Best Buy Children’s Foundation and Microsoft Honor
National Club Tech Digital Arts Festival Winners

ATLANTA (July 24, 2008) – Summer vacation is a time reserved for students to get a break from school, but for 16 youth learning continued with a hands-on experience in art and technology. Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) recently recognized its National Club Tech Digital Arts Festivals winners with an educational yet fun and engaging trip to Minneapolis.

Annually, Microsoft and Best Buy Children’s Foundation sponsor the Club Tech Digital Arts Festivals, celebrating the creativity and technical abilities of Boys & Girls Club members across the globe. During the 2007-2008 school year, Club members were challenged to create digital artwork reflecting the theme “Our Changing World” and how they can make a change in the world today. More than 900 entries were submitted to the contest that covered five categories: photo illustration, music making, movie making, web design, and graphic design.

“The Club Tech Digital Arts Festival brings a world of opportunity to our members, allowing them to experiment and explore the limitless possibilities of their imagination and creativity, and perhaps discover a potential career path,” said Roxanne Spillett, CEO and president, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “It’s amazing what our young people can do when given access to technology.”

The winners, ranging in age from 10 to 18 experienced first-hand the diverse career opportunities that lie ahead through behind-the-scenes tours at Best Buy and Microsoft. Employees from various departments of both companies shared career choices and personal experiences with the youth, opening their eyes to the many ways they could employ their technology skills in a future career. Winners also visited some of Minneapolis’ top tourist destinations, including the Mall of America, Science Museum and worked alongside students at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

"Creating programs that inspire and engage kids to pursue careers in technology is not just a good thing to do, it is an economic imperative," said Todd Cione, Microsoft’s North Central District General Manager and a member of the board of directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City. “At Microsoft we are delighted to be able to partner with great organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Best Buy Children’s Foundation, who are so deeply committed to helping kids connect their passions with skills that position them for bright career paths.”

By 2010, more than 77 percent of all jobs in the United States will require some tech ability. And as the knowledge economy continues to evolve, more and more American workers will need higher levels of technology skills training and education to compete successfully in the global economy.

The Club Tech partnership helps to combat this trend and promote technology knowledge and skill in America’s youth by providing access to technology and educational programming. The Digital Arts Festivals National Winners’ trip is one way Club Tech levels the “virtual playing field,” giving youth the opportunity to explore technology on a level that may not otherwise be available.

The following Boys & Girls Club members were recognized as national winners:

• Gabriel Jones, 12, Columbus, Ga., brought attention to the positive environmental change that can occur in her graphic design entry, Global Cooling.
• Jasmine Stovall, 15, Omaha, Ne., showcased her love for protecting one of nature’s greatest resources—trees—through her mock magazine cover Tree Huggers’ Magazine.
• Kevin Petersen, 17, Clifton, N.J., highlighted the importance of keeping parks clean with his clever graphics in Working As One.
• Victor Marin, 12, East Palo Alto, Calif., showed that the power to change the world is literally in its citizens’ hands with In Your Hands, depicting the importance of recycling.
• Eric Beek, 14, Kansas City, Mo., illustrated how imperative unity is among various cultures and countries by melding images in Make Our World.
• Shameka Washington, 16, Antelope Valley, Calif., visually captured the essence of an old saying in her captivating photo illustration entry, It Takes a Community to Raise a Child.
• Brian Barnes, 12, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., inspired by one of his favorite places to grow and change produced the song Good To Be a Member of the BGCA.
• Andrew Brenyo, 14, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan, wrote and produced a heart-felt ballad focused on change with I’m Changing.
• John Lange, 17, Chicago, Ill., ‘beat’ out much competition with his futuristic song entitled Beat that World.
• Christian Cisneros, 14, Camp Zama, Kanagawa, Japan, penned a screenplay that touched hearts and on the subject of homeless Who Needs It More?
• Wesley Colon, 11, Newark, N.J. produced a short that highlighted an important issue facing a technology-driven world in his PSA, Computers and Resources.
• Mia Rochelle, 12, Fort Meade, Md., developed a humorous, yet thought-provoking script addressing the significance of recycling with My Love for Recycling.
• Andrew Pickering, 17, Scottsdale, Ariz., shot a creative and powerful PSA warning against the dangers of drugs in Don’t Do Meth.
• Julio Savalas, 11, Tucson, Ariz., providing information in an engaging Web site on how to Help Stop Malaria.
• Thomas Kreutzer, 18, Denver, Colo., showed pride in country and the next phase of his life as a member of the Navy with his Web site Support Our Troops.
• Christian Agron, 15, Holyoke, Mass., developed a Web site equipping viewers with information and tools to do their part in changing the world with Recycle.

For more information about the above winners or to view their artwork, please visit www.myclubmylife.com.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Club Tech Program
Club Tech was created by Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) and Microsoft (www.microsoft.com) in 2000 to technology enable Clubs worldwide, transforming Clubs from “swim & gym” to “point and click.” Partnering with long-time supporter Best Buy Children’s Foundation (www.bestbuy.com/communityrelations) and Microsoft, BGCA provides technology program access to some 4.8 million youth served through community outreach and membership in a network of more than 4,300 Clubs. By leveling the “virtual playing field,” kids of all ages and circumstances now have access to the same resources and skills to help them discover their world; expand creativity; perform better in school, and eventually take their technology know-how into the workplace.

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