GS Academy Paper BagBack to school season is upon us again and to make learning fun, Best Buy Canada is launching a Geek Squad Academy Paper Bag contest. Starting August 19th, paper bags sold in our stores will have a QR code linking to our free Geek Squad Academy Online Learning STEM-focused program. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, or STEM, is a constantly evolving and exciting field for young minds to explore and we encourage you and your kids to get involved. Read on to find out more about the courses we offer and how you can enter this contest for a chance to win amazing STEM prizes.

Additionally, to support interest in STEM fields and the development of universal STEM skills in youth, $0.25 from the in-store sale of each Geek Squad Academy paper bag will be donated to help provide technology to schools across the country. The biodegradable paper bags will also help to spread useful information about the free Geek Squad Academy program without contributing extra trash in landfills.

Unleash the tech wizard within with Geek Squad Academy Online Learning

Starting August 19th, Geek Squad Academy paper bags will be available in store for the back to school season (while supplies last). Each bag will have a QR code, which will lead you to our Geek Squad Academy Online Learning page. From there, you can access our Web Know-How course to learn about coding and complete fun activities. This course teaches learners how the hidden code behind all websites works through short, practical exercises. All the courses offered through the Geek Squad Academy Online Learning program are available on the same page, are free, and are geared toward youth aged 10 to 16.

Geek Squad Academy Online Learning offers STEM-focused courses ranging from Game Design to Photography. There are also three unique courses that we’ve added to get the kids in your life excited about learning non-traditional skills—Cryptography, Stop Motion Animation, and 3D Design. Learn more about these courses on our Geek Squad Academy course introduction page. Each course has multiple modules and plenty of hands-on activities included, but the best part is that the modules only take between 10 to 20 minutes to complete. Perfect for maximizing learning, even with a short attention span! What’s more, you don’t need to purchase any special materials to complete these courses. All course software, applications, and learning materials are free and easy to download; in some cases you’ll need a laptop or device, but some activities can be done with just paper and a pen.

How can your family participate in the Geek Squad Academy Online Learning program?

Geek Squad Academy paper bag 2

Our free Geek Squad Academy Online Learning courses are designed to be inclusive for all Canadian children to access and learn. Your child can go through all the courses in the program or choose the ones that interest them the most. With short, hands-on activities, your children can learn by being engaged and having fun, and you can join in too! Each of the courses in the program creates a foundation of STEM skills that your child can continue to build on in the future, from intelligent curiosity to creative problem solving.

Accessing the courses in the program is extremely easy. It requires no registration or sign up. All you have to do is go to the program page, pick the course you want, download the PDFs provided, and your child can start learning by doing!

How to enter the Geek Squad Academy Paper Bag contest

Entering this contest is easy and you can enter in three different ways:

  1. Visit the Smart Toys and Robotics page on bestbuy.ca and in a comment below this contest article, tell us the name of the STEM tech or toy you would want for a child in your life.
  2. Read through the course descriptions on the Geek Squad Academy Online Learning article and, in a comment below that article, tell us which course you are most interested in for yourself or for someone you know.
  3. For up to two (2) additional entries, create a public post on a social media channel (one entry per channel!) telling your friends and followers that you are entering to win a STEM prize from Best Buy; include the hashtag #BBYPaperBagContest, so we can find your post. Then return here and tell us, in a comment below, on which channel you posted it and the name of your channel (since many people use pseudonyms) so that we can check and verify your entry. You can use any two social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, etc.) but the post must be public so we can verify it is there. Add one comment below for each social media channel for up to 2 contest entries.

What you can win

Throughout the duration of this contest there will be great prizes to be won and we will randomly select seven winners in total from all eligible entries.

  1. On the Friday of each week for the duration of this contest (August 26th, September 2nd, September 9th, September 16th, September 23rd, and September 30th) we will draw one winner from all eligible entries up to that date. Each winner (for a total of six winners) will receive a $250 gift card that can be used online or in store at Best Buy.
  2. At the end of the contest, one winner will be selected from all eligible entries to win a grand STEM prize package that includes the CHiP Robotic Dog, 3Doodler Create+ Essentials 3D Printing Pen Set, OSMO Coding Starter Kit, OSMO Little Genius Starter Kit, and Shifu Tacto Combo Classics and Laser board game.

This contest runs from August 19th to September 30th.

Remember you can enter in three different ways for a maximum of four entries for the duration of this contest. Share this contest with your friends and the families of your children’s friends so they all can take advantage of our free Geek Squad Academy courses and have a chance to win prizes.

Geek Squad Academy Paper Bag STEM Contest Rules and Regulations

Good luck!

Mahima Bhagwat
Mahima Bhagwat
Mahima is an editor at Best Buy Canada. She likes to watch sci-fi, supernatural, horror, and comedy TV shows and movies, and plays video games in her free time. When not avidly consuming content, she pursues her passion for storytelling by editing books and short stories, specializing in speculative fiction.

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757 COMMENTS

  3. My kids would love the Dobot Magician – Advanced Educational Version-Multifunctional Desktop Robotic Arm – 3D Printing, Laser Engraving & Drawing

  23. My niece would love the PlayShifu Orboot Augmented Reality Interactive World Globe. She is so inquisitive about places around the world so this would be perfect for her.

  25. I would love the Dobot Magician – Advanced Educational Version-Multifunctional Desktop Robotic Arm for my son.

  28. Would love the Abilix Krypton 5 – STEM Education Robot Kit: 780+ Components & 36+ Projects – Infinite Creativity Chart & Scratch Coding

  41. I’d get the Osmo Coding Starter Kit for iPad.

    Hopefully it will encourage my son to learn about coding and how computers work.

  46. A useful toy for my friend’s daughter would be the Segway Ninebot KickScooter MAX G30LP so that the parents don’t have to drive her to school

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