About Us
Camp BYOC (Build Your Own Computer) was founded by Robin Walker, President/CEO of TTM Technologies, a computers sales and service business that focuses on delivering a full range of support and product offerings to consumers and small business enterprises.
The first camp was held in August 2014 and had 9 students ranging in age from 11-14. Students built their own computer while learning the science of how hardware and software interact and integrate to produce one of society's most important tools. And they got to keep the computer. Since that time we have worked with close to 700 youth ages 8-17 and have expanded the program to add a wide array of technologies. TTM is thankful to Father Trevor Babb who championed the program and helped establish a sponsor and partnership with St. Simon of Cyrene Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio. Father Babb invested his personal time and worked with the Episcopal Diocese to fund a significant portion of the program. What we accomplished that first year was well beyond our goals and objectives.
The first camp was held in August 2014 and had 9 students ranging in age from 11-14. Students built their own computer while learning the science of how hardware and software interact and integrate to produce one of society's most important tools. And they got to keep the computer. Since that time we have worked with close to 700 youth ages 8-17 and have expanded the program to add a wide array of technologies. TTM is thankful to Father Trevor Babb who championed the program and helped establish a sponsor and partnership with St. Simon of Cyrene Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio. Father Babb invested his personal time and worked with the Episcopal Diocese to fund a significant portion of the program. What we accomplished that first year was well beyond our goals and objectives.
Past BYOC Camps and Clubs
Since beginning in 2014, Camp BYOC has invested and trained many students to build and maintain their own computers. Each year we have improved the program to add younger students and grow the skills and experiences of returning students. We now have camps all year round designed for different age groups, skill levels and maturity. In the future we plan to expand the beyond Cincinnati to other major cities/communities.
2014: PILOT Jr Engineering Camp, Ages 11-14
2015: Expanded Engineering Camp, Ages 12-14; Associate Engineer's trip to Silicon Valley
2016: Added Sr Engineering Camp
2017: Added the Explorer Camp, Ages 9-11; Continued Engineering Camps-Ages 12-17, 2nd Trip to Silicon Valley
2018: Expanded Explorer Camp and Started Saturday Club Sessions
2019: Expanded All Camps, 3rd Trip to Silicon Valley. The largest camp size so far with 87 youth across 8 weeks
2020: Added virtual Camps and limited Camps to small in-person sizes with lots of protective protocols due to Covid-19
2021: Added STEM Fundamentals to the Explorer Camp
2022: Added 8 yr olds into the Explorer Camp. Youth from 13 communities attended BYOC summer camps.
2023: Added new Explorer Classes into the Explorer Camp, created the Apprentice Camp, expanded the Engineering Camp, started the
Robotics Club. Held the largest summer camp to date with 150 youth. Youth from 27 communities attended BYOC summer camps.
2014: PILOT Jr Engineering Camp, Ages 11-14
2015: Expanded Engineering Camp, Ages 12-14; Associate Engineer's trip to Silicon Valley
2016: Added Sr Engineering Camp
2017: Added the Explorer Camp, Ages 9-11; Continued Engineering Camps-Ages 12-17, 2nd Trip to Silicon Valley
2018: Expanded Explorer Camp and Started Saturday Club Sessions
2019: Expanded All Camps, 3rd Trip to Silicon Valley. The largest camp size so far with 87 youth across 8 weeks
2020: Added virtual Camps and limited Camps to small in-person sizes with lots of protective protocols due to Covid-19
2021: Added STEM Fundamentals to the Explorer Camp
2022: Added 8 yr olds into the Explorer Camp. Youth from 13 communities attended BYOC summer camps.
2023: Added new Explorer Classes into the Explorer Camp, created the Apprentice Camp, expanded the Engineering Camp, started the
Robotics Club. Held the largest summer camp to date with 150 youth. Youth from 27 communities attended BYOC summer camps.
About the Founder
I have been an IT professional for over 30 years. I worked for Procter & Gamble for 24 years developing, managing and supporting technology for many business units both in the U.S. and abroad. Created technology strategy and implementation plans to enable business success. Worked with associates in Europe, Asia and Mexico to build global technology infrastructure and applications which supported global business models in product development and manufacturing.
Building on my Procter & Gamble experiences, I created Business & Gaming Technologies, Inc. to offer technology solutions to small and medium sized businesses in the Greater Cincinnati area and Indianapolis. We offer computing/networking technologies, web solutions, and office technologies to businesses. We sell hardware components and provide repair services to retail customers at Technology Tailor Made (local retail stores) in Cincinnati and Indianapolis.
I founded BYOC Camps and Clubs for several reasons. I have always looked for ways to give back to the community through my business. BYOC allows me to share my skills and experiences with the upcoming generation giving them a head start in technology. As an African American woman, I know the challenges African Americans and women face in technology. Besides there being too few people in technology overall, very few are women or minority. The statistics haven't changed in over 30 years. BYOC gives me the opportunity to impact those statistics and help prepare others like me for the journey. The excitement of learning technology, the joy in seeing ideas come to life, the determination to overcome technical challenges, BYOC is preparation ground for the future.
Building on my Procter & Gamble experiences, I created Business & Gaming Technologies, Inc. to offer technology solutions to small and medium sized businesses in the Greater Cincinnati area and Indianapolis. We offer computing/networking technologies, web solutions, and office technologies to businesses. We sell hardware components and provide repair services to retail customers at Technology Tailor Made (local retail stores) in Cincinnati and Indianapolis.
I founded BYOC Camps and Clubs for several reasons. I have always looked for ways to give back to the community through my business. BYOC allows me to share my skills and experiences with the upcoming generation giving them a head start in technology. As an African American woman, I know the challenges African Americans and women face in technology. Besides there being too few people in technology overall, very few are women or minority. The statistics haven't changed in over 30 years. BYOC gives me the opportunity to impact those statistics and help prepare others like me for the journey. The excitement of learning technology, the joy in seeing ideas come to life, the determination to overcome technical challenges, BYOC is preparation ground for the future.
