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- 📣 Announcing the Student Challenge Winners, Educator Spotlight, Professional Development Opportunities & More!
📣 Announcing the Student Challenge Winners, Educator Spotlight, Professional Development Opportunities & More!
Games for Change
June 07, 2024
Welcome to the latest G4C Learn Newsletter! It's been a busy and exciting time here at Games for Change. After a highly competitive 2024 G4C Student Challenge season, we're thrilled to announce the winners of the competition in this edition. We'll also shine a spotlight on the impactful educators who guided the students in this challenge and esports league opportunities with Verizon. Additionally, we'll provide information on Game Plan applications for the upcoming school year and much more. Get ready for an exciting read! 🎉
- G4C Learn Team
The 9th year of the G4C Student Challenge has come to a close! 🎉 Over the past few months, students and educators from across the globe have been working tirelessly to create original social impact games, writing, and character designs that provide innovative solutions, resources, and ideas to address some of the world's most pressing issues. Student submissions were inspired by the theme categories Stronger and Greener Communities in partnership with EcoRise, Be Ocean Wise in partnership with Ocean Wise, and Recycle the Runway.
At a live awards ceremony on May 23rd, students and educators worldwide were recognized for their incredible work integrating social impact themes into their games, artwork, and writing. Reviewed by nearly 200 expert jurors, each entry underwent a rigorous evaluation to ensure its quality and alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This year’s competition expanded beyond digital games to include two brand new categories, Best Tabletop Game (in partnership with Hasbro) and Best International Game, increasing both the accessibility and reach of the G4C Student Challenge. Among the 1,000 submissions received, 119 were tabletop games, showcasing remarkable creativity and innovation.
📊 Global impact of the 2023-2024 G4C Student Challenge at a glance:
Nearly 1,000 worldwide submissions: Through gaming, we achieved widespread engagement and excitement for using games as tools for positive change.
12 Professional Development Courses: Educators had the opportunity to gear up for the challenge through different game design courses to help them gain the tools needed to empower students.
3 Engaging Level Up sessions: Students received live insights from industry experts and game designers to level up their submissions.
3 Game Jams, including the 1st ever-international one in Hong Kong: Marking a significant milestone bringing students together.
60% of Digital Game submissions: Highlighting their pivotal role in driving social impact and innovation.
Be Ocean Wise with a 53% submission rate: This year’s cohort was passionate about being champions of the ocean.
🏆 The Winners of the 2023-2024 Student Challenge Include:
🌱 Best “Stronger and Greener Communities” Game in Partnership with EcoRise | 🎲 Best Tabletop Game presented by Hasbro |
🥁 And the Grand Prize Winner is 🥁
🎉 DeSeller8 by Geonho S from Seoul! 🎉
This year’s challenge has showcased the incredible innovation and creativity of young game designers and educators worldwide. Thank you to all participants, partners, and supporters for making this year's challenge a resounding success.
Not only did the students excel, but so did the nearly 300 participating educators who dedicated their time and energy to teaching game design and helping students find their voice to make positive change in the world! This year we would like to shine the spotlight on two educators who won the 2024 G4C Student Challenge Leadership Award: Jalina Ramirez Chatzipantsios and Heather Bell. Jalina teaches middle school Entrepreneurship and Technology classes in Los Angeles, CA, and she has participated in the Student Challenge for 7 years, introducing hundreds of students to social impact game design. Heather teaches middle school science and STEM in Acworth, GA, and has three years of participation under her belt. We are thrilled to honor these outstanding educators with the Leadership Award this year! 🚀
The 2023-2024 G4C Student Challenge is generously funded and supported by: Two Bit Circus Foundation, EcoRise, PressStart, General Motors, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Verizon, Motorola Solutions Foundation, Take-Two Interactive, Ocean Wise, Hasbro, Unity.
Did you know the G4C Festival has a Games and Learning Track? In just a few weeks, G4C and worldwide change-makers will converge to explore the intersections of video games, education, technology, XR, and immersive media in tackling the world's most pressing issues while driving progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We have dozens of Games and Learning sessions you won't want to miss, including:
🕹️ Panel | Game On! Helping Youth Chart a Career Pathway in the Gaming Industry:
Join Verizon Innovative Learning, Leah Hirsch, and Arana Shapiro for an insightful panel discussion on helping youth discover and navigate career pathways in the dynamic world of gaming. Whether a budding developer, aspiring designer, or passionate about esports, this panel will explore the diverse opportunities available in the gaming industry.
🎮 Talk | Knock Knock, Kids: Replacing Closed Doors with Age-Empowered Access
Kieran Donovan, the CEO and founding member of k-ID, will explore the dynamic legal and regulatory issues of being a “child” online, plus examine how to transform consent, age assurance, privacy, and protection to make the gaming experience for the hundreds of millions of kids and teens playing around the world more empowered.
💬 Talk | Games for Adolescent Mental Health
Lynn Fiellin founder of Playbl, will explore current serious games that address increasing issues around mental health and well-being in young people through innovative and evidence-based strategies and their extension to different parts of the world and specific vulnerable populations such as adolescent girls.
Take a look at the schedule and see if you qualify for special educator discounts! 🚀
Game Plan is an eight-week program for educators empowering them to integrate games and play into community programs, schools, and afterschool settings by adapting methods and materials from the Games for Change Intro to Game Design Curriculum.
The program, led by game designers and experts in game-based learning, provides a deep dive into the game design process and the power of games and play to engage youth in meaningful learning and to prepare them for participation in the G4C Student Challenge. This fall, will be offering Game Plan to US-based STEM teachers who teach grades 5-12 and to US-based out-of-school educators who teach outside of the classroom (after school, libraries, museums, summer camps, etc!)
Do you want to launch a scholastic esports team at your school but don’t know where to start? G4C Learn has you covered! In our latest collaboration with Verizon Innovative Learning, we are excited to kick off a new FREE esports league for high school students, including professional development for team advisors, coaching for students, organized tournaments, and more!
Organized esports are an incredible way for all students to experience the benefits of team sports and our league coaches will prioritize using esports as a means to improve student well-being by providing guidance in the:
Health & Wellness: stretches, breathing exercises, meditation
Social Emotional Learning: how to handle emotions, conflict, and cyberbullying
Leadership: leadership exercises for students to learn to be the In-Game Leader (IGL)
Communication: We provide virtual etiquette classes that teach gamers what to say when to say it, and where to say it.
Goal Setting: team-based development objectives vs individual objectives
Teamwork: drills and exercises throughout practice to maximize the benefits of collaboration.
Do you know educators who would be interested in bringing games and play with the professional support and community of G4C Learn? Share this newsletter with them!