NASA's Secret Rocket: Donya Douglas' Technology Blaze

Jeff Norman is a writer for the Guide to Online Schools.

Attracting quite a bit of much deserved attention these days is Donya Douglas, who is serving NASA to the best of her ability at the Goddard Flight Space Center as a thermal engineer. Working as an associate Branch Head in Instrument Systems, not necessarily a top-flight position, has not at all clouded the respect and pride she has engendered throughout the African American community. Technology is a field that continues to suffer a dearth in the presence of noteworthy Black individuals who are truly making a difference. All the more credit, then, is delivered to Ms. Douglas, whose work for NASA represents a quiet yet authoritative vanguard for both women and African Americans doing excellently in the realm of science.

Douglas' penchant for the sciences was rooted in her childhood. She has said that both science and math impassioned her during her beginning years of schooling, and that her knowledge that she would be an engineer was something she had at the age of ten. NASA was her number-one dream upon graduating from high school, and she took full advantage of an internship from NASA that was offered to her. That experience let her know that she was not alone in her zeal for technology; there was a visible presence of both women and minorities at NASA, and the sight of them let her know that she had a place there.


Douglas has been acclaimed seemingly to no end for her contribution to the technology community. Tennessee State University requested her permission to cite her example in a forthcoming textbook for elementary schools; she was also blessed with the Richard H. Goddard Award for Engineering and has found her career celebrated in "Space Place," an animated, science-based program for kids produced by NASA.

Her achievements have lent her a great deal of understanding as to the matter of the lack of African Americans in her field. She reasons the issue stems from insufficient preparation of young Black students, early in their education careers, on the joy and possibility of science and math. Frequently, those subjects in particular can be improperly framed as difficult, a challenge for students to surmount, instead of as a field of open knowledge and progress that is open to all who are willing to learn their rhyme and reason. Douglas has successfully insured that her own three children greet the sciences and technology with open arms -- one of them is already on the path to securing a degree in electrical engineering.

Douglas also cites the positive influence of teachers in launching her passion. For her, science and math were never subjects merely relegated to an hour-long, daily class. She participated in myriad after-school activities that showed the amusement possible in the fields.

Douglas commends her company, NASA, for their historically energetic endeavors to rouse an appreciation for the sciences in the Black community. NASA has been known to collaborate with several institutions that host a primarily African American community of students, and Douglas has done her own part to raise science's profile in the community with numerous public speaking ventures and offering mentorship to students seeking it.

On Douglas' mind at the moment is an urge to increase the visibility of NASA's efforts in robotic missions. The moon, Mars, and more are all locations that are prime for serious scientific inquiry. She's been in the field for nearly two decades now, and has a body of published work to rival those of even the most seasoned academics.

A big thank you goes out to Ms. Douglas; she's proven that African Americans in science can take flight today better than ever before.

NOTE: Information derived from interviews given by Ms. Douglas to Sister Mentors and Black Enterprise.

Message from Triangle Chapter HSCC Coordinator

Dear BDPA Member or Friend:

Valerie Johnson

The Student Information Technology Education and Scholarship (SITES) program has been in existence for 25 years. This is an intensive program designed to identify, select and foster professional and computer programming skills of 9th through 12th graders.

The goal of the SITES program is to teach students how to use computer software to solve business problems. Students will be coached on how to conduct themselves in a professional manner. They will learn how to analyze a problem, and design and implement a solution. They will learn how to lead and participate as effective members of a team.

Our instructors are Information Technology professionals from top notch local area companies such as Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC, SAS, State of North Carolina State Auditors Department, Deutsche Bank, Yorel Integrated Solutions and N2NetSecurity. Students will also have the opportunity to meet Senior level IT Executives and Chief Information Officers from area fortune 1000 corporations.

Training for the SITES program will be held each Saturday (March 5 thru May 21, 2011) at St. Augustine's College from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Students chosen to participate in the High School Computer Competition (HSCC) will have additional training June through July 2011, and be eligible to participate in the regional competition. Three to five students will also have major expenses paid to attend the 33rd National BDPA Technology Conference & HSCC Championship to be held in Chicago, Illinois August 3-6, 2011.

There is a $50.00 lab fee to participate in the program. Full and partial scholarships are available (provided by Generations Community Credit Union), and two (2) students will receive a $500 college scholarship award from BDPA Triangle Chapter. Students are eligible to earn even more scholarship money during the national competition. Scholarships awarded at the conference provide for an additional $2,500 for 1st place!

Register Now!

For more information, eligibility requirements and registration, please visit our web site: http://www.bdpatriangle.org or call (919) 425-2107.

Warm Regards,
Valerie Y. Johnson
HSCC Coordinator

History: BDPA Northern Delaware (2006-2010)

BDPA Northern Delaware chapter was founded in November 2007. The chapter has been remarkably successful over the first few years of its existence. The chapter reaches out to its community through networking, professional programs, education advocacy and active participation in the annual BDPA Technology Conference.


Here are some highlights of BDPA Northern Delaware history:

• 2006 - BDPA Northern Delaware interest group was created after a meeting between Karen Smith and some of her JPMorgan Chase co-workers. The guest speaker at the meeting was Dr. Eugene Richardson, retired Tuskegee Airman.
• 2007 - BDPA Northern Delaware chapter was chartered in November by unanimous vote of the National BDPA Board of Directors.
• 2008 - BDPA Northern Delaware hosted its first Banquet and Educational Showcase at the Sheraton Suites in Wilmington, DE.
• 2009 - BDPA Northern Delaware hosted a Capital Hill session with its congressional representatives. The chapter earned honors at the national BDPA Technology Conference as both 'Best Managed Chapter' and 'Most Developed Chapter'.

• 2010 - BDPA Northern Delaware chapter hosted a regional IT Showcase event and held another Capital Hill session with congressional representatives. The chapter held its first Corporate Advisory Council meeting. The chapter earned honors at the national BDPA Technology Conference as both 'Best Managed Chapter' and '2nd-Runner Up, Chapter of the Year'.

I look forward to seeing how the chapter continues its growth and evolution over the coming years.

The BDPA Insider - February 20, 2011

The BDPA Insider - February 20, 2011

What better way to start the day than with your weekly message from BDPA!

In this issue:

1. Are Black Folks Listening to Obama?
2. Black Family Technology Awareness Week
3. Book Shelf of BDPA Authors
4. The 'Butterfly Effect' and BDPA Co-Founder David Wimberly
5. Want a New IT Job? Now's Your Chance‏
6. Weekly Address: Winning the Future at Intel

Click here for the latest issue of "The BDPA Insider":

http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/02/bdpa-insider-february-20-2011.html

Click here for "The BDPA Insider" Archives:

http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_Insider_Archive

Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation

Founded in 1957, the Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation (LCEF) has a long and proud history of contributing to grassroots community projects. LCEF awards millions annually to diverse organizations across the United States.

LCEF is dedicated to improving the communities they serve through support of public education, community improvement projects and home safety initiatives.

LCEF provides funding only to 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit organizations and public agencies in communities where Lowe's operates stores and distribution centers. LCEF requires that all applicants take an eligibility test. Organizations that pass will be considered, but not guaranteed a grant. LCEF receives far more requests than it can accommodate. Many times, requests that pass the eligibility test and fall within the stated guidelines are not approved.

We recommend that your local Lowe’s store be your first point of inquiry when seeking a modest gift card, door prize or donation of materials for a community project or event. LCEF grants typically range from $5,000 to $25,000.

Lowes also provides educational scholarships for college students.

Weekly Address: Winning the Future at Intel

The President speaks from the Intel campus in Oregon about educating our kids for the jobs of tomorrow so we can make sure America wins the future.

Wayne & BDPA Cincy Students

I agree with President Obama about our nation's future. I look at the young people that I come into contact with via the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) and I recognize that we have the ability and talent in our own community to create the positive future of our dreams. I'm trying to raise college scholarship money for these young people.

What are your thoughts on this week's message from our president?

Grant Proposal: Regal Foundation (BDPA Cleveland)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) and BDPA Cleveland submitted a grant proposal to the Regal Foundation. We are seeking funds to support the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program in northeast Ohio.

Funding decisions are made three times each year ... so we hope to have an answer from them in the spring.

Are Black Folks Listening to Obama?

Todd Q. Adams

Todd Q. Adams is a long-time BDPA Cleveland chapter member. He is also a sustainable communities strategist with a focus on public interest projects in the areas of Smart Grid, public safety, transportation, education, and Health IT. He shared a strong message for all African American information technology (IT) professionals ... including those of us in BDPA. I encourage you to read and consider what Todd has to say. Use the COMMENTS option at the end of this blog post to share your thoughts.

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During the recent State of the Union address, President Obama stressed the importance of education and TECHNOLOGICAL innovation. As he has done numerous times in prior speeches, he stressed the importance of a Smart Grid, additional research funding for technological innovation, and universal broadband availability.

I have found, even among IT professionals, very few Black folks that have read the President's National Broadband Plan. This plan outlines an economic development strategy for America that focuses on Energy Management, Health Care, Smart Grid and Education. Physical infrastructure (fiber, wireless, 4G, etc.), increased broadband access in under-served areas (yes, much of this is us), and policy are all part of the three-legged stool. It seems to me that we are just walking past the stool and viewing it like a museum.

Does it even resonate with us that billions of economic stimulus dollars have been targeted for technology infrastructure development, Health Information Technology, and digital literacy training? As a Black man working actively working in the broadband and Smart Grid arenas, I can tell you that the ship set sail, and we are standing at the dock with luggage. It pains me to be among less than 50 Black folk at conferences of over 10,000. I literally see more Korean vendors at Smart Grid conferences than I do Black folks. I see deals get done, policy staged, and partnerships brokered constantly. Yet, Black technology professionals still give me the deer-in-headlights look when I mention Smart Grid, broadband, interoperable communications, etc.

Since we are the technology leaders of America, we have to do more. Official positions relative to policy, case studies, advocacy, strategic partnership development to name just a few. The National Broadband plan essentially establishes a strategy for America's transition into the new economic reality. Is it an accident that Cisco, IBM, and Google are spending astronomical amounts of money in the Healthcare and Smart Grid areas? Colleges are changing the curriculum. Laws and policies have been changed. Even climate change and environmental justice are linked to all of this, but that is another discussion.

Obama even stated during his speech that the job market of our parents is dead and gone! Was anyone listening? We have to get moving yesterday. I cannot stress the urgency enough. Please note that this is stated in a spirit of love and passion - not judgment.

Please read the National Broadband plan at http://www.broadband.gov/plan/

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You've read what he has to say. What say u?

State Farm Volunteer Grants

State Farm Insurance has a great volunteer grant program known as the Good Neighbor Grant Program. Through the Good Neighbor Grant Program, the State Farm Companies Foundation awards a $500 grant on behalf of each eligible State Farm associate, agent or retiree who volunteers a minimum of 40 hours a year to an eligible nonprofit organization.

Do you have any State Farm employees in your chapter? If so, this is an excellent funding source for you to consider.

Qwest Foundation

Qwest Foundation is dedicated to enriching the lives of customers and the communities they serve. It's more than just caring; it's a commitment to making a difference.

Qwest Foundation awards grants that generate high impact and measurable results through community-based programs in the area of K through 12 education. They encourage you to learn more about the Foundation and request funding for your program. For example, it appears that Qwest operates in 14 states. BDPA has co-located chapters in Minnesota (Southern Minnesota, Twin Cities) and Washington (Seattle).

What are the Qwest Foundation's funding priorities? - Qwest Foundation® focuses on enriching the lives of children by supporting solid K-12 educational programs. Educating children is the cornerstone for building strong and enlightened communities.

The Foundation will consider programs that:

• Effectively use technology to improve K-12 public school instruction
• Promote innovative models to strengthen K-12 public school education
• Improve the skills and leadership of educators and parents
• Promote innovative early childhood education programs
• Promote diversity awareness and cultural competency

Is there a deadline to apply? - No, requests are reviewed on an on-going basis.

What is the dollar range of the grant award? - Qwest Foundation does not have a range for grant amounts. Many factors, including the specific program or project to be funded and the organization making the request, determine funding amounts. Based on the past several years, the average grant size ranged between $5,000 and $10,000.

BETF is willing to work with local BDPA chapters in Minnesota or Washington if there is any interest in pursuing this funding source.

The BDPA Insider - February 13, 2011

The BDPA Insider - February 13, 2011

What better way to start the week than with your message from BDPA!

In this issue:

1. 10 Ways to Get More Out of LinkedIn
2. BDPA | Decade in Review (2001-2010)
3. Can You Make a Facebook Birthday Wish for BDPA?
4. Grant Award: CIGNA Foundation ($2,500)
5. Message from New York Chapter President
6. Newman Networks News February 7th, 2011
7. SharePoint Workflow for Cowboys: my slide deck from DaySPUG

Click here for the latest issue of "The BDPA Insider":

http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/02/bdpa-insider-february-13-2011.html

Click here for "The BDPA Insider" Archives:

http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_Insider_Archive

AirTran Airways

AirTran Airways is committed to the communities they serve and is pleased to contribute to worthy causes and fundraising events in those communities.

Please note that they accept charitable donation requests through their website only. They no longer accept mailed or faxed charitable donation requests. The standard donation for organizations meeting the below guidelines is one set of 2 coach tickets.

In order to be eligible for a charitable donation, an organization must meet the following requirements:

• Provide a 501c3 tax identification number
• Submit request at least 6 weeks prior to the event
• Not be affiliated with any political group or controversial cause
• Provide a physical mailing address for certificates to be mailed if approved
• Have not received AirTran Airways ticket certificates for a previous fundraising event within the past year

Please use the Charitable Donation Application to submit your proposal. Please do not call AirTran Airways regarding the status of your request. They receive a tremendous number of requests and will process the application as soon as they can prior to the event date.

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is willing to submit an online application as fiscal agent for any local BDPA chapter. Our preference is that these tickets be used for a SITES related program. We will also limit our efforts to chapters that have (a) provided us with their 2011 SITES budget and (b) provided us with a chapter president profile for publication on our award-winning blog.

Black Family Technology Awareness Week Celebrated in New York City on Feb 26

BDPA New York chapter is proud to host Black Family Technology Awareness Week (BFTAW) events on Saturday, February 26. The chapter's BFTAW committee chair Damon Holmes shares the logistics about the event:





I hope that all of our New York area blog readers will make plans to attend!

Ralphs Fund

The Ralphs Fund is part of The Kroger Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) charitable foundation. The Ralphs Fund is supported through contributions from Ralphs Grocery Company; their parent company, Kroger; their suppliers; team members and their customers.

The generosity of their customers and team members, helped the Ralphs Fund award more than $1 million in grants in 2008, helping reduce hunger, inspire youth, support women health initiatives and promote the advancement of people of color throughout Southern California.

There are many good organizations and worthwhile causes: unfortunately, no company can support every single one. The Ralphs Fund gives grants to nonprofit programs that meet a number of focus areas, including 'education'.

Children/K-12 Education: The Ralphs Fund’s grants for education – primarily to K-12 programs – have provided books for libraries, funded technology centers in schools and supported science programs. They also assist local arts, music, sports and enrichment programs.

How does my organization apply for a grant from the Ralphs Fund?  To be eligible, your organization must be:

1. A 501(c)3 tax exempt nonprofit
2. Located in Southern California
3. Working in one of our focus areas

The Ralphs Fund does not make donations toward the following:

• Individuals
• Capital campaigns
• Travel expenses
• Projects of sectarian or religious organizations whose principal benefit is for their own members or adherents
• Organizations that discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion, sexual orientation or national origin
• Third party giving (when an organization requests funds from Ralphs and then donates those funds to another organization)

If your organization meets the eligibility requirements above, please submit a written request on your organization’s letterhead along with a copy of the organization’s letter of determination from the IRS. Requests should be mailed to:


Ralphs Fund
c/o Ralphs Community Relations
P.O. Box 54143
Los Angeles, CA 90054


Requests to the Ralphs Fund must arrive eight (8) weeks prior to the event date or date of need.  Requests must include:

1. The organization’s tax ID number
2. The organization’s address, main contact first and last name, phone number, fax number and email address.
3. Be specific as to the amount of grant be requested, how the grant will be used, and who the grant will serve. Include any other pertinent information about the program for which funding is being requested.
4. Include how the Ralphs Fund will be recognized should the grant be approved.
5. Include any brochures, website addresses or attachments about the organization seeking funding.

I'm not certain that BETF will qualify for this funding source based on their "third party giving" restriction. However, we are willing to give it a try for any eligible and interested BDPA chapter.

Message from New York Chapter President

Dear Members,

I cannot believe that it is already February and we are celebrating Black History Month. This is the month that BDPA New York will host our annual Black Family Technology Awareness Event, in recognition of Black Family Technology Awareness Week. I am so excited and looking forward to seeing you on Feb 26th at the Abundant Life Christian Center in Brooklyn, NY, as we share the importance of Education, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Careers with the community.

Last month, we had a very successful Meet and Greet on January 19th at the Empire Hotel Rooftop in New York. Members and guests had the opportunity to meet and mingle with myself, and the rest of our 2011 Executive Board, and learn more about what our chapter has planned for 2011.

I wanted to remind everyone that we are actively seeking volunteers for our committees and 2011 events and initiatives. We need volunteers to lead or serve on committees in the following areas: Education, Membership, Community Service and Fundraising. I hope that many of you step up to volunteer, to speak and present at our program meetings, or to mentor our IT Showcase students.

BDPA New York 2011 Program / Volunteer Opportunities

Education/Community Outreach
This committee is seeking mentors and instructors, who will train students for our Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program, IT Showcase, and High School Computer Competition (HSCC). In addition the committee is seeking volunteers for these upcoming events:

• Saturday, February 5 - Computers for Youth
• Friday, February 11 - Microsoft Minority Day
• October 2011 - Cyber Security Awareness Month

Contact Denise Hamilton, Director of Education & Community Outreach at educ@bdpa-ny.org or Carol Anthony, Director of IT Showcase at itshowcase@bdpa-ny.org

Membership Services
This committee is seeking Volunteers as speakers/panelists to present at the following monthly meetings:

June 2011, 8:30am*
IT in Emergency Management Symposium
**Seeking an Event Planner to coordinate this event

Thursday, April 21st
Role of Information Technology and the Census

Thursday, June 16th
Employment and Branding Forum

Thursday, September 15th
Health Information Systems


In addition, this committee is seeking volunteers for the following events:


Thursday, February 10th, 9am - 5pm
Pace University Practice Student Interview Day

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2pm
Pace University Spring Job Fair
Contact Joshua Wynn, Vice President of Member Services at vpms@bdpa-ny.org

Entrepreneur Development Committee
This committee is seeking volunteers as speakers/panelists to present for the following workshops:


Thursday, March 17th
Tips on Obtaining Federal Contracts for Small Businesses

Thursday, November 17th
Mobile Technology for Entrepreneurs

Contact Damon Holmes, Director of Business & Professional Development at profdev@bdpa-ny.org

Fundraising Committee
Do you have fundraising expertise? We need members to assist us in raising funds for our SITES Program. Contact Wanda Jackson, VP of Finance, at vpf@bdpa-ny.org

Executive Board Positions
Would you like the opportunity to share your skills as a part of the BDPA New York Executive Board? Current Available positions on the board include: Vice President of Membership Management, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Publicist, Director of Human Resources, Fundraising Chairperson, Historian, Graphic Artist, Grant Application Writer, Fundraising Committee Chairperson.

If interested in a position, contact me at pres@bdpa-ny.org or call the chapter voicemail at (212) 802-531.

Lastly, I’d like to thank the following members who volunteered at the 2011 Rainbow Coalition/Citizenship Education Fund Wall Street Project:

• Jasmine Crosby-Miller
• Myrna Miller
• Bilal Muhammad
• Moira Jack
• Denise Hamilton

In summary, BDPA New York needs you to make a difference.

Sincerely,
Renetta English, President
BDPA New York Chapter

Newsletter: BDPA New York (Feb 2011)

Newsletter: BDPA New York (Feb 2011)

View more documents from BDPA Foundation.

Letter of Inquiry * Comcast Foundation (Eastern Division)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) sent a letter of inquiry to the Comcast Foundation (Eastern Division) on behalf of BDPA Cleveland. We would like to get permission from Comcast Foundation to submit a full-fledged grant proposal in support of the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program in northern Ohio.

BDPA Cleveland chapter president Henry Wiggins and SITES coordinator Sylvia Calhoun were very helpful in completing the letter of inquiry. We encourage our blog-readers to support the BDPA Cleveland HSCC Scholarship Fund project!

Citi Foundation

The Citi Foundation is committed to the economic empowerment of individuals and families, particularly those in need, in the communities where they work so that they can improve their standard of living. They fulfill this mission by providing grant support for programs that are aligned with their priority focus areas, promote collaboration and effective use of philanthropic resources, engage our employees, and demonstrate impact and positive outcomes.

They are particularly interested in supporting program innovations with education programs that help improve quality and access to primary and secondary education in Citi markets internationally, and in the United States programs that increase the number of low-income and first-generation students who enroll in post-secondary education and earn a degree.

Expanding educational opportunities and helping to improve academic achievement can be one of the most effective strategies for economically empowering households and increasing the ability of young people to contribute positively to the broader economy. Citi Foundation seek to support programs that focus on basic elementary and secondary education, as well as higher education programs that enrich the educational offerings at undergraduate and graduate schools of business. Recognizing how critical obtaining a college degree is to increasing earning power and breaking inter-generational cycles of poverty, they are particularly focused on efforts to generate a dramatic and sustainable increase in the number of low-income and first-generation students who enroll in college and obtain a degree.

The Citi Foundation reviews proposals by invitation only from organizations with demonstrated successes in its outlined focus areas. Citi Foundation has sharply focused their grant making to satisfy ongoing commitments in these areas throughout the world. Please note that Citi Foundation will not review any unsolicited letters of inquiry or proposals.

Do you know anyone that can get us an invitation for funding by the Citi Foundation?

Grant Award: CIGNA Foundation ($2,500)

We are pleased to announce that CIGNA Foundation recently awarded a $2,500 grant to the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF). The grant funds will be used for the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program in Philadelphia, PA. BDPA Philadelphia will train 24 students in this program. Many of these students will be taken to the 2011 BDPA Youth Technology Camp in Chicago, IL. In the end, the top five students are selected to represent Philadelphia in the 26th annual National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) to be held August 3-6, 2011.

"BDPA is convinced that our youth should be encouraged to pursue science, technology, engineering or math studies at an early age," said BETF executive director Wayne Hicks. "We are excited to work with CIGNA Foundation to expand our SITES program so that more Philadelphia-area high school students are positioned to do this."

BETF served over 800 young people across the nation in the 2010 SITES program. BETF works with BDPA to provide college scholarships, college internships, workshops, seminars, certifications and the annual IT Showcase to drive more African Americans into STEM-based curriculum in college ... and ultimately to increase the number of technically-skilled employees available to Corporate America.

"I am pleased to award this CIGNA Foundation grant to BETF in support of the Philadelphia SITES program," said executive director Gianna Jackson. "The CIGNA Foundation is committed to enhancing the well-being of the communities where we live and work. We do this, in part, through our financial support of creative and responsive programs and services being provided by organizations like BETF."

According to a recent study by the Schott Foundation for Public Education, only 47% of Black males graduate from high school. Black females do better with a 60% high school graduation rate, but the low combined graduation rate of Black students lags far behind that of white students. Programs like this one being funded in Philadelphia are critical if we hope to turn these statistics in a more positive direction.

Please join us in congratulating BDPA Philadelphia chapter president Hayward West and his team for their efforts in this successful grant-writing effort.

Grant Proposal: AirTran Airways (BDPA Baltimore)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) worked with BDPA Baltimore chapter president Michael Tyson and chapter vice president Amber Green on a grant proposal to AirTran Airways. We asked for them to provide us with in-kind donation of round-trip coach tickets that would help get chapter students to the 2011 national BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships in Chicago.

BDPA Baltimore chapter could use the support of our blog readers as they raise funds for HSCC scholarships.

Take Five: Carter Hill (Atlanta)

Originally Posted: 2/7/2010

BDPA Atlanta chapter elected Carter Hill to take them to the next level. I look forward to seeing how he does over the coming months and years. For now, we are grateful to Carter for participating in our Take Five interview series. Here is what he had to say:

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1. How did you get involved in working with BDPA? - I originally got involved with BDPA back in the year 1994. I was working in Omaha, Nebraska and was beginning to network with various organizations. I had been a member of the National Society of Black Engineers and was intrigued with an organization for African Americans specifically in the IT field. Within a year, I had helped found the Omaha chapter and served as its Treasurer. After moving from the Midwest to Atlanta, I took a break from BDPA. But I've been involved with the Atlanta chapter consistently since 2007 and wouldn't trade these experiences for the world. [NOTE: Carter is shown in photo with past Atlanta chapter president Teresa Williams]
2. What is the most rewarding aspect of working with BDPA? - The thing I find most rewarding with BDPA is our community outreach particularly the HSCC programs. Our ability to change the lives of young people and show them an alternative is priceless. The mass media seems to want to tell young Black people their only career options are in sports and entertainment. The election of Barack Obama to the Presidency has greatly helped to counter that notion. However, organization like ours working nationally and at the grass roots level still have a lot of work to do. BDPA instills in our students the belief that they can achieve in any legitimate field of endeavor that they wish. If we can do the same at the middle school and collegiate level, then we can definitely live up to our vision of "From the classroom to the boardroom"
3. Tell us about a defining moment in your life? - The defining moment of my life was the day I got a scholarship letter from my undergraduate institute Morris Brown College. Prior to this time nobody on either side of my family had ever attended college. It was then that I realized that dreams can come true and you can change your life through hard work. From that moment forward my life has drastically changed from that of my peers and family. Education and perseverance are key to succeeding in life. I think that is why I believe so deeply in BDPA's mission. When we teach the HSCC students we are not just teaching them web development and database concepts, we are teaching them how to change the course of their lives.
4. Who is your hero and why? - There are several people that I have admired for their accomplishments like Nelson Mandela, James Doolittle or Paul Robeson. But I can't really say that I have one that I would call a personal hero.
5. Any advice for people considering donation to BETF? - BETF allows BDPA chapters to function and operate their SITES programs. So I would tell a potential donor to give abundantly and often.

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I remember when we had the BDPA chapter in Omaha NE. Although that chapter didn't survive it is wonderful to see that the talent uncovered in Nebraska is still supporting our BDPA efforts! I hope that you will take a moment to share some BDPA-Love with Bro. Hill!

BDPA | Decade in Review (2001-2010)

Perry Carter and the folks at bdpatoday are to be commended for taking time to create this slideshow commemorating the efforts of BDPA over the past decade. The slideshow features photos taken at local, regional and national events over the past decade. It pays tribute to BDPA corporate sponsors and shows the impact that the organization is having in a wide range of information technology industry niches.





Did you see yourself in the video? Did the video remind you of some of the good works being done by BDPA in your local chapter city? Please share your thoughts as you watched this video montage of the past decade!

The BDPA Insider - February 6, 2011

The BDPA Insider - February 6, 2011

What better way to start the day than with your weekly message from BDPA!

In this issue:

1. 3 Tips for Aspiring IT Professionals
2. 100 Excellent Open Course Links for the Ultimate DIY Geek
3. American Honda Foundation Supports STEM-Based High School Computer Camps Around the Nation
4. Android Is Now the Most Popular Smartphone Platform
5. Are You Getting the Return You Want … SEO & Spam
6. BDPA Corporate Opportunities Portfolio (2011)
7. BDPA | Decade in Review (2001-2010)
8. BDPA IT Corps
9. BDPA NY Black Family Technology Awareness Week Event‏
10. Business Process Automation Tips
11. HSCC Testimonial: Gregory Chambers (Hartford, 2001, 2004-2005)
12. Message from Richmond Chapter HSCC Coordinator Candace Hamlin
13. Techie Camp: Can We Expand STEM-Based Training for Elementary and Middle School Students?
14. Zack Sharing 411 about Computers!
    

Click here for the latest issue of "The BDPA Insider":

http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/02/bdpa-insider-february-6-2011.html

Click here for "The BDPA Insider" Archives:

http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_Insider_Archive

BDPA Students: CSS 1, Learn the Basics (Zack Garbow)

Zack Sharing 411 about Computers!

We told you earlier about the success of Zack Garbow as the High School Computer Competition (HSCC) coordinator for BDPA Southern Minnesota chapter.  The HSCC students trained by Zack have won the national championship in 5 of the past 6 years.  Whatever Zack is doing in Rochester, Minnesota is working ... and perhaps it's time for the other 44 chapters to look to him for some 'best practice' advice.

Zack has begun to document the lessons that he provides to his BDPA students via YouTube.  Prior lessons were provided on the basics of HTML and  uploading files to CPanel.

Today, the lesson for BDPA Students focuses on the basics of cascading style sheets.





I'm curious to hear from BDPA students and volunteer instructors. Is it helpful to see these video clips from Zack here on this blog?

KFC Colonel's Scholars Program

The KFC Colonel's Scholars Program® is looking for high school seniors with entrepreneurial drive, strong perseverance, demonstrated financial need, and who want to pursue a college education at an accredited public institution in the state they reside. This program is offered to high school seniors planning to attend a public in-state college or university.

Students who meet the criteria may apply online to become a KFC’s Colonel’s Scholar. Students selected for this scholarship are eligible to receive up to $20,000 to complete a bachelor’s degree program. [Read More]

Letter of Inquiry * Discovering Your Potential (BDPA St. Louis)

BDPA St. Louis chapter worked with a community organization, Discovering Your Potential, to seek a hardware donation of 20 laptop computers. The mission of Discovering Your Potential is to serve as a resource for educators and parents who seek to improve academic skills for at risk children by offering an after school program focused on math and reading within the middle schools. The primary goal is to provide the necessary skills to close the achievement gap for students who are not meeting the state standards.

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is working with BDPA St. Louis chapter on this computer hardware request. We should have an answer within the next few weeks.

American Honda Foundation Supports STEM-Based High School Computer Camps Around the Nation

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very proud to be administering a $25,000 grant from the American Honda Foundation (AHF). One of the objectives of the grant funding is to have a greater impact around the nation with the BDPA Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program.

BDPA chapters are encouraged to implement high school computer camps for students that are interested in gaining knowledge of a variety of science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) topics. There were at least five BDPA computer camps operational last Saturday, January 29. These five camps were hosted by BDPA chapters in Chicago, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Los Angeles and Rhode Island. There were 74 students who braved the inclement weather conditions to attend these computer camps.

BDPA Twin Cities Chapter Computer Camp

I attended the computer camp orientation held in Cincinnati. I was blown away to see a room full of diverse students, parents and volunteers spending making a commitment to a 9-week technology seminar series. Here is the slideshow that was shared by BDPA Cincinnati leaders with the students:

BDPA Cincinnati High School Computer Camp Orientation (2011)

View more presentations from BDPA Foundation.

We plan to allocate funding from the AHF grant to chapters that do a number of things in support of STEM-training for high school students. The points will add up from January thru June. After the first month of the process the leading BDPA chapters in high school program points are:

1. Los Angeles (38)
2. New York (29)
3. Cincinnati (20)
4. Southern Minnesota (20)
5. Chicago (13)

It should be interesting to see how the other 40 BDPA chapters respond to the challenge (and opportunity!) presented by the AHF grant!

HSCC Testimonial: Gregory Chambers (Hartford, 2001, 2004-2005)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) has given out over $344,000 in scholarships since 1999. The vast majority of these scholarships go to young people who compete in the BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships each year. These high-performing students earn Jesse Bemley Scholarships.

Gregory Chambers is a Bemley Scholar. He was a member of the HSCC team trained by BDPA Hartford chapter that earned the silver medal in the 2005 HSCC championships held in Detroit. Gregory used his scholarship to defray the cost of his education at Tufts University. He is currently a web and database developer.

Here are his thoughts about his HSCC experience:

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My first experience with the HSCC was early in middle school, when I sat in on an HSCC training class where the students were learning to design a basketball game. I was inspired by this project, as I had spent time using object oriented programming to create levels and worlds for one of my favorite DOS-based games, ZZT, which itself came with its own integrated development environment. Although I was unable to keep up with the class that day, it introduced me to Microsoft's Visual Studio, which would become a familiar interface in the years to come.

2004 Hartford HSCC Team

As a Hartford chapter team member during my eighth, eleventh, and twelfth grades, we found ourselves immersed in a challenging competition that most memorably required the rapid development and presentation of a web application that was intuitive and functional, approximating the quality of a site developed professionally over the course of a much larger period of time. This imperative for professional-level quality belied the fact that as Active Server Pages developers much of our precious time was spent using one of programmers' older best friends, the text editor; however, it drove us to excel, and after exciting and demanding trips to compete in Chicago (2001), and Dallas (2004), our efforts culminated in the achievement of first runner up in the 2005 competition in Detroit.

It wasn't just doing well in the competition that defined my HSCC experience; the opportunities that came out of it were multiple. Learning about information technology under the guidance of wizened professionals – the history of computing and how computers work, developing and presenting both an application and the crucial collaboration of the team behind it – and traveling across the country to meet and compete with like-minded peers and mentors made the HSCC experience the defining foundation of my professional life.

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My hope is that Gregory gets reconnected with BDPA Hartford chapter now that he is an IT professional. I also hope that Gregory's story inspires you to support the BDPA Hartford HSCC Scholarship Fund.

Message from Richmond Chapter HSCC Coordinator

Candace Hamlin

BDPA Richmond chapter is pleased to announce the start of its Annual High School Computer Competition (HSCC) Program! The goal of this exciting training and competition is to increase our youth's interest in information technology.

BDPA Richmond is now recruiting rising 9th to 12th grade students to enroll in the HSCC Program. The program provides an environment where high school students have an opportunity to compete on an academic level and showcase their technical skills and creativity. Selected students receive several weeks of introductory and advanced training in computer technologies such as HTML, ASP.NET, and relational databases. Participating students also gain essential skills such as presentation delivery and teamwork.

At the conclusion of the program, selected students will represent BDPA Richmond in the National BDPA HSCC Championships, which will be held at the National BDPA Technology Conference from August 3-6, 2011 in Chicago, IL. The competition team will enjoy an all-expense paid trip to the conference with an opportunity to win college scholarships.

BDPA Richmond High School Computer Camp (2011)

View more documents from BDPA Foundation.

If you are interested in having your students participate in our program please contact us at hscc@bdparichmond.org or call us on (804) 751-5171. Also, please plan to attend our Youth education kick off-program on Saturday, February 26th at ECPI (Innsbrook) 4305 Cox Road Richmond, VA 23060 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Kind Regards,
Candace J. Hamlin, HSCC Coordinator
BDPA Richmond Chapter

Techie Camp: Can We Expand STEM-Based Training for Elementary and Middle School Students?

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) continues to work with Tech Corps Ohio and Tech Corps Texas to create a national pilot program for Techie Camps that would take place in June-July 2011.   
Our vision is to have 10 classes -- 2 each in 5 cities - one class for elementary school students, the other class for middle school students.    20 students in each class -- the student is responsible for $350 tuition to attend Techie Camp.   Two BDPA instructors for each class who would be paid a stipend for their week in these 40-hour (M-F) Techie Camps.   There are four existing curriculum for BDPA to choose from -- programming, web development, robotics or android mobile applications, however, we are going to limit the 2011 summer pilot program to only programming or web development.

We have targeted five cities for the pilot program: Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Philadelphia (or No. Delaware) and Washington DC.     We have heard back from the chapter presidents in Cincinnati, Dallas and Washington DC.  These 3 chapters are on-board and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is being drafted to share with these 3 chapters.    We have not heard back yet from Philadelphia (or No. Delware) or Chicago chapter as of the typing of this update.

There are 3 benefits to BDPA for engagement in this pilot program:

BDPA So Minnesota Students

1. SITES Program - Our existing program is defined as K-12, however, we only have strong programs at the high school level.   Techie Camp gives BDPA a chance to use an existing and proven curriculum to have a credible program for elementary school (3rd thru 5th graders) and middle school (6th thru 8th graders).   Over time it would be an excellent feeder program for our high school computer camps and HSCC championship teams.
2. Support Unemployed BDPA Members or HSCC Alumni - Each Techie Camp requires 2 instructors.   We want existing BDPA members or HSCC alumni who are back from college and need summer employment to fill these instructor slots.   Great member benefit to offer within your chapter.
3. Membership - The 20 students in each class will be provided a student membership (value: $25).   The $500 funding to support these 20 student members would go to the local chapter where the students live.   The contact information for the student membership would be directed to their parent or guardian.   Any chapter interested in getting a quick influx of 20 new members this summer?!?  :)

BETF and Tech Corps are currently working on a joint grant proposal to see if we can get at least 70% of the tuition payments underwritten by a corporate sponsor so that we can reach out to under-served students who may never have chance for this type of STEM-based training at such an early age. 

I will try to keep you informed of our continuing efforts on this project ... however, you should feel free to reply to this message with any questions that you might have.

Letter of Inquiry * Wal-Mart Community Grant (BDPA New York)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) partnered with BDPA New York chapter to submit an application for community grant to Wal-Mart Store #5293 in Valley Stream, NY. BDPA New York chapter president Renetta English made a visit to the store manager to obtain a copy of the grant application. We hope to hear back from Wal-Mart in the near future on this funding request.