tech to achieve feature imageHere at Best Buy, we’re all about providing our customers with the tools they need to keep on growing, helping them pursue their passions and enrich their lives with the help of technology. But we also recognize that in addition to the right tools, we also need the right people in our lives to guide us, teach us, and help us reach that next level in our development.

For Back to School this year, we want to celebrate those people, those teachers who faced a year of unexpected challenges and adapted to them, arming themselves with the right tech to keep teaching so that we can all keep learning.

To do so, we partnered with two prominent content creators: multidisciplinary designer Will Selviz and visual storyteller Tyler Stalman. Check out the videos below to see how we helped each of them reconnect with an influential mentor, while giving them tech and tools to fully show their appreciation to people who’ve made a huge impact in their lives.

Will Selviz, Multi-Dimensional Designer from Toronto, thanks an influential mentor who helped with his career development and discusses the value of paying it forward as a mentor himself.

microsoft surface proWill was a co-facilitator for a program led by Jessica Yamoah, Founder and CEO of INNOVATE INC. The program gives youth access to professionals and corporate settings to raise awareness about career paths in business, innovation, and technology. Karl was one of the youth who participated in the program, and as a result Will mentors him today. Will’s organization: RENRD FOUNDATION is focused on digital design. They collaborate with Jessica, other industry leaders, and organizations who support their work to provide mentorship, direct access to industry standard equipment, and culturally diverse programming.

In the video, Will discusses how creating 3-D animations and other 3-D work requires special equipment and he knows he can count on Best Buy to have the technology he needs, like many Microsoft technologies he showed in the video including the Microsoft Surface Pro.

Tyler Stalman from Calgary thanks the high school teacher who encouraged his creativity and interest in video production

sony zv1 vlogging cameraTyler showed several devices that are ideal for anyone learning or teaching video production. These include the ideal vlogging companion, a Sony Cyber-shot ZV-1 Digital Camera; the compact and light Deity D4 DUO Microphone for crystal clear audio indoors and outdoors; a Manfrotto Beefree Live Aluminum tripod and Zhiyun Weebill-S gimbal stabilizer, two products essential for high resolutions still and smooth and steady video footage; and to store the footage and enable fast data transfer to a computer for processing, a Lexar Professional 128GB memory card.

Who inspired you to learn

Having the right tech while learning is very important; but we also need to meet wonderful teachers and mentors along our educational journey. We all have a story to tell of one or more teachers who elevated our learning or inspired us. I can think of several in my life, and I also have one teacher from when my children were in school: their grade 3 teacher, Mr. Bonenfant, inspired me to be a better parent with his amazing teaching style and patience. Let us know about the tech you think is essential for learning and who inspired you. Enter below and nominate one teacher or mentor for a chance for you or the person you nominate to win a $750 Best Buy gift certificate.

How to enter

Entering this contest is easy and you can enter once for yourself and once for someone you know:

  1. Leave a comment below this article and tell us the first name of a mentor who helped you learn and what tech available at Best Buy do you consider to be essential for students going back to school
  2. Send an email to “bestbuyblog@bestbuycanada.ca“ AND CC a teacher or mentor so they are aware that you entered them in this contest. In the subject line put: “What tech will help you achieve contest” and in the body of the email tell us which teacher or mentor you are nominating to win this contest and why.

NOTE: do not put your teacher or mentor’s last name or personal email in the comments below; they should only be mentioned in the email.

What you can win

At the end of this contest we will randomly select one winner from all comments left on the blog article for this contest (French and English) AND randomly select two winners from all nominations sent via email so the person nominated can win the prize. Each winner will receive a Best Buy Canada Gift Certificate worth $750.

This contest runs from August 30th until September 30th.

Remember you can enter once for yourself in a blog comment AND once for a teacher or mentor who inspired you in an email as mentioned above.

What will tech help us achieve Contest Rules and Regulations

Good Luck

Martin Renaud
Martin Renaud
Editor in Chief
Martin loves working with the talented editors and writers on the Best Buy Blog as Editor-in-Chief. During his spare time he is either working on his next novel, cooking up a masterpiece in the kitchen, or adding some smart tech to his new home on Mayne Island in British Columbia.
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687 COMMENTS

  2. One of my mentors growing up was my grade 6 teacher Mrs. F. An essential back to school tech is a laptop – a MacBook Air.

  6. My mentor(s) and still is my Mom and Dad. They both taught me the value in money and working hard. They showed me so much that no one else could. I would consider a Laptop essential for going back to school. Also a TV for all important down time.

  7. I don’t have a mentor who helped me learn. When it comes to tech I taught myself after I quit smoking. I had to keep myself busy with some thing and it was learning the computer. I think a Laptop is consider to be essential for students going back to school.

  8. Not cliche but by Dad. Laptop i think but i guess it depends on what your going back to school for.

  12. Pam is my mentor! Teaching me patience, tricks of the trade and letting me learn by my mistakes, while always providing guidance in between. A career in PR & media can be tough, but she has always been there for me! She has become so important in my life that she will be at my wedding next year. Go to tech is always a good pair of headphones – needed for video meetings!

  14. My mentor was Kevin, my first teacher who connected tech and creativity. And of course, a good laptop is essential!

  17. My 2nd grade teacher, Ruth. She encouraged my creativity. A laptop is definitely an essential item for students heading back to school.

  19. My husband has taught me lots about tech. The most essential tech is a laptop as it is needed for assignments, classes and so much more.

  21. My Music Teacher. Mr. H Inspired my love of music. Definitely a lightweight powerful laptop is a must.

  22. I’m thankful for my mom for teaching me how to use her camera. If she hadn’t of gotten a canon camera I wouldn’t have been able to pick up my amazing hobby of photography. While in medical school when I get an afternoon off I’ll go for a hike and capture amazing photos and views. It’s a great break from being stuck in a desk for many hours and great for mental health to be out in nature

  23. One of my mentors is Tom, He is a very intelligent individual who is passionate about his projects.
    A high quality lap top and noise canceling headphones would be at the top of my list

  24. My mentor was my father he learned how to use computers for work and passed knowedhe onto me. My essential tech would be a laptop more specific a MacBook, they can do everything.

  25. One of my mentors was my mom Helen. She always taught me what she could and encouraged me to explore topics that were new to me in the tech world. I think a high quality lap top and noise canceling headphones would be at the top of my list for students heading back to school!

  26. My mentor Gary taught me a great deal with regards to life and economics. I will forever cherish his lessons. The ideal tool for students this year is the MSI GP76 Leopard 17.3″ Gaming Laptop.

  27. An instructor at BCIT was instrumental in getting me interested in creating vector graphics.
    I think noise-cancelling headphones are pretty essential for doing homework, such as the Jabra Elite 85t In-Ear Advanced Active Noise Cancelling Truly Wireless Headphones.

  28. My son taught me everything I know about tech and he is still teaching me. A lap top is essential for all.

  29. My close colleague Zach is an absolute Excel wizard, I’ve learned most of my tech skills from him! I think laptops are an essential piece of tech for back to school.

  31. My husband, Frank, is my mentor and he helped me to learn the virtue of patience! The tech available at Best Buy that is essential for going back to school is definitely a good laptop! This laptop has excellent reviews and a great price: Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15.6″ Touchscreen Laptop.

  32. Working for Telus and i had a tech George Bencze who helped me figure out the system and was very knowledgeable and patient with me, Thank you George

  33. My FIVE daughters (help) taught me everything I know about tech. Thanks for the opportunity! Best Buy rules!

  34. I will always remember Ron as my mentor for learning how to deal with uncertainty. I recommend a top of the line HP or Dell laptop as a “Swiss Army Knife” tool for work or education.

  35. My mentor is my boyfriend. He is super tech savvy. He help me be more tech savvy as well. A laptop is a must have for students. The Microsoft Surface Pro is a great choice.

  36. I had a nursing instructor that was always there for me when I was overwhelmed. I hope I was as good a nurse as she was. I think all students would benefit from a Mac Book Pro. Thank you for the opportunity!!

  37. My old teacher Doug helped me learn a lot in school, and I think a good laptop is a must for back to school

  38. My mentor was a good friend and co-worker Terry. He was in charge of tech support at our dealership
    and was an amazing mentor.

  40. My mentor was my father. I think a nice laptop like this one Microsoft Surface Book 3 15″ 2-in-1 Laptop – Platinum (Intel Ci7-1065G7/256GB SSD/16GB RAM) is essential for students.

  41. My mentor was my dad, he has shown me so many possibilities with technology
    Essential back to school tech would be Surface Pro, being able to swap between standard windows mode typing mode and tablet on the fly is extremely helpful in many situations!

  45. My mentor was my step-father, he has taught me so much about tech. My essential tech would be Sony Alpha ZV-E10 APS-C Interchangeable Lens Mirrorless Vlog Camera with 16-50mm Lens Kit – Black for my son. My son is in a media program, and this would be perfect for him.

    • My mentor would be my brother he’s been great with technology since he was young and knows his stuff. He’s been my teacher of computers and very helpful when I’ve had technical issues.
      What I consider essential when going back to school would be a good working laptop with speed.

  46. My mentor Amy showed me how to offer excellent customer service. I think the Sony WH-1000XM4 Over-Ear Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones are essential for students who want to study without distraction!

  47. My mentor is John – and I think a great laptop like the MSI GP76 Leopard is an essential learning tool!

  50. My mentor was Judy. And I think the Acer Porsche Design Book RS 14″ Touchscreen Laptop would be a great back to school item to have!

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