Geek Squad Academy

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By John Vomhof Jr. Technology

09 Jun: Discover Fun STEM Activities For Kids Of All Ages

Many parents worry about their kids experiencing “brain drain” during the summer months, and that’s sure to be an even bigger concern this year as students transition from a spring of distance learning to a summer without many of the usual camps and other activities.

Just because schools aren’t in session doesn’t mean kids have to take a three-month break from learning. There are lots of activities that can provide summer fun while also unlocking their imaginations.

To learn more, we talked to Hafsa Aden, the coordinator at the Best Buy Teen Tech Center in Portland, Oregon.

By Jessica Moes Company News

15 May: Best Buy Provides Free Tech Classes For Kids At Home

As students face a summer of being homebound because of COVID-19, they (and their parents) are actively looking for new opportunities to learn, explore and grow.

Best Buy is here to help.

Our Geek Squad Agents have created a suite of free online courses that are designed to ignite kids’ creativity and teach them new tech skills. Inspired by our popular Geek Squad Academy summer camps, the curriculum includes topics such as smartphone photography, binary code and how to build video games and websites.

By Best Buy Community Relations Company News Diversity and Inclusion Geek Squad

26 Feb: Best Buy returns to its girls-only roots for first 2020 Geek Squad Academy

Geek Squad Academy is an educational program that partners with local nonprofits and other youth organizations that share a focus on teaching youth and teens about technology.

For most students, a Monday off from school could seem like a perfect time to sleep or hang with friends. On Jan. 20, 40 girls chose to spend their free day getting hands on with tech at a Best Buy Geek Squad Academy.

They were from Project Scientist, a national program that exposes girls as young as 4 to science, technology, engineering and math careers.

By Suzanne Hilker Company News Geek Squad

06 Sep: Geek Squad Academy Brings Another Summer of Tech Fun

We just wrapped up another epic season of Geek Squad Academy (GSA). That means 10,000 teens from across the United States learned new skills and got hands-on with the latest technology.

GSA is nothing like a traditional classroom experience. You definitely won’t find a textbook. What you will find is a two-day camp with BB-8 robots used for teaching coding, Legos for stop-motion animation and of course iPads for music production. And more.

We couldn’t have done it without all 1,200 Best Buy employees who volunteered as instructors and helpers.

By Suzanne Hilker Community Relations Company News Geek Squad Lifestyle

23 Oct: Geek Squad Academy 2018 Season: 50 Cities Served

We just wrapped up another whirlwind season of Geek Squad Academy – our 12th! We traveled across the U.S.,from Hoboken to Honolulu, to bring interactive tech camps to kids.

Our employee volunteers taught everything from music production to coding using BB-8 robots.

As our new “Junior Agents” completed the camp, we hope to have sparked an interest in tech that will inspire their future education and career choices. That’s part of our commitment to prepare 1 million youth from underserved communities for the tech-reliant jobs of the future each year by 2020.

By Jessica Moes Company News Geek Squad Lifestyle

30 Mar: Creative Planning Gets Geek Squad Academy to Hawaii

Almost three years of careful planning and outreach paid off this week as 160 students at an elementary school in Hawaii enjoyed their first interaction with a Geek Squad Academy (GSA).

Students got to program robots, write code and more with the help of Best Buy and Geek Squad volunteers.

“You could just feel the excitement and energy when the kids entered the room,” said James Pineda, a Geek Squad Agent at Best Buy’s Honolulu store who helped lead robotics classes.

By Suzanne Hilker Community Relations Company News

15 Nov: Want to Host a Geek Squad Academy? Apply Now

Geek Squad Academy, one of Best Buy’s signature community programs, is now accepting applications to host free two-day tech camps for youth in 2018.

We will accept applications from nonprofits, schools, libraries and other community groups.

Geek Squad Academy is one way we will reach our goal of preparing 1 million underserved youth for tech-reliant jobs of the future.

As a partner, here’s what you can expect:

Passionate instructors – Our Geek Squad Agents and Blue Shirts are the tech experts.

By Best Buy Community Relations Company News PR News Alerts Sustainability

25 Oct: Best Buy Making Major Investment in Teen Tech Programs

Early on a bitterly cold Saturday in January 2006, 30 eager teens gathered in Minneapolis’ North High School gym to make the first computers they’d ever own.

A handful of Geek Squad Agents arrived with desktop components. They patiently explained the inner workings and possibilities of what they and the students would build together. By the end of the day, each of those proud teens had an invaluable learning tool to take home.

That event marked the beginning of a Best Buy movement to help underserved young people.

By Andrea Riehl Community Relations Company News Sustainability

11 Oct: 3 Lessons Learned From Recent Geek Squad Academy Season

I manage our Geek Squad Academy (GSA) program, and I love my job! GSA brings hands-on tech education to youth across the country with two-day summer camps, as well as afterschool workshops all year long.

This summer, our 11^th season, Geek Squad Academy brought 1,250 of our employees out to their communities to work with 4,800 Junior Agents. Classes included 3-D design, digital music, coding, programming and much more.

It was an amazing summer of tech education and exploration. Here are three lessons I learned:

1.

By Best Buy Lifestyle

12 Jun: How Tech Can Help Fight Summer Brain Drain

Students anxiously await summer break. It’s a time to sleep in, hang out with friends and spend lazy days on the beach.

But, unfortunately, it also can undo some of the learning from the recent school year. In fact, many students will lose between one and three months of learning during the summer, according to the National Summer Learning Association.

The phenomenon is often called “brain drain.” But technology is one tool that can help fight it.

“Technology can make learning math and reading fun!

By Best Buy Community Relations Company News

20 Apr: Geek Squad Academy kicks off 11th season of summer camps for teens

Summer’s right around the corner, and Geek Squad Academy (GSA) is kicking off its most exciting season yet.

The tech-education program is marking its 11^th year by holding 40 camps nationwide (a 30 percent increase over last year). That means more than 8,500 teens will learn how to use essential tech tools — and have fun doing so.

GSA has served more than 26,000 teens since it began through free, two-day camps led by Geek Squad Agents and community partners.

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