Grant Disbursement: BDPA Philadelphia ($500)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation issued a $500 grant disbursement to the BDPA Philadelphia chapter this week.

BDPA Philadelphia chapter president Eileen Gadsden requested the funding in support of the chapter's expenses related to the 2013 National High School Computer Competition championship. The funds support travel and lodging for three students, two trainers and the HSCC coordinator.

BDPA Founder and the HSCC Team from Philadelphia

Congratulations to BDPA Philadelphia for its strong efforts to provide meaningful STEM-related programs to its young people. BDPA is making a difference in its efforts to promote the 'future faces of technology'.

Grant Disbursement: BDPA Charlotte ($9,063)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is pleased to announce approval of $9,063 grant disbursement to BDPA Greater Charlotte chapter. This grant disbursement flows smoothly with our vision to achieve, through investment in education and technology, an informed Black community prepared to lead and leverage the knowledge revolution for the benefit of the community-at-large.

BDPA Charlotte chapter president Markus Beamer requested the funding to pay for its Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program in 2013.  This project lasted for eight months and allowed IT professionals to teach high school students how to build 3-tier web applications.  The SITES program introduces these young people to real-world problems and assists them in building solutions for those problems.  The highest performers from this program were awarded an all-expenses paid trip to Washington DC to participate in the Youth Technology Camp and compete in the 2013 National BDPA High School Computer Competition championship!

Congratulations to BDPA Charlotte chapter for its strong efforts to provide meaningful STEM-related programs to its young people. BDPA is making a difference in its efforts to promote the 'future faces of technology'.

Grant Disbursement: BDPA Greater Columbia ($2,550)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is pleased to announce approval of $2,550 grant disbursement to BDPA Greater Columbia chapter. This grant disbursement flows smoothly with our vision to achieve, through investment in education and technology, an informed Black community prepared to lead and leverage the knowledge revolution for the benefit of the community-at-large.

BDPA Gr Columbia Students

BDPA Greater Columbia chapter president Mildred Allen requested the funding to pay for the High School Computer Training Program and High School Computer Competition (HSCC) program in 2013. Twenty-five students participated in the 2013 program on a local level in South Carolina. Ten of these student members participated in the National HSCC and the Youth Technology Camp during the 2013 BDPA Technology Conference in Washington DC.

Congratulations to BDPA Greater Columbia for its strong efforts to provide meaningful STEM-related programs to its young people. BDPA is making a difference in its efforts to promote the 'future faces of technology'.

Grant Disbursement: BDPA Dallas ($750)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is pleased to announce approval of $750 grant disbursement to BDPA Dallas chapter. This grant disbursement flows smoothly with our vision to achieve, through investment in education and technology, an informed Black community prepared to lead and leverage the knowledge revolution for the benefit of the community-at-large.

BDPA Dallas chapter president Stacy Stewart requested the funding to pay for the college scholarships for the three young men trained by the chapter to compete in the 2013 National High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship. 

Congratulations to BDPA Dallas for its strong efforts to provide meaningful STEM-related programs to its young people. BDPA is making a difference in its efforts to promote the 'future faces of technology'.

Grant Disbursement: BDPA Philadelphia Chapter ($500)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation approved a $500 grant disbursement to the BDPA Philadelphia chapter.

BDPA Philadelphia chapter president Eileen Gadsden requested the funding in support of the chapter's expenses related to the upcoming National High School Computer Competition championship. The funds will support travel and lodging for three students, two trainers and the HSCC coordinator.

Grant Disbursement: BDPA Chicago ($7,500)

BDPA Chicago Students

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is pleased to announce a $7,500 grant disbursement has been approved for the BDPA Chicago chapter! BDPA Chicago chapter president Pamela Sexton submitted IRS Tax Receipt Form requesting $7,500 disbursement.

She wrote, "These funds are used to support training, materials and location of our HSCC program. The funds will also assist with national conference expenses."

The decision to approve this grant disbursement was simple because the chapter and its members have been working with BETF in a number of ways. There are a number of chapter members who contributed to BDPA programs, scholarships and services via the Allstate Giving Campaign, AT&T United Way Employee Giving Campaign and the United Way of Metro Chicago. Our hope is that others will follow these examples so that BDPA Chicago can continue to grow the impact of the meaningful STEM-based training given to our young people each weekend.

Grant Disbursement: BDPA Triangle Chapter ($650)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) exists to providing funding support for BDPA programs, scholarships and services in our 46 local chapters around the nation. As such, BETF is pleased to announce approval of a $650 grant disbursement to BDPA Triangle chapter. The funds will support a truly uplifting event held earlier this year.

Carl Hill Congratulates Ensign Stevenson

BDPA Triangle chapter president Carl Hill and chapter VP-Finance Bobby Lamaute made their request as follows:

"BDPA Triangle chapter provided a venue and event to announce the graduation and announcement of a HSCC participant from South Carolina. Ensign Raven Stephenson graduated from Duke University with a full scholarship of $180k that was awarded in 2009 by the US Navy. Sever chapter presidents participated in this momentous occasion that was well-publicized. In attendance were chapter presidents from Greater Columbia, Triangle and Washington DC as well as national president Monique Berry."

It is always a pleasure when BETF is able to celebrate the success of the young people in our Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship program. BDPA volunteers work day-by-day to advance the careers of BDPA members in the IT industry from the 'classroom to the boardroom'. You can do your part. You can make a secure online donation that will help some of our students in North Carolina afford a college education. What say u?

Grant Disbursement: BDPA Richmond ($3,000)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) approved a $3,000 grant disbursement to BDPA Richmond chapter. The request for funding was submitted by chapter president Christopher Parker.

Christopher wrote,

"We are requesting our restricted funds ($2,500 from McKesson matching gifts and $500 from McKesson board grant. We will use the funding to support $2,000 in college scholarships in Fall 2013 and Spring 2014; $300 for elementary LEGO and other chapter operations such as program meetings."

This grant disbursement flows smoothly with the BETF vision to achieve, through investment in education and technology, an informed minority community prepared to lead and leverage the knowledge revolution for the benefit of the community-at-large. BETF hopes to work with BDPA Richmond chapter on funding for its 2014 SITES program.

Quite frankly, BETF wants to work with all 46 local BDPA chapters and any interested BDPA member or supporter to explore increased funding opportunities through payroll deductions or joint grant proposals.

Grant Disbursement: BDPA Detroit ($650)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation approved a $650 grant request from BDPA Detroit chapter. Chapter president Beverly Moore and chapter VP-Finance Loraine Stewart-David submitted the formal request for funding with the following explanation:

"Once a year, the HSCC coordinators have a planning meeting to guide the direction of the High School Computer Competition (HSCC) program locally and nationally. This funding will allow our chapter to have input in the discussions on direction and changes for the HSCC program."

This grant disbursement will ensure that the chapter HSCC coordinator Tonji Zimmerman will be in Orlando next month for the annual meeting.