Hotep! BDPA Education & Technology Foundation (BETF) exists to provide financial support for BDPA. We share information about fundraising, funding sources and BDPA programs on this blog. The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent BDPA’s positions, strategies or opinions.
BDPA Dallas chapter is bodacious in its planning and its ambitions for the coming year. The chapter has been growing its membership and building a steady flow of programs for IT professionals in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. As we have learned ... in BDPA 'everything rises and falls on leadership' ... and BDPA Dallas chapter is blessed to have very strong leaders.
Meet the BDPA Dallas chapter board of directors for 2013: Stacy Stewart, President Employer: Health Care Service Corporation
Denise Bagley, President-Elect Employer: Health Care Service Corporation
Chris Johnson, VP-Finance and Immediate Past President Employer: Dallas Ft-Worth Airport
Angie Pesek, VP-Membership Management Employer: Health Care Service Corporation Debbie Young,VP-Member Services Employer: JPMorgan Chase
Please share some love for this remarkable set of volunteer leaders! In fact, you can encourage them in their 'good works' by making a secure online donation to the college scholarship fund for the High School Computer Competition team trained by BDPA Dallas chapter to compete in next year's championship.
Please join this blog in welcoming in the new officers for BDPA Dallas Chapter! These brothers and sisters ... under the leadership of Stacy Stewart ... will guide the fortunes of this Texas-based chapter in 2012-2013:
President - Stacy Stewart (BlueCross BlueShield of Texas)
President-Elect - Denise Holmes (BlueCross BlueShield of Texas)
VP-Finance - Chris Johnson (Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport)
VP-Membership Management - Angie Pesek (BlueCross BlueShield of Texas)
BDPA Dallas chapter, founded in September 1987, has a proud history. That history will be honored under the leadership of Stacy and his crew over the next two years as they strive to be one of the best chapters in the South Region.
You can help the chapter by supporting the BDPA Dallas HSCC Scholarship Fund! Or you can help by simply replying to this message with some goodwill for the chapter leaders!
Now back from the 2010 National BDPA Technology Conference in Philadelphia, our Board of Directors is excited about getting back to rejuvenating our chapter activities, in hopes of ensuring you get full benefits from your membership. We believe, with the commitment and filling of key vacant board positions, this can be accomplished.
Our students from Irving Nimitz High School participated in the High School Computer Competition (HSCC) in Philadelphia and placed 18th out of 22 teams. I'd like to thank the coordinators, students, chaperon, and volunteers for assisting with this rewarding effort.
Next steps are to build on to those efforts and begin a new season of preparing students for the 2011 competition. We are getting an early start and want to provide you with as much information as we can.
Volunteers are needed throughout the school year to attend one or more of the class sessions to assist our instructors through the training. While the syllabus will focus on Java, there will be soft skills that the students will need to learn, so we welcome all levels of professionals. Here are the general logistics:
Emmett Conrad High School
7502 Fair Oaks Ave. Dallas, TX 75231 Teacher Coordinator - Ms. Charise Romeo
First Volunteer's Meeting:
Tuesday, 9/21/10 - CHS @ 4:00 pm
Student Training Sessions:
Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:00 PM - 5:45 PM
Starting 9/28/10 through the school year
If you know of some Tuesdays or Thursdays that you will be available to volunteer and spend some time with the students, feel free to email your name and email to info@bdpa-greaterdallas.org. If you are considering volunteering, we ask that you attend the volunteer meeting on 9/21/10 to get additional details, submit any volunteer paperwork for the school and to sign up on the schedule.
Chris Johnson is a long-time member of BDPA Dallas chapter. He joined BDPA as a high school student back in 1992. For the next two years he was a part of the Dallas chapter High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team that competed in Chicago (1992) and Kansas City (1993).
We asked Chris to share some of his memories as a HSCC alumni. He shared the following:
"When I was a student, R. Kelly was putting out his debut album and everyone wore Cross Colours. We programmed in GW-Basic. Yet, the spirit of the competition remains as strong today as it did back then. I have seen the program evolve to stay relevant, and yet maintain Dr. Bemley’s vision of a competition that provides exposure to technology and professionalism.
My most striking memory of the conference is being in the midst of so many professional, successful Black people at the gala in Detroit. I never saw a sight like it before. It gave me a sense of responsibility to further the progress of our people through technology. BDPA’s greatest asset is our ability to mentor our members, and the HSCC is one of our greatest mentoring tools to ensure the next generation is equipped and motivated to continue the legacy of empowering our community.
I received my college degree in Biomedical Engineering from Texas A-M University. I am currently the head of Information Security for D/FW International Airport. I have held several posts within BDPA (National Youth Technology Camp Coordinator, Dallas Chapter HSCC Coordinator and BETF Scholarship Committee Chairperson)."
Do any of y'all know Bro. Johnson? If so, would you care to share your 'village voice' on this BDPA Hall of Famer?
