Deja Lindsey Uses Her Eli Lilly Scholarship at Georgetown University

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that Eli Lilly awarded a $2,500 college scholarship to three (3) students. One of those students is senior Deja Lindsey from Chicago, IL, who will use the scholarship to support her study of computer science and sociology at Georgetown University. She has been involved with BDPA since her freshman year of college, and by attending chapter events and national conferences, she has secured a summer internship and made lifelong connections.

On campus, she is a member of the Georgetown Cheerleading Team and works as a technology specialist. She is also a recent inductee of the Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honor Society and the current president of Georgetown’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers.

Deja Lindsey * Eli Lilly Scholar

Besides technology, she is extremely passionate about giving back to her community and spends most of her free time volunteering with elementary school students in the DC Public School system and working with Girls Got IT!, a program she founded that works to introduce young, underprivileged girls to technology. She aspires to work as a technologist that creates or improves applications to better the lives of humans around the world.

We asked Deja to share her thoughts on BDPA:

"Being a member of Black Data Processing Associates has had a great impact on my personal and career development. From membership in the BDPA I was able to network and make connections with employees from Johnson and Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, and Eli Lilly and Company, all of which I have spent summers interning. Last year’s national conference in Atlanta actually showed me a new potential career path that I plan to pursue in my post-grad endeavors."

Deja Lindsey * IT Showcase Winner

"This year’s national conference specifically has meant the most to me. Not only did I participate as a Youth Technology Camp workshop presenter, I also competed in the IT Showcase and won first place! While this conference was much busier for me than any of my past conferences, it challenged me in a variety of ways and helped me make many new professional connections. Being a member of BDPA has exposed me to more Black IT professionals, empowering me to continue my path into the information technology career field. My most memorable moment in BDPA is winning the IT Showcase because I worked very hard throughout the school year and summer and it was very rewarding to see my hard work pay off."

BDPA is blessed to have such a young and talented student as a winner of the Eli Lilly Scholarship for BDPA Students. We look forward to supporting Deja's career as she seeks to advance her career in the technology industry!

BDPA Youth Technology Camp Schedule (August 19-22, 2015)

Please contact Youth Technology Camp coordinator Jamesetta James on (301) 584-3135 if you have questions or wish to register your child to attend.

Benard Bampoh (Southern Minnesota) Wins 1st Annual Lockheed Martin Scholarship for BDPA Students

BDPA president Monique Berry, Bernard Bampoh, BDPA founder Earl Pace

BDPA awarded the first annual 'Lockheed Martin Scholarship for BDPA Students' at the 2013 BDPA Technology Conference held in Washington DC. The winner was a remarkable young man - Benard Bampoh - who is a rising senior at Century High School in Rochester, MN. Bernard participated in the BDPA Youth Technology Camp (YTC) as a member of the BDPA Southern Minnesota chapter.

The Lockheed Martin Scholarship for BDPA Students encourages a current or rising high school senior to pursue a STEM-based college curriculum. The student must be a registered participant in the annual YTC. The decision on scholarship winners would be two-fold.

First, we accepted nominations from each chapter that is sent a YTC student to the conference. The survey was character-based and focused on areas such as behavior, preparation, responsibility, communication, attendance, team ethic and integrity.

Second, the scholarship winner must demonstrate onsite excellence during the onsite YTC workshops and activities.

Benard submitted this video vignette as part of his scholarship application package to share his interest in STEM education as well as his desire to become our first BDPA-Lockheed Scholar.



The scholarship is administered by the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation.

VIDEO: BDPA Technology Conference Introduction of 'Future Faces of Technology'

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) executive director Wayne Hicks introduced the young people who participated in the 34th annual BDPA Technology Conference held on August 1-4, 2013 in Baltimore, Maryland. Wayne had a great time ... and the young people had even more fun!



We hope that you will find a way to support the college and career aspirations of these BDPA student members. In fact, if you have time or inclination, please make a secure online donation in support of our Dr. Jesse Bemley Scholarship Fund.

Finally, we want to share a soul-clap with BDPA Dallas chapter president Stacy Stewart who took the time to edit this video!

BDPA iRadio Show: August 14, 2012

The BDPA iRadio Show creates a vibrant communications platform that speaks to all BDPA stakeholders.

Listen to internet radio with BDPA on Blog Talk Radio

The guests on the August 14, 2012 show:

1. Dawn Smith, Member, BDPA Social Networking Team

2. 2012 YTC 1st Place Video Production Team: Student Elite

• Mya Cruz - Indianapolis
• Antione Lacey - Baton Rouge
• Quvonte Nicholas - Baton Rouge
• Haimanti Ray - Indianapolis
• Scott Swenson - Minnesota

3. 2012 HSCC 1st Place Team: Atlanta Chapter:

• Sunheng Tsaing
• Jimmy Nguyen
• Yash Shirsath
• Allen Warner
• Da'Waisha Linder
• Wesley "Coach Wes" Williams

Take Five: Jamesetta James (BDPA Greater Columbia)

Jamesetta James has worked the past few years as the national coordinator of the BDPA Youth Technology Camp (YTC).  Earlier this year she provided her review of the 2011 YTC experience in Chicago. She has had a positive impact on hundreds of young people over the years and we thought it would be good to hear from Jamesetta as part of our Take Five interview series:

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1. How did you get involved with BDPA? - My first involvement with BDPA was assisting Mildred Allen in coordinating the YTC presenters and workshops for the 2010 conference in Philadelphia.
2. What is the most rewarding aspect of working with BDPA? - The most rewarding aspect of working with BDPA is seeing immediate results with the workshops that the students are involved in whether it be soft skills or developing new IT skills. The students are immediately equipped with knowledge that can be applied to their currents studies.
3. Can you share a 'success story' about any of your past HSCC students? - Although this is my first year working with the high school computer competition (HSCC) students from the Greater Columbia Chapter, the success I witnessed was how the veteran HSCC students embraced the new members of the team. Great leadership skills were displayed and one great lesson observed was that team work was always the focal point in their preparation for the 2011 HSCC competition.
4. What would future evolution or change would you like to see in BDPA's STEM-based training? - STEM based programs are very isolated in how it operates for each BDPA chapter. Unfortunately, this problem exists for school districts as well. The change I would like to see is the way that the training is implemented. The STEM base training curriculum should be transparent in such that is the format used by all chapters. The universal repository of technology resources created by Zack Garbow is truly is an excellent starting point. To ensure that BDPA students are receiving the STEM training parallel to the school district STEM curriculum I think that partnerships should be formed between the school district or districts and the BDPA chapter.
5. Any advice for people considering a donation to BETF? - One advise for individuals, company's or corporation that are considering a donation to BETF is to visit one BDPA training class. They will witness immediate return on their investment. Seeing the skills that students, from all grade levels, gain through the training provided by the chapters will demonstrate why our donors should continue their support in BDPA's efforts.

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I appreciate Jamesetta for the work that she has been doing for BDPA on a local and national level. She recently joined a number of YTC students on a special edition of the BDPA iRadio Show. Click here to listen to the archive version of the Youth Technology Camp iRadio Show!

BDPA iRadio Show - Youth Technology Camp Students (August 25, 2011)

BDPA iRadio Show host Franne McNeal hosted a Special Edition of the Internet radio show that featured student participants in the 2011 BDPA Youth Technology Camp (YTC) held last month in Chicago. This annual event provides interactive, hands-on workshops, seminars, and activities for students seeking to gain valuable exposure in leading edge technology topics. This event gives students the opportunity to network with young entrepreneurs and other youth from around the country who are pursuing academic and professional futures in the computer technology industry.

Listen to internet radio with BDPA on Blog Talk Radio

The BDPA iRadio Show guests on this YTC Special Edition (in alpha order) included:

1. Melvin Givens, Freshman (College) (Baton Rouge Chapter)
2. Melcon Jevonte Hinds, 7th grade (Southern Minnesota Chapter)
3. Christopher Hoffler, 8th grade (Charlotte Chapter)
4. Jamesetta James, YTC Coordinator (Greater Columbia Chapter)
5. Angelo Jaramillo, 11th grade (Southern Minnesota Chapter)
6. Antrell McGee, 11th grade (New Jersey Chapter)
7. Drake Plummer, 10th grade (Greater Columbia Chapter)
8. Brandi Taylor, 10th grade (Greater Columbia Chapter)
9. John Westley Thomas, Jr., 11th grade (Baton Rouge Chapter)
10. Kyle Williams, 12th Grade (Chicago Chapter)

The goal is to have 100 students registered for YTC each year. It appears that momentum is building for the event and we should have a large turnout again at the 2012 YTC in Baltimore next year!

Review: 2011 BDPA Youth Technology Camp

National BDPA Youth Technology Camp (YTC) coordinator Jamesetta James and her team provided a comprehensive program of hands-on activities and workshops for about 100 middle- and high-school students during the national BDPA conference held earlier this month. Jamesetta has high expectations for BDPA youth. As she wrote,

"I fully expect young IT professionals and entrepreneurs to emerge from this conference. Let me tell you why:

• I believe that younger minds learn faster then older minds and are better equipped to adapt to changing environments, such as in the realm of information technology.
• I believe that youth are better positioned to take risks and embrace new innovative technologies and methodologies.
• I believe that maturity comes with experience, not with a degree. The sooner youth are exposed to new and challenging experiences and responsibilities, the sooner they will mature into responsible, productive individuals."

The 13th annual YTC had some new and unique elements that included a graphics design contest and X-Box gaming contest. There were over 40 students in a hands-on workshop entitled Sole Plus Design with Converse Shoes. The objective of the workshop was to provide hands-on techniques using Photo Shop to create a unique fusion of artistic expression that will be applied to Converse canvas sneakers.

Each team created a unique name for their design group and only students that were not members of a design group were allowed to vote. The student designs were voted on by their peers. 

The design team with the winning graphic was called TAG. TAG team members were all from our BDPA Twin Cities chapter - Dakari Davison, Dallyn Davison, Daze Davison, Elisha Phillip, and Michael Quick. 

Photo of the winning team was taken by the conference photographer, Rodney Wright. Each team member will receive a pair of Converse shoes displaying the original design. Also, additional pairs of Converse sneakers bearing the original design will be donated to a local Chicago women and children’s shelter on September 17th, 2011. Mr. Brian Miller (Sole Plus Design) and BDPA Chicago chapter president Pam Sexton will deliver the Converse shoes to the shelter.

Secondly, the winners for the  2 XBOX competitions are: Dallyn Davison (Twin Cities) for NBA Live and Daniel Dyer (Richmond) for Call of Duty Black OPS. In addition to the gift packs they received from the Microsoft Store located in Oak Brook, IL, they will also be receiving prizes from the Play N Trade, the Lansing location. Bernard Key (Key Link Technologies) will be coordinating the delivery of these prizes to our winners.

Also, the members of the winning team for the Project Management for Teens workshop were: Tyra Foulks (Gr Columbia), Michael James (Gr Columbia), Curtis Jenkins (Richmond), Erica Mayberry (Twin Cities), Samantha Spears (Twin Cities) and Keautishay Young (Chicago).

The objective of the Project Management for Teens workshop, conducted by William Smith, was to take students through the four phases that is required to complete a project: defining, planning, implementing and finalization. Students were given a project in which they were to complete in a team and later present their project to their peers. At the end of this workshop, each student was equipped with the basic project management skill where they can build upon and utilized in their school assignments and also include on their resume.

Lastly, the winners of the Network and Student Mock Interview workshop are: Farida Labaran (Chicago) and Kyle Williams (Chicago). They each received prizes awarded by our Interviewing for Success workshop presenter, Debra Farmer. The junior and senior high school students were given an assignment to network with at least 3 professionals and gather specific information outlined in the Interviewing for Success workshop. Points were awarded to each completed networking sheet turned in by the student. On Friday, each junior and senior student were taken through a mock interview where pre-determined questions were asked by our very own BDPA professionals. The students were given a score of 1 through 4 for each question asked based on their responses.

Much love to YTC coordinator Jamesetta James and the others who have grown this program into such a powerful experience for our young people! Well done!

Grant Proposal: Research In Motion (National BDPA)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) submitted a grant proposal to Research In Motion (RIM). We are asking them to fund part of our Student Information Technology & Scholarship (SITES) program. BDPA created the SITES program to teach advanced computer science and community responsibility to students from historically disadvantaged communities.

An important component of our SITES program is the Youth Technology Camp (YTC). The YTC provides interactive, hands-on workshops, seminars, and activities for high school students seeking to gain valuable exposure in leading edge technology topics. BDPA recognizes that to close the gap of computer and technology literacy, minority youth must participate and compete in today’s digital economy. Otherwise, our youth run the risk of being obsolete in the 21st century workforce.

The SITES curriculum is developed and taught by volunteer professionals with computer science and IT backgrounds. YTC is held in conjunction with the annual National BDPA Technology Conference. The YTC is a three-day event held from 8:00am-5:00pm Wednesday thru Friday. On Friday, the camp will take an offsite tour to a high tech company or university to introduce the students to new skills that will empower them to take control of their future.

National BDPA will train 100 students in the 2012 YTC being held in Baltimore, MD. Students are not required to have prior computer training before entering the program. Half of the students will come from cities across the nation. The remaining 50 students come from Baltimore-area schools.

We are hopeful that RIM will smile favorably on our funding request.

BDPA Cincinnati High School Computer Camp (2011)

BDPA Cincinnati chapter is recruiting 8th-12th grade students for its annual Computer Camp. The orientation takes place on January 22. The first session of the camp takes place at Cincinnati State on Saturday, January 29. The chapter hopes to have at least 24 students in the computer camp this year.

Here is a flyer with more details:

BDPA Cincinnati High School Computer Camp (2011)

View more documents from BDPA Foundation.

Call BDPA Cincinnati chapter on (513) 956-0636 or visit their Computer Camp website if you have questions or wish to discuss further.

Flyer: BDPA Detroit HSCC Computer Camp (2011)

BDPA Detroit chapter is a traditional powerhouse in the annual national High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships. One reason for their success is the comprehensive computer camp that they host each year. BDPA Detroit chapter is now recruiting students in grades 8-12 to participate in their 2011 High School Computer Camp. Here is a flyer with the details.

The chapter seeks to fully fund the BDPA Detroit HSCC Scholarship Fund as well. Please share this information with any of your colleagues who live in the metro Detroit area!

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'?

Grant Proposal: Texas Instruments Foundation (National BDPA)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) joined forces with National BDPA to submit a $10,000 grant proposal to the Texas Instruments Foundation.

We think that our Youth Technology Camp aligns well with the education initiatives currently being funding by TI Foundation.

Do you remember that Texas Instruments was named one of the Best Companies for Blacks in Technology back in 2005. Perhaps we can renew the relationship in 2010!

Please let us know if you have any inside contacts within Texas Instruments that might be helpful.

What STEM Programs Does BDPA Provide for Young People?

BDPA Orlando chapter president Pablo More hosts a weekly lunch'n'learn webinar. Today, the BDPA lunch'n'learn focused on the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs that exist within BDPA.

The topics (presenters) were:

IT Showcase (Dr. Jesse Bemley) - Dr. Bemley provided a quick historical context about his 25-year history with STEM-training in BDPA, concluding with an overview of the IT Showcase.

High School Computer Competition (Danna Sturdivant) - Danna will discuss HSCC programs at high level.

Youth Technology Camp (Jamesetta James and Mildred Allen) will discuss the YTC program set to take place in Philadelphia PA on July 29-31, 2010.

BDPA Foundation (Wayne Hicks) Wayne will discuss ways that BETF supports SITES Programs and fundraising efforts.

BDPA Lunch'n'Learn: STEM Programs for Young People

View more presentations from Wayne Hicks.

I encourage you to check out the centralized BDPA Calendar of Events so that you don't miss the next Lunch'n'Learn session!

I would also love to hear your thoughts on the 30-page .ppt presentation that was used during this session. Any questions or comments?

BDPA Youth Technology Camp (Philadelphia, July 28-30)

The annual BDPA Youth Technology Camp (YTC) provides interactive, hands-on workshops, seminars, and activities for students seeking to gain valuable exposure in leading-edge technology topics. This event gives students the opportunity to network with young entrepreneurs, and other youths from around the country who are pursuing academic and professional futures in the information technology industry.

Don't miss this opportunity to take part in a technology camp specifically tailored to meet the needs of today's youth!   It takes place in Philadelphia on July 28-30, 2010.   Here are more details on the workshops and offsite visit that will be provided to all YTC students:

2010 BDPA Youth Technology Camp

View more documents from Wayne Hicks.

For more details contact the YTC coordinator Jamesetta James at conference@bdpa.org or call her on (800) 727-2372.

BDPA Conference: Kraft Foods Youth Technology Camp Luncheon

The 8th annual Youth Technology Camp (YTC) Luncheon sponsored by Kraft Foods was a resounding success. Capacity audience for the food, speeches and treasure hunt!

Mildred Allen, YTC Coordinator, gave tribute to John Harris for his personal support over the past 8 years to the Youth Technology Camp.

John Harris is Kraft's Global Information Systems manager. He noted that this is the 8th year in a row that Kraft Foods sponsored the opening day student luncheon. He is very proud of the association. It would be great for some of the YTC participants from the past 8 years to share some love for John in the COMMENTS section of this post.

Anyhow, John introduced the luncheon's keynote speaker, Markell Bridges. Markell is Kraft's IS Strategy Planning & Operations director. The brother noted that he graduated from high school 25 years ago ... and at the time of his graduation he had a small fraction of the information and tools available to students today.

Many of the people in the room cannot remember what is was like back in the day when we didn't have cellphones, IPods, MP3 players, Internet, personal computers, laptops and so forth

Markell remembers that his favorite television show back in the day was 'Get Smart'. He used to love the mobile phone in Maxwell Smart. That was the future. Fast forward to 2008 ... Over 40% of the world’s population carries a telephone. More than twice as many as own television. More than 3 times the number connected to the Internet.

He thinks it is important to continue to advance into the future with the abundance of information and technology available to youth today. He encouraged the young people to take advantage of the technology.

He focused on the power of mobile technology for personal shopping, geographic location, use to get real-time product reviews and such; scan barcodes using your mobile phone; use to enhance personal safety; convert text information into voice information for seniors or visually-impaired people. These are ideas about the future…

He hammered home the use of the mobile phone to solve issues at work on a local or global basis … or to keep in touch with photos and messages from family members.

What are tomorrow’s technology? What role will young people play in future of technology … you are creating your history, what do you want it to look like? Learn a foreign language was one of the tips he shared with the students.

Markel shared his personal bio. He grew up in single-family household on the south side of Chicago. He wanted to learn how to use technology. He made choices that allowed him to follow towards that future.

He closed out his remarks with six strategies the young people should consider as they move towards their future:

1. Strive for success - You must not JUST PAST the test; ACE the test. Always do your best. Do not settle for being average. It requires study, reading and exercising your mind.


2. Persistence: stay focused and never give up! Do not let laziness and procrastination. Do it now!


3. Honesty – Do what is right for you and those around you. What makes you a good person…morals and character.


4. Use Good Judgement – the choices you make today have influence on the rest of your lives. Surround yourself with others that have good judement. Who you associate with becomes who you are.


5. Create Energy – have fire in your stomach, passion in your heart. Create energy with positive attitude.


6. Do Not Let Anyone Deter You from Your Dreams: get link to the ‘A Friend’ poem about you cannot do it now…

The audience of students, coordinators and chaperones were very appreciative of the remarks from Markell.

Next to the podium with words of encouragement from National BDPA president Denise Holland. Denise demonstrated her skills with the French language while recognizing Kraft Foods for being a BDPA silver-level corporate sponsor.

The luncheon ended with a massive Kraft Foods treasure hunt. Literally hundreds of Kraft products were on display in the front of the room. An adult and student member from each BDPA chapter were invited to the front table. They were allowed go grab as much as they could hold and take it back to their tablemates. I was amazed at how many potato chips, nuts, crackers, fruit juice pouches and other Kraft products could be carried by these happy BDPAers!

Message from Richmond Chapter President

Jackie Pryor is the president of our BDPA chapter in Richmond, VA. She shared her overview of the 29th annual BDPA Technology Conference held last week in Washington DC. Her comments were as follows:

"Good afternoon BDPA members and supporters.

I want to thank all of those that attended especially our High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team, Youth Technology Camp (YTC) students, trainers, and the HSCC committee. I want to also thanks the the Parents Groups, sponsors and everyone else that contributed with donations or supporting our fundraisers to get our students to the conference. It was a blessing that the conference was in DC this year. But don't get too comfortable. We will be working on 2008 soon and we will need your help again.

If you weren't able to make it, you missed a good one. I was only able to go up on Friday, but in the short amount of time I was there, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and so did my daughter, who is only 10 years old. For those adults that like to have a good time, Target can throw a party. Yes, I said Target (the store). They were one of the National BDPA sponsors.

BDPA Richmond Chapter took a team of 5 members (Ashley Ragsdale, Kalifah Bey, Jhosdyn Barragan, Amber Henderson and Brittany Thomas), two chaperones, a coordinator (Yiddy Chaves) and 11 YTC students to DC in 2007. The whole experience was great!"

The chapter's HSCC Coordinator, Yiddy Chaves, provided an analysis on the performance of the team. He noted,

"Our HSCC team placed 11th out of 48 chapters. Last year we were in 6th place. The 11th place does not represent all the hard work that was done. Students knew more than the previous year; however, the score was not better. There are some reasons that can explain that:

1. The level of the competition was raised, although we did about the same that we did in 2006, other teams did much better.


2. We practiced with problems from 2004 and 2006 competitions; the 2007 problem was very similar to the one in 2005. So, teams that practiced with this problem did better, and the 2007 winner team was the same team that won in 2005.


3. I would also like to add that the 2007 Richmond team had more technical knowledge than the one in 2006 Richmond team, but a couple of obstacles (problem statement and database layout) stopped them from showing what they were capable to do.

I think it is fair to say that everyone in and out of the Richmond chapter is proud of their students. It is hard to get a group of teenagers out of their bed every Saturday during the summer to learn how to write computer programs. Yet, the students in Richmond did just that. They demonstrated a level of dedication that is worthy of praise. Hopefully, their experiences with BDPA will help them get ahead further in life."

If you know any of the five students from Richmond ... ask them to visit the BETF blog and share their comments directly with us. I would love to have them send me their own personal testimonial and photo for us to place for posterity on our BETF website.

Let's go one step further ... if you want to make a donation to the restricted BDPA Richmond chapter fund ... please use the Click and Pledge link over on the right-hand side navigation bar or you can make the donation directly to BDPA Richmond chapter's scholarship fund.

BETF thanks both Jackie Pryor and Yiddy Chaves for their comments and more importantly for their leadership! Leave a comment for the Richmond students and chapter leaders in the comments section below if you have time/inclination!

Grant Recipient: BDPA Greater Columbia ($800)

BETF awarded $800 grant to BDPA Greater Columbia chapter on August 18, 2007. The funding was in support of the Youth Technology Camp participants that came to Washington DC on August 15-18, 2007 from Columbia, SC.