I am involved with GSSA because it encompasses everything that I am most passionate about. My company, my brand, Agents, kids, communities and technology. My favorite techie toy would have to be the iphone. My favorite Summer Academy memory would be when Agent Redmond used a pallet-jack as a scooter.
Back to TOP
Back to TOP
I began working on the Geek Squad Summer Academy in 2008. I did not know too much information about the Geek Squad Summer Academy Program other than it was a great giveback event for the community. It was hard to understand exactly how much of an impact that would be made with being a part of something as special as being that influential leader for students who were not exposed to the technology and career opportunities that could be available to students of whom would probably never get the opportunity to participate in one of the most influential projects that I have ever worked on. The opportunity to experience the impact of students gaining life skills that would not normally become available in communities that would not have the resources available for technology programs.
The reason why I have stuck with participating in the Geek Squad Summer Academy is due to the inspiration of working with people who really want to make a difference, putting in all of the hard work and dedication that each member of this team possess has really inspired me. Everyone has the same mission, which is to improve the lives of Junior Agents, near and far to gain the life skills necessary to help them obtain every opportunity that is available to them through technology. The Geek Squad Summer Academy's goal contributes to the reason that keeps me inspired and continuously dedicated to the program.
Back to TOP
The reason why I have stuck with participating in the Geek Squad Summer Academy is due to the inspiration of working with people who really want to make a difference, putting in all of the hard work and dedication that each member of this team possess has really inspired me. Everyone has the same mission, which is to improve the lives of Junior Agents, near and far to gain the life skills necessary to help them obtain every opportunity that is available to them through technology. The Geek Squad Summer Academy's goal contributes to the reason that keeps me inspired and continuously dedicated to the program.
Back to TOP
I had only been a double agent for less than a year when I ran across a posting on the geek squad forums, an internal communication board for Geek Squad, looking for volunteers to teach kids about technology. I was working for an out of state store at the time and felt very disconnected from everyone. When I came across the posting on the forums for this Geek Squad Summer Academy thing I thought what better way to meet others like me. Plus helping and teaching others is something that I love and do everyday but now I get to do it with others that share the same passion. I drove my Geek Mobile from Atlanta, GA to Chicago, IL and basically showed up at this school for Geek Squad Summer Academy. I volunteered a week of my time and got an experience of a lifetime. It brought the realty of “Having fun while being the best” to life for me.
There are several reasons why I return year after year. I guess the 1st would have to be the friends that I have made which I now consider as family. I always get asked “do you have a best friend at work?”, I have family at work! I know that I can turn to them for anything and the support that I get back is with the genuine consideration for my real family and my development both professional/personally. We all have different background but we all share the same passion. I have never worked for a company or with employees that were all so passionate about the same project. GSSA may take a lot of heart, and a ton of hours but this is truly a labor of love.
The main reason I return every year is because of the Jr.Agents. I think that at some point in our lives we want to know that our life had meaning. I like to think that maybe one day a Jr.Agent that I worked with might be the president, or the next Bill Gates, and to think that I might have had something to do with that is amazing. I can only hope that the passion and life changing experiences that us Best Buy employees have shared is something that the Jr.Agents can experience as our future leaders.
Back to TOP
There are several reasons why I return year after year. I guess the 1st would have to be the friends that I have made which I now consider as family. I always get asked “do you have a best friend at work?”, I have family at work! I know that I can turn to them for anything and the support that I get back is with the genuine consideration for my real family and my development both professional/personally. We all have different background but we all share the same passion. I have never worked for a company or with employees that were all so passionate about the same project. GSSA may take a lot of heart, and a ton of hours but this is truly a labor of love.
The main reason I return every year is because of the Jr.Agents. I think that at some point in our lives we want to know that our life had meaning. I like to think that maybe one day a Jr.Agent that I worked with might be the president, or the next Bill Gates, and to think that I might have had something to do with that is amazing. I can only hope that the passion and life changing experiences that us Best Buy employees have shared is something that the Jr.Agents can experience as our future leaders.
Back to TOP
Ive been an employee of Best Buy for about 2 1/2 years now. Ive never come across a team like this, well ever. The excitement of being able to help the younger generation come into their own within technology and establish a basis for their future is nothing short of awesome. Im here because I really want to take Best Buys motto to the top of the charts. Already I am truly learning how great it is to have fun while being the best. I consider it one of the highest honors that I have ever achieved to even be a part of the Summer Academy experience. Again, I say...There is NO greater team.
Back to TOP
Back to TOP
My alter ego: Fanboy – if It’s made by Apple I must own it! After conveying my love of Apple products throughout the 2008 tour for Summer Academy I quickly became know as the ‘fanboy’. Fellow Apple geeks came out the woodwork when I was around and we held ceremonies to talk about apple products, a true geek moment for me. I am involved in GSSA because: Summer Academy is a way for me to enrich the lives of students throughout the country with my passion for technology. Even at the most basic level, technology is such an integrated part of our lives that without basic knowledge of technology, today’s student can easily be left behind restricted because of this lack of information. My passion for technology and how it has enriched my life throughout the years is what I use as motivation for Geek Squad Summer Academy.
My favorite cartoon: This I like asking me to choose a favorite child! Cartoons have been such a huge part of my life, I know geeky right?, but here are a few that I’ve loved watching over the years. Freakazoid, Animaniacs, Family Guy, The Venture Brothers, Futurama, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Sealab 2021.
Back to TOP
My favorite cartoon: This I like asking me to choose a favorite child! Cartoons have been such a huge part of my life, I know geeky right?, but here are a few that I’ve loved watching over the years. Freakazoid, Animaniacs, Family Guy, The Venture Brothers, Futurama, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Sealab 2021.
Back to TOP
I started with this program back in 2005 (when it was just a glimmer of an idea). Little did I know that it would have such a positive impact on my life, both personally and professionally.
I thought it would be fun to develop technical training for kids, and a cool opportunity to network with fellow Geek Squad Agents. I did not know that I would develop a new passion, make best friends, and be touched down to my core by the children we inspired.
With Geek Squad Academy, I truly have my dream job. I am able bring my full self to work every day. I feel energized by what I do, and I am never EVER bored!
Back to TOP
I thought it would be fun to develop technical training for kids, and a cool opportunity to network with fellow Geek Squad Agents. I did not know that I would develop a new passion, make best friends, and be touched down to my core by the children we inspired.
With Geek Squad Academy, I truly have my dream job. I am able bring my full self to work every day. I feel energized by what I do, and I am never EVER bored!
Back to TOP
When I was a young, my parents did their best to give me every advantage. In the early 80’s my father realized how important computers were going to be in the future so, even though money was tight, he saved up enough money to buy one. I spent weeks looking at a blinking cursor on my TI-99/4A computer which was attached to a small TV. I tried typing things I had seen in movies to try and get it to do anything. Eventually I went to the library, where I would spend weeks digging through books, magazine and journals to figure out how to make it work. Even then the experience did not match my expectations. It was extremely frustrating. Computer’s now are much more user friendly, but I imagine there are still kids out there who look at computers with frustration, knowing that it could help them do so many cool things, and just not knowing how.
Working with the Geek Squad Academy team over the last several years has given me an opportunity to use my talents and skills to help young people learn about technology, while also allowing me to work with a group of people who push me to be a better employee, leader and person.
Little known fact: Russia is made up of 46 provinces, 21 republics, 9 territories, 4 autonomous districts, 1 Jewish autonomous district and two federal cities. There are 11 time zones in Russia. I knew none of this till I looked it up on Wikipedia five minutes before I wrote this. My favorite Summer Academy memory is: I have two backgrounds that I use on my laptops that were designed by GSSA students using knowledge they used during Digital Imagining class.
Back to TOP
Working with the Geek Squad Academy team over the last several years has given me an opportunity to use my talents and skills to help young people learn about technology, while also allowing me to work with a group of people who push me to be a better employee, leader and person.
Little known fact: Russia is made up of 46 provinces, 21 republics, 9 territories, 4 autonomous districts, 1 Jewish autonomous district and two federal cities. There are 11 time zones in Russia. I knew none of this till I looked it up on Wikipedia five minutes before I wrote this. My favorite Summer Academy memory is: I have two backgrounds that I use on my laptops that were designed by GSSA students using knowledge they used during Digital Imagining class.
Back to TOP
Geek Squad Summer Academy is the most amazing event I have seen, been a part of and have helped to grow throughout my career. It is so rewarding to be able to impact a young person in such a way that they have cried after their Academy because they had so much fun and REALLY did not want their Academy to be over with. This is exactly what happened to me while in Sacramento California in 2009. I was also in Detroit Michigan; where the Jr. Agents where so grateful for what we taught them that they gave us a gift of the Geek Squad logo in an urban “tagging” design on a 4x8 piece of plywood. I love to educate and open the minds of our Jr. Agents to the possibilities of what they can do with technology. When you see that “ah ha” moment; that “wow the world is so much bigger than I thought” moment; that “wow look at what I was able to accomplish” moment, it means so much to me to be able to give back in this way.
Geek Squad Summer Academy has also helped me become a better me. I was a Double Agent for 5 years and felt like I had nowhere to go. I then took the leap to Deputy Field Marshal and very shortly after joined the GSSA traveling team for ’09 and it changed my life. I came back with a completely different outlook of both me, Best Buy and Geek Squad. I felt I came back a much better leader, one with a new purpose and determination. I put 100% focus on my employees to make their job more enjoyable as well as helping them find a career path beyond what they were doing. Many of my employees were in a position wondering what is next? Thinking, my interests have nothing to do with my current role and where can I go to best utilize them? Summer Academy was the outlet for me to answer those questions. I was able to meet an incredible amount of people from many different walks of life. The things you learn about yourself and the world are just amazing.
Back to TOP
Geek Squad Summer Academy has also helped me become a better me. I was a Double Agent for 5 years and felt like I had nowhere to go. I then took the leap to Deputy Field Marshal and very shortly after joined the GSSA traveling team for ’09 and it changed my life. I came back with a completely different outlook of both me, Best Buy and Geek Squad. I felt I came back a much better leader, one with a new purpose and determination. I put 100% focus on my employees to make their job more enjoyable as well as helping them find a career path beyond what they were doing. Many of my employees were in a position wondering what is next? Thinking, my interests have nothing to do with my current role and where can I go to best utilize them? Summer Academy was the outlet for me to answer those questions. I was able to meet an incredible amount of people from many different walks of life. The things you learn about yourself and the world are just amazing.
Back to TOP
I made my humble beginnings on the shirts of Geek Squad Agents across the world. I just kind of hung around till I met the Geek Squad Academy team. It was then that I was able to see the awesome stuff going on around me. (It helped that they gave me eyes and stuff!)
I can now see and feel the excitement of all the great Agents and Beet Buy employees as they bring Summer Academy to your towns and cities. And I’m so happy because this year the Junior Agents will get to be my new friends. They will love me because I’m funny and I’m a sharp dresser, if I do say so myself!
Back to TOP
I can now see and feel the excitement of all the great Agents and Beet Buy employees as they bring Summer Academy to your towns and cities. And I’m so happy because this year the Junior Agents will get to be my new friends. They will love me because I’m funny and I’m a sharp dresser, if I do say so myself!
Back to TOP