This year more than 8,500 teens nationwide will receive tech tools and hands-on training at 40 two-day camps
MINNEAPOLIS – (April 20, 2017) – Best Buy is deepening its commitment to helping underserved teens get access to essential tech tools by growing its flagship Geek Squad Academy (GSA) summer program more than 30 percent to conduct 40 camps supporting 8,500 teens this year.
“It’s clear that the challenges facing underserved youth are growing, with resources becoming more stretched even as the vast majority of future jobs will require tech proficiency,” said Andrea Wood, director of Community Relations at Best Buy. “The expanded GSA schedule reflects our commitment to providing teens with the tech tools they need for a successful future, with support from our talented employees and community partners.”
Over the past decade, GSA has served more than 26,000 teens through free two-day camps led by Geek Squad Agents and conducted in partnership with community organizations. GSA camps feature unique curricula that aligns teen passions with tech trends such as 3D design, HTML coding and more. New this year is a BB-8 Robot class to help teens learn to program a robot to complete challenges and solve puzzles. A pixel art session teaches teens to create original pixel art and animation, beginning with the design of a character. The basic principles of coding are inherently part of this curriculum, providing teens with skills that lay the foundation for a variety of careers.
Today, starting in South Boston, Mass., GSA begins what will become the most impactful season ever. From April through Sept., 40 camps will be held in these 39 cities:
* Beaverton, Ore.
* Bellevue, Wash.
* Bessmer, Ala.
* Bronx, N.Y.
* Charlotte, N.C.
* Chicago
* Cleveland
* Denver
* Desoto, Texas
* Eden Prairie, Minn.
* Hartford, Conn.
* Henderson, Nev.
* Houston
* Jackson, Mo.
* Jersey City, N.J.
* Kansas City, Kan.
* Liverpool, N.Y.
* Los Angeles
* Louisville, Ky.
* Milwaukee
* Minneapolis
* New Orleans
* Newark, Del.
* Oakland, Calif.
* Oceanside, Calif.
* Orlando, Fla.
* Phoenix
* Pittsburgh
* Reno, Nev.
* Sacramento, Calif.
* Salt Lake City
* San Antonio
* San Marcos, Calif.
* South Boston, Mass.
* Stockton, Ga.
* St. Paul, Minn.
* Tulsa, Okla.
* Wake Forest, N.C.
* Washington, D.C.
Best Buy focuses on supporting programs that leverage technology to inspire and engage underserved teens to help them prepare for college and careers. This commitment to addressing the opportunity gap among underserved youth is represented in programs such as Geek Squad Academy and 11 Best Buy Teen Tech Centers now operating in Bellevue, Wash.; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Jersey City, N.J.; Los Angeles; Miami; Minneapolis; Oakland, Calif.; San Antonio; and Washington, D.C.
For a complete schedule of Geek Squad Academy 2017 dates, locations, enrollment information and more, visit https://academy.geeksquad.com.