Katlyn Peterson
Six years ago, Victoria Bass was a 15-year-old student at a Geek Squad Academy camp in Louisiana, opening up a desktop computer for the first time and learning about the components inside.
Now, at age 22, she’s a full-fledged Geek Squad Agent, running her very own camp this week in New Orleans.
The excitement from that first experience learning the inner workings of a computer sparked a passion for technology that directly led to her education and career. Her story is just one example of the lasting impact Geek Squad Academy has had on youth over its 10 years of existence.
“Geek Squad Academy was a great stepping stone into the world of technology,” she said.
The Geek Squad Academy story
Geek Squad Academy started as a one-time, girls-only summer camp in Chicago. Today, boys and girls participate in year-round programs that take place throughout the United States. About 4,000 youngsters will participate in Geek Squad Academy programs in 25 cities in 2016, covering topics such as web know-how, robotics and 3-D printing.
Since it began, Geek Squad Academy camps have taken place in more than 100 cities and served more than 30,000 students.
As much fun as it is for youth, it’s also fun for employees. Thousands of Best Buy and Geek Squad employees have dedicated their time to help out over the years.
It’s all part of Best Buy’s commitment to  provide youth hands-on access to the tech education and tools they need to be successful in school and in their future careers.
Victoria is looking forward to the camp this week and hoping “Junior Agents” catch the same spark for technology that she did.
“Geek Squad Academy opens doors that a lot of kids don’t have access to,” Victoria said. “Many have access to a cellphone or a computer, but there’s an opportunity for them to dig deeper into what is behind their tech.”
For a complete schedule of Geek Squad Academy dates, locations, enrollment information and more, please visit https://academy.geeksquad.com/.
