“At Best Buy, we believe in the power and potential of youth. We are proud to be long-time investors in Mouse, an impressive and growing organization that is having a dramatic impact on youth, giving them unique opportunities to develop 21st century skills and to become the future innovators in our digitally connected world.” --Susan Bass Roberts, Community Relations Director, Best Buy
For close to ten years, Mouse has greatly valued its partnership with Best Buy and shares Best Buy’s dedication to bringing the benefits of technology to today’s youth.
Mouse is thrilled to announce receiving our largest grant ever from the Best Buy Foundation of $300,000, which includes $50,000 in support of Mouse's expansion campaign. With this grant, Best Buy is the first official supporter of our Empowering Youth Leaders Campaign, which will grow the impact of Mouse to more than 7,000 youth in the next three years. Best Buy has generously supported Mouse since 2003, with financial support of $2.2 million.
Mouse is also very excited to partner with Best Buy on their new Teen Tech Centers. Recognizing that one of the best times to provide learning opportunities for youth is after school, Best Buy is creating Teen Tech Centers where students can go to explore, experiment and have fun with new technologies. Best Buy will open Teen Tech Centers this year in Chicago, Miami, San Antonio and Minneapolis/St. Paul.
In the Teen Tech Centers, instructors will become trained on the Mouse Squad Certification Curriculum and will target interested and engaged students to run Mouse Squads in the new Centers. These students will be able to help provide tech support in these Centers, and eventually their schools. Mouse looks forward to using these Centers as an opportunity to showcase our Mouse Squad program and introduce it to new districts in San Antonio, Miami and Minneapolis/St. Paul.
Best Buy is partnering with the Intel Computer Clubhouse Network to manage these centers, an organization with a 20-year track record and significant impact on more than 50,000 teens to date.
Mouse is also working with Best Buy Foundation to help create and support volunteer opportunities for Best Buy employees throughout the country with a focus on areas that have a significant store presence. Their most recent Teen Tech Summit in San Jose, California was a resounding success with Mouse Squads attending from all over the northern California area.
Our thanks to the Best Buy Foundation for their strong commitment to Mouse and our efforts to empower more underserved youth through technology and prepare them for exciting opportunities in the future!
