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
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.

687 COMMENTS

  1. My mentor is my grade 13 Law Teacher Shane … he knew law was my passion & my final grade in this class wash 98% …hard work & a fabulous teacher! Right now I could totally use an Apple Watch to help with all my health concerns!

  2. One of my first mentors was Craig who helped me in the early days of my professional career. The tech I feel is essential for students at Best Buy are the laptops.

  3. I think that the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite 8.7″ 32GB Android Tablet with MediaTek MT8768T 8-Core Processor is the perfect tech for students going back to school (depending on their age and your price range).

    I am sure that Kimberly, who helped me learn would agree with me!

  4. My high school art teacher Paul encouraged my creativity! The Acer Porsche Design Book RS 14″ Touchscreen Laptop is great for students.

  5. Lilian was a fantastic mentor for me. She showed me the ins and outs of the hospital and was always there to answer my questions and lend a hand when I needed it. I think the Acer Porsche Design Book RS 14″ Touchscreen Laptop is essential for back to school cause it will help me connect with her when I need her help and do everything else I want online quickly and efficiently

  6. My son is my mentor, although I homeschooled him, he taught me so much more along the way! We love our apple products with their built in assistive technology for special needs learners.

  7. Mine was my third grade teacher. Mary. She was the first that believed in me and supported me. I think every student needs some type of computer in todays tech world.

  8. My grade 8 teacher John. Any computer or electronic device (i know some universitys use iPads) are important esp in this day of internet and out of class courses

  9. That would be my dad Dennis who was a teacher. I am getting 12.4-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop Go for my daughter

  10. mine was Mr T my grade 5 teacher, RIP! He was amazing and inspired me to do better and be better. I think all of the Mac laptop options are amazing products to inspire the next generation of learners!

  11. My mentor is Marc, who helped me with learn about technology.I think that the MSI GP76 Leopard 17.3″ Gaming Laptop is great!

  12. My mentor is Marc, who helped me with learn about technology.I think that the MSI GP76 Leopard 17.3″ Gaming Laptop is great!

  13. Rebecca is my mentor and she proved to me last year how a properly equipped laptop is absolutely essential for school.

  14. My mentor was a high school teacher Mr. K. Also, MSI GP76 Leopard 17.3″ Gaming Laptop (Intel Core i7-11800H/512GB SSD/16GB RAM/RTX 3070) Would be an awesome essential back to school laptop.
    Thanks.

    Editor’s note: Surname removed.

  15. My mentor is my wonderful son, who saves me every time something goes wrong on my laptop. A good running laptop would really do wonders for this very old brain.

  16. My father Ron was a big mentor in school for me. I think that a laptop like the Acer Porsche Design Book Touchscreen Laptop would be really helpful for school!

  17. My daughter always helps me with my tech issues. I would love a tablet or a smart watch – to keep me on time & in the know.

  18. My Grade 2 teacher was the first teacher who stayed with my after class and worked with me to understand math concepts. Without her, I would not have understood the basic foundations of Math and struggled throughout the rest of school. I have since became a teacher and was inspired by her patience, compassion, and love for the job – she is a lifelong mentor as I continue to be inspired by her in my practice today. I think all students need a good computer – and my Macbook Pro got me through my university days!

  19. I don’t know her first name, but Mrs. Magliocco was one of my first mentors in school. She taught me the importance of writing good notes during class!

    Going back to school, students should be equipped with a laptop ( like the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15.6″ Touchscreen Laptop) to help them write assignments and research for papers!

  20. Every friend of mine that has an Apple product is a mentor. Through regular contact I’m learning new features all the time. Tech is the kind of thing that everyone loves to share and I love it. Helps me keep up.

  21. My friend Alexis is my mentor! I think a tablet is a great tech device for kids heading back to school – specifically the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE. It looks awesome!

  22. My grandson. Whenever I needed help technical help, he would sit beside me and show me exactly what to do. I did have to ask him to slow down quite often because he would just fly through the explanation, as it was second nature to him.
    Did I mention that he was 6 years old?
    I think that all students need either an Ipad or tablet for school.

  23. I didn’t have a montor – I learned to use a computer myself, first one was an Atari.

    I go to BEST Buy often for my electonics needs – Calgary, AB – Crowfoot Store

  24. My mentor Claire taught me so much about tech and students! And I think that a good ergonomic computer mouse is so important for students!

  25. My husband Alex. The tech that you could buy that I think is essential for students going back to school would be your Samsung Galaxy book pro 13.3 in laptop.

  26. My mentor is Bailey, who helped me with learn about technology.I think that the MSI GP76 Leopard 17.3″ Gaming Laptop is great!

  27. My highschool teacher, Logan. He recommended a flash drive. I think a tablet computer is essential for school. Something lightweight with windows on it. I’m not a fan of the chromebooks. Something like a surface would be good, but not cheap!

  28. One of my first mentors was Marilyn, my grade 2 music teacher. She left a big impression. Assuming going back to school actually happens, I think the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 would be a portable, and useful learning aid, when carrying a laptop isn’t practical.

  29. Jamie IT technician was a great mentor has saved me many hours of struggles over the years in learning to navigate the world wide web of technology. I think the Dell Inspiron 14″ Laptop – Silver (Intel Core i7-11370H/512GB SSD/16GB RAM/Windows 10), like the typewriter was in the 1960’s, is an essential product to any student.

  30. Alisia helped me through University and is a teacher 🙂 I think computers, whether they are desktops or laptops are essential! Along with webcams

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