilled developers?
Read the rest of this TechCrunch article.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Member on the Move: Denise Hamilton (Columbia University)
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| Denise Hamilton |
Denise did her part to help BDPA student members 'win the future' and become the best that God has planned for them for a number of years. Denise was the coordinator and lead instructor for seven years. She impacted the lives of hundreds of students that participated in her chapter's computer camps. She brought many students, including Khadijah Celestine, Alan Rosales and Nicholas Reid to compete in the national High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships.
We asked BDPA New York chapter past president Renetta English to share her thoughts on Denise:
"Denise Hamilton has been a loyal and giving member of the BDPA New York Chapter. She was our dedicated Director of Education & Community Outreach for a number of years. Denise wore many hats in the chapter because she managed and was an instructor for our very successful Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program.
Denise & Renetta
Denise was one of the first members at chapter meetings and events. She was always available to represent the chapter as a presenter for many topics including Career Development, Cyber-Security and Business Continuity.
Denise was a multifaceted cornerstone of our annual HSCC program. She spent many weekends being a true mentor to our students. Denise is so phenomenal because she is still mentoring students that have moved on to their college and professional careers. Denise believes in supporting young people to ensure their future success in life.
Earlier, I mentioned that Denise was a dedicated member of BDPA New York Chapter. Let’s be frank, it takes money to send our students to regional and national conferences. There was a time when the chapter did not have any money to send our students to conferences. So, what did Denise do? She lent the chapter hundreds of dollars to ensure that our students were able to showcase their talents at conference. Denise was so patient with us and she waited many years to be reimbursed.
Again, I can only say Denise is a phenomenal woman and friend that has shared her time, talent and treasure with not only our students but with the members of the BDPA New York Chapter.
She is truly appreciated for all that she has done and truly deserves to be recognized."
Denise Hamilton has a powerful BDPA legacy! I encourage you to honor her efforts by making a secure online donation in support of the BDPA New York HSCC Scholarship Fund!
Happy Birthday: Earl Pace (BDPA Founder)
I join BETF-Blog readers in wishing a glorious birthday to our visionary leader and founder -- Earl A. Pace, Jr. All current BDPA members and leaders should take a moment today to reflect on our organizational legacy ... the shoulders on which we stand today ...
I don't know the year of birth for Mr. Pace. I do know that National BDPA only had one
president in the 1970s...
I don't know the year of birth for Mr. Pace. I do know that National BDPA only had one
president in the 1970s...Earl Pace served as our national leader from 1976 thru 1980. Earl has been in the Information Technology (IT) industry since 1965. He began as a computer programmer trainee at the Pennsylvania Railroad. He left the PRR in 1967. Over the next ten years, he rose through the ranks of programmer, programmer analyst, programming manager to Vice President of a financial telecommunications company in Philadelphia, PA.BETF-Blog readers, care to share your favorite memory about Bro. Pace?
Earl Pace became a business owner in 1976 when he incorporated Pace Data Systems for which he is still president. Pace Data Systems is a full service information technology firm providing services through its Philadelphia, PA and Washington, DC offices primarily to banks.
In 1975, he co-founded BDPA in Philadelphia and operated as its president for two years. In 1978, he coordinated the formation of BDPA into a national organization and functioned as its first National President until 1980. BDPA has grown into the largest national professional organization representing people of African descent in the IT industry.
In 1997, he received the National Technical Association’s National Technical Achiever Award as Computer Scientist of the Year.
In 2001 and 2002, Black Money Magazine named him as one of the 50 Most Influential African Americans in Information Technology.
Within BDPA and on a broader national scale, Earl Pace has been a vocal advocate for business ownership. His primary message since starting BDPA has been that African Americans should strive to rise above "just a job" to membership on the Board of Directors and beyond that to owning and operating their own business. Earl continues to be very active in the business and education community in Philadelphia, Washington DC and Baltimore, MD.
He is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University and pursued graduate studies at Temple University in Philadelphia. He is married and has one daughter, one son and one granddaughter.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Letter of Inquiry: Andrew Jergens Foundation (Cincinnati)
Andrew N. Jergens established the Foundation in 1962; two of his children and two of his grandchildren currently serve as trustees. Since 1962, the Foundation has awarded more than $17 million in grants in the areas of social services, health, recreation/environment, arts and education. The Foundation’s prime interest is the health, education, cultural experience, and social welfare of children in the Cincinnati area. It supports programs that benefit children, generally through high school age, in the Greater Cincinnati area. The Foundation is a client of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation's private foundation grant-making services.
Andrew N. Jergens was born November 28, 1881 on Halstead Street, Cincinnati, not far from the Andrew Jergens Company, founded by his father and a partner. Family lore has it that Jergens started working at the company at age 11. The Company was his life’s work until he passed away at age 86. It also allowed him to have the resources to be able to give back to his life-long community. (The Foundation is not associated with the former Andrew Jergens Company.)
BETF would love to work with all 46 local BDPA chapters on similar funding opportunities. Please reach out the BETF executive director if you have questions or wish to discuss further. In the meantime, let's wish BDPA Cincinnati some luck!
Monday, September 15, 2014
Best Buy Foundation Accepting Applications for National Youth Technology Program
To help accomplish this goal, the foundation is seeking applications from nonprofit organizations for programs that provide youth with access to new technologies and help them become interested and fluent in digital learning while developing skills that better prepare them for future education and career success. Grants of up to $200,000 will be awarded to programs that help teens build skills by utilizing cutting-edge technology such as computers, digital cameras, video cameras, and professional software in a wide range of areas, including audio production (e.g., music mixing and recording), coding/3D printing, computer maintenance and repair, digital photography/graphic design, film-making and videography, maker fairs and hack-a-thons, mobile and game app development, programming, robotics, and/ or website design.
To be eligible, applicants must be nonprofit organizations with existing out-of-school time programs with a proven track record of serving youth between the ages of 13 and 18 in under-served communities. In addition, programs must operate within twenty-five miles of a Best Buy store or other Best Buy center of operations; have a commitment to diversity and inclusion; be willing to integrate Geek Squad Academy curricula into existing programming (if appropriate); and have the ability to conduct programming in multiple targeted sites across the country. Preferred locations include areas where Best Buy Teen Tech Centers are located, including but not limited to Chicago, Denver, Jersey City/NYC, Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, San Antonio, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.
Visit the Best Buy website for complete program guidelines and application instructions.
Link to Complete RFP
OURstory: Jan Matzeliger (1852-1887)
I agree with President Obama ... Kanye West is a 'jackass'. However, he seems to be a cultural icon for African American youth. Perhaps it is time for us to get busy providing some alternative icons for our youth. We have large numbers of Black and Brown students with little or not preparation in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) subjects. Without STEM background in the future, these students may find themselves with no employment opportunities.Jan Ernst Matzeliger realized as much. Did you know that Jan Matzeliger was born on this date in 1852. He used STEM knowledge to create a shoe-lasting machine that mechanically shaped the upper portions of shoes.
Matzeliger was born on September 15, 1852 in Suriname (South America), the child of a biracial marriage. His father was a white engineer from Holland and his mother was a Black woman in the Dutch colony. By his third birthday Matzeliger was sent to live with his father’s sister. By the time he turned 10 years old, Matzeliger became a worker in the machine shop that his father owned. It was at this time that he quickly became aware of his talent for working with machinery.
Although he was skilled in this area, Matzeliger did not initially pursue a career in engineering or inventing. In 1871 at the age of 19 he left Surinam and worked as a sailor for two years. By 1873 he settled in Philadelphia where he worked in a variety of trades.
In 1876 he moved to Lynn, Massachusetts. Matzeliger arrived in Lynn barely able to speak English. Nonetheless he began working in a shoe factory. Despite his language difficulties, Matzeliger began working on various innovations that would improve shoe manufacturing productivity. Working alone and at night for six months, he produced a model in wood and on March 20, 1883, received a patent. The patent number is 459,899.
His patent was subsequently bought by Sydney W. Winslow, who established the United Shoe Machine Company. The continued success of this business brought about a 50% reduction in the price of shoes across the nation, doubled wages, and improved working conditions for millions of people dependent on the shoe industry for their livelihood. Winslow’s corporation made $50 millio
n in the next dozen years and put Lynn, MA on the map as the shoe capital of the world.Matzeliger’s work habits and his neglect of his health, however, soon took a toll. In the summer of 1887, he caught a cold then developed tuberculosis. Jan Matzeliger died on August 24 of that year in his mid-30s, long before he had the chance to realize a share of the enormous profit derived from his invention.
Matzeliger is not a household name but it should be. He was honored on a 29 cent first class U.S. postage stamp in 1991.
I hope that he included in the 2010 history portion of the BDPA high school computer competition! Jan Matzeliger should be discussed with our young people ... not Kanye West.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Member on the Move: Midge Johnson ('They Didn't Get That Way By Themselves')
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| Earl Pace, Midge Johnson, Wayne Hicks |
Midge is now a 70 year-old mother and grandmother with a career in the Information Technology industry that spanned over 50 years until her recent retirement from GEICO. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management and a Master's Degree in Public Administration with a specialization in Management Systems Analysis. Her degrees were earned over a period of 16 years of going to school at night and on the weekends. During those 16 years she was married, worked a full time job and she was mother to two sons and a daughter. She has been a married parent and a single parent. She is currently a member of Rainbow Family Christian Center in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Midge wrote a book entitled, 'They Didn't Get That Way By Themselves'. The book has a remarkable narrative, funny stories, the wisdom and the Word of God along with prayers. Use them all to train your children to prepare them for growing up to be responsible, self-reliant adults with integrity.
Midge grew up in a home with both parents after the first three years of her life (her father went off to World War II about 3 days after she was born). Her mother lived with her father's mother until he came back from the war. She had the benefit of both parents for about 6 of her first 15 years (her parents would separate and go back together intermittently). After that time, her mother raised her with the help of her paternal grandmother and her estranged father. She learned, observed and heard a lot of things related to "training" children through the years and decided that maybe she could help new parents and maybe some who were already parents.
"I didn't always make the best decisions concerning my children but I sure gave it my best based on what I experienced, what I was taught and what I learned as they grew. In retrospect, I have accumulated some nuggets on "training" children that eventually worked for my children as well as for my grandchildren."Well done Midge! Now it is up to BDPA members and supporters to remember that old adage, 'BUY BDPA'!
Saturday, September 13, 2014
8th Annual Blogging While Brown Conference (June 19-20, 2015)
For information about sponsoring Blogging While Brown 2015, email Joi Gamble, director of Brand Partnerships at sponsorships@bloggingwhilebrown.com.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Third Annual Verizon Innovative App Challenge, Designed to Spark Students' Interest in STEM, Now Open for Entries
The Verizon Innovative App Challenge, now in its third year, is once again calling on middle school and high school students to gather their teams, dream up ideas, and create concepts for mobile apps that could solve problems in their schools and communities.
The first two Verizon Innovative App Challenges have encouraged thousands of students to develop an interest in [STEM] and have awarded cash grants totaling $340,000 - and 130 new tablets, courtesy of Samsung Telecommunications America - to winning teams. Verizon is extending the program as part of its commitment to the Obama administration's ConnectED initiative, to which the company has pledged up to $100 million in cash and in-kind contributions over the next three years.
Read the rest of the Verizon news release.
Rest in Peace: Tim Benson (1960-2009)
Tim Benson was a founding member of our BDPA chapter in Lansing, MI. He passed away on September 12, 2009 at the age of 48.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Classroom to the Boardroom: Della Anjeh (Pomona College)
Della currently is the webmaster for New Ideas Education, a start-up that allows Chinese students to improve English by video chatting with college students. Della also runs the College Lowdown, a podcast that gives advice on what it’s like to navigate and study at an elite college for low-income and first generation students. Della plans to work in the tech world and isn’t quite sure which area she wishes to pursue, but figures it will be in either data structures or design.
We asked Della to share thoughts about her BDPA experience:
"Ever since I received the email in ninth grade that an after school computer teaching club called BDPA would meet on Wednesdays, I never knew that it would lead to me becoming a second place national champion at the 2012 BDPA conference, that I would become the lead webmaster for a start-up, or that I would major in computer science at one of the best schools in the country. It’s just one of those things that turned out to be bigger than I ever anticipated.
Della Anjeh
I remember being at the conference in Chicago during the oral question part of the competition. For fun, our team learned from a YouTube video to count in binary with our fingers, so for every binary question our team or the other teams received, we would quietly count with our fingers together. Needless to say, we were always correct. I also remember the courses in robotics we took that taught me a lot about an aspect of computer science that at that point I hadn’t had to opportunity to explore. And of course, I’ll never forget when we were called out as the second place team in the competition that year. It was amazing especially since I was going off to college in a few weeks making 2012 my last year to be eligible to compete in the HSCC championship. All the hard work I put in since 9th grade and up to my senior year of high school truly paid off.
I can’t ever forget what BDPA has done for me, and I continue to reap the benefits of the program now as I’m starting my 3rd year of college, and my first semester as a declared computer science major. I have no idea what my future will be like, but I know that BDPA will continue to stay in my mind as one of the places I felt that I could let my talent shine."
Remembering 9/11
- Total number killed in attacks: 2,819
- Number of WTC companies that lost people: 60
- Number of nations whose citizens were killed in attacks: 115
- Ratio of men to women who died: 3:1
- Bodies found "intact": 289
- Body parts found: 19,858
- Number of families who got no remains: 1,717
- Number of people who lost a spouse or partner in the attacks: 1,609
- Estimated number of children who lost a parent: 3,051
- Days fires continued to burn after the attack: 99
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
18th Annual BDPA Cincinnati Education Banquet
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| Ceair Baggett |
One of the highlights of the event will be the keynote speech by Ceair Baggett, the newly selected principal for Ethel M. Taylor Academy. Before coming to Taylor, Mr. Baggett served as Assistant Principal for Robert A. Taft Information Technical High School and Gilbert A. Dater High School respectively. Ceair participated in BDPA computer camp as a high school student. It is wonderful to have him now as our keynoter speaker to honor the students who participated in the program this year.
Here are the logistic for this banquet:
4:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Receptions Conference Centers
Fairfield, OH 45014
Tickets: $40.00 per person
You can purchase or donate banquet tickets here. For rates on tables and ads, please contact us at (513) 549-6441 or cincinnati@bdpa.org
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
BDPA iRadio Show - September 9, 2014
BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very proud to be the creator of the BDPA iRadio Show. You can listen to the archive version of the show using the widget shown in the right-hand sidebar of this blog. FREE download from the iTunes Store is also available for our listeners!
Check Out Technology Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with BDPA on BlogTalkRadio
The guest on the September 9th show:
He is also the author of Minority Tech: Journaling Through Blackness and Technology. This book is an essay anthology covering the author’s experiences as an African American man in a society that often misunderstands Blackness, the need for people of color to own their destinies, and the value that diversity can bring to the technology industry. We are pleased to bring the unique musings of Anjuan Simmons to our BDPA iRadio audience. Anjuan can be found on Twitter - @anjuan
We hope you enjoy the insights and commentary on the show from each of these guests. Please take a moment to post a comment to let us know that you care!
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