Lenovo and the Best Buy Foundation partnered with Fox Road Boys & Girls Club to equip young people with the technology skills to shape the future.
By Libby Richards, Senior Community Engagement Manager
The Best Buy Teen Tech Center at the Fox Road Boys & Girls Club in Raleigh had barely opened its doors this May when the kids took over. Within hours, they were designing products, firing up donated Lenovo technology, and one student had already pocketed more than $100 selling earrings, stickers, and custom creations she made on-site.
That moment captured exactly what Lenovo hoped this partnership would make possible: giving young people the technology and the opportunity to turn their creativity into real-world skills.
A space where every week looks a little different
One of the things I love the most about the Best Buy Teen Tech Center is that there is no single story to tell about the impact it has on the students. On any given week, you might walk in to find students learning bitmap tracing and using design software to create embroidered patches. The next week, they’re vinyl cutting and heat pressing their own clothing designs. This summer, staff have built programming around students’ favorite interests—from Rocket League and Mario Kart to Super Smash Bros. using the center as a home base for creativity and technology learning.
One of the most popular tools in the center is the laser cutter. Students create their designs on Lenovo computers before sending them to the laser cutter and watching their ideas come to life.
“At Lenovo, we believe technology should meet young people where their imagination already is,” said Robert Eckard, Director, Consumer Product Management, Lenovo. “We’re proud to partner with Best Buy to put powerful tools in the hands of the next generation, giving students the opportunity to turn their ideas into design, self-expression and new possibilities.”
Powerful technology makes creativity possible
Everything, from laser cutting and embroidery software to game design, graphic work, 3D printing, and video production, requires serious computing power. These aren’t simple tasks. The software demands a lot, and when you’re running multiple stations with students all creating at the same time, the machines have to keep up.
We’re proud that Lenovo technology gives students the performance they need to explore ambitious ideas—whether that’s graphic design, digital fabrication, video production or creating products to sell.
In a space where our goal is to give young people real skills and real experiences, the quality of the tools matters. Lenovo understands that and this relationship reflects it.
What’s ahead
While students are making the most of their summer break, the center has been busier than ever. Yet the mission never changes: give students access to powerful tools, teach them how to use those tools with purpose, and then get out of their way.
That’s the vision Lenovo and the Best Buy Foundation built this center around – partnering with community organizations like the Fox Road Boys & Girls Club to equip young people with the technology skills to shape their own futures. Lenovo’s commitment to making that technology accessible is what turns the vision into reality.
The young people in this room are already showing what’s possible when creativity meets opportunity. We’re excited to see what they build next.
