BDPA Advancing Careers from the Classroom to the Boardroom

The BDPA Education and Technology Foundation ( BETF ) is pleased to announce approval of funding request from BDPA Los Angeles in the amount of $5,260.00. This grant flows smoothly with our 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.

The funding will be used by BDPA Los Angeles chapter to support their Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program. The photos are from chapter computer camp held earlier this month.

BETF directors expressed interest in working with Los Angeles chapter on funding for their 2010 SITES program. We look for them to explore increased funding opportunities through United Way, Combined Federal Campaign or joint grant proposals.

Join us in congratulating BDPA Los Angeles chapter president John Malonson on his success in this funding effort!

The BDPA Education and Technology Foundation ( BETF ) is pleased to announce approval of funding request from BDPA Triangle chapter in the amount of $5,000.00. This grant provides the chapter with 'seed money' to secure building and other start-up costs for BDPA-BETF Benefit Concert on Friday, August 7, 2009 at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, NC.

Denise Holland (National BDPA), Rick Leggett (BDPA Triangle) and Wayne Hicks (BETF) signed a memorandum of understanding in support of this Benefit Concert project earlier this year. Proceeds will support the BETF Endowment Fund and the BDPA Triangle chapter SITES program.

BETF directors expressed interest in working with Triangle chapter on funding for their 2010 SITES program. We look for them to explore increased funding opportunities through United Way, Combined Federal Campaign or joint grant proposals.

I hope that all of you plan to attend our August 7th Benefit Concert!

BETF provided $1,000 grant to BDPA New York chapter . The chapter used the funding to establish the Roger Dunn Memorial Scholarship and the Renee McClure Scholarship, which will be awarded to SITES students who have demonstrated strong excellent leaderships skills.

Some of the funding used to cover transportation expenses fo r students trained by BDPA New York chapter to attend the Northeast Regional competition at Bowie State University in June 2009. The students (Kevin Castillo, Cazemba Richards and Alan Rosales) won 3rd place at the regional competition.

BETF has provided $155,339 in funding support to BDPA chapters since the beginning of the year. Is your chapter working with BETF on fundraising ideas?

BDPA Bay Area chapter is receiving thousands of dollars worth of in-kind donations from Computers For Learning.   Monitors, computers, servers and such.    The chapter plans to use this equipment to set up a Community Technology Center in partnership with DeVry University.

BDPA Richmond chapter received 8 computers from Computers For Learning earlier this year.   They will use the computers as part of their SITES program.

Is your chapter taking advantage of this opportunity?

I had to laugh this morning.  I was talking with a local chapter leader and he noted that some BDPA leaders don't work with BETF because they worry about our 'hit rate'.  They wonder if the effort pays off.   BDPA Bay Area and BDPA Richmond chapter spend less time being 'crabs in a barrel' and more time putting the BDPA vision into action.   As a result, they are grant recipients ...

If your chapter has plenty of funding ... then you don't need BETF.   If your chapter is worried about paying for youth education programs ... then perhaps its time you gave us a call on (513) 284-4968.

peace,  Wayne

BETF is proud to announce approval of a $8,500 grant in support of the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program in Richmond, VA.

BDPA Richmond chapter president Jamar Arvin indicates that the funds will be used to support the students, volunteers and instructors involved in the national high school computer competition and youth technology camp taking place in Raleigh NC on August 5-8, 2009.

Did you know that BETF has given out $176,589 so far this calendar year to National BDPA and 11 local BDPA chapters? Our foundation exists to provide financial support to BDPA on a local and national level. Our thought is that your chapter volunteers should focus on program delivery while BETF volunteers can work on funding for your education and technology programs.

Is your chapter learning about BETF through our social networks like Facebook, Groupsite, Twitter or YahooGroup?

BDPA Orlando needed financial assistance for their 2009 Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program. BETF approved $850 grant funding to BDPA Orlando chapter.

The funds helped Orlando-based students participate in the Youth Technology Camp. Sadly, BDPA Orlando chapter has not had a national team in the high school computer competition (HSCC) since 2004. Our hope is that students who benefit from this grant will become participants in the chapter's 2010 HSCC.

BETF-Blog readers can do their part to help us with larger grants in the future by making a secure online donation or taking advantage of the annual United Way process at your corporate workplace.

BETF provided an $850 grant to support the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship ( SITES ) program implemented by BDPA Greater Columbia chapter

The funds helped the high school computer competition (HSCC) team trained by BDPA Greater Columbia to participate in the Southeast Regional Competition. The three students on the team (Dominique Geiger, Sami Patel, Raven Stevenson and Courtland Thomas) took home the silver medal at the regional event in Charlotte NC.

Later the team travelled to Raleigh NC to compete in the national championships. The team finished in 19th place.

However, an unexpected serendipity happened at the Awards Gala during the confer ence. The United States Navy offered a $180,000 scholarship for Raven Stevenson to study biomedical engineering at Duke University!

Please call BETF on (513) 284-4968 or email us if you want to make a tax-deductible pledge in support of the restricted Greater Columbia Chapter Fund.

Did you know that BETF has provided $177,080 in support of BDPA programs and services so far this year? Our high-powered directors are focused on raising funds necessary to support the Student Information Technology Education and Scholarship (SITES) program around the nation. Is your chapter taking full advantage of BETF as you make your 2010 plans?