Thanks to a year of collaborative thinking between the MJ 93-90 Foundation, Wallace Community College – Selma (WCCS) and Best Buy, members of the community gathered at WCCS Tuesday evening to celebrate the grand opening of the new Best Buy Teen Tech Center at WCCS.
The Teen Tech Center will serve as a hub for the community’s 13 – 18-year-old students where they’ll be able to interact with state-of-the-art technology such as digital media, robotics, virtual reality and 3-D printing, in order to help them prepare for higher education and a career beyond it.

Selma’s Best Buy Teen Tech Center is the 30^th one to be built in the country and the first to be built on a community college campus.

WCCS President Dr. James Mitchell, who served as emcee for the grand opening, thanked both MJ 93-90 Foundation CEO Michael Johnson and Best Buy for partnering with WCCS to bring the Teen Tech Center to fruition.

“He [Michael Johnson] has given, tirelessly, his time and resources to [both] be a difference and make a difference,” said Mitchell. “A special thank you to Best Buy for their vision and commitment to making a difference in young people’s lives by giving them greater access and opportunity.”

Mitchell expressed his elation to finally be at the opening of the new facility, after reflecting back to when the Teen Tech center was just being discussed around his conference table by Mitchell and MJ-93-90 Foundation Secretary and Treasurer Thomasine Johnson, who wished to bring a Teen Tech Center to Selma after visiting one inn Washington D.C.

Mitchell introduced both Probate Judge Jimmy Nunn and Rep. Prince Chestnut, D-Selma, who cited the opening of the facility as a sign of good things to come for Selma and Dallas County’s youth.

After both elected officials made their comments, Michael Johnson was welcomed to the podium with a round of applause from the auditorium.
Johnson began by thanking everyone who helped him in his journey through life before turning his appreciation to Best Buy.

“Welcome to Selma, Alabama,” he said as the auditorium once again filled with applause. “We truly believe that we have something special down here and we just need to continue to cultivate it… We’re excited for the next wave of kids to come in to the Teen Tech Center and discover their superpowers, we all have superpowers and sometimes we just need a little exposure to find out what they are. I’m looking forward to being able to provide access and opportunity to the kids of Selma and Dallas County and even the whole Black Belt region and I feel like this is just the tip of the iceberg.”

Johnson credited Best Buy for “leading the way” among major corporations in giving back to communities, not just in the U.S., but around the world.

Johnson then got a little emotional as he used the opportunity to announce his retirement from the NFL after 10 years at Defensive End with the Cincinnati Bengals.
“I’m looking forward to even bigger and better things, things like this. Honestly that’s where my heart is, that’s where it’s always been,” he said, pausing to collect himself. “Thank you, Selma, there’s many great things on the horizon.”

Best Buy Senior Vice President of Workforce Design Damien Harmon then took to the podium.

“I’m really excited to be here and have this honor because it just shows how important the community is to Michael [Johnson] and WCCS,” he said. “I also want to extend a special welcome to our teens.  Because you’re investing in yourself by engaging in the Teen Tech Center. You’re putting yourself in a position to seek what’s possible. If you look at your future and own it, you can persevere it.”