National STEM Video Game Challenge

Those who attended the August workshop on Scratch and are using it with students may be interested in this information:

AASL has collaborated with the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop and E-Line Media to hold the first annual National STEM Video Game Challenge. Now open for applications, this competition aims to motivate children's interests in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).

As a school librarian, you can become a key resource for kids interested in making video games.

A Youth Prize Design Challenge engages middle school students (grades 5 through 8) in STEM learning, 21^st Century Literacy Skills and Systems Thinking by challenging them to design original video games. Special consideration will be given to submissions from students in underserved communities.

Students have 3 ways to make a submission:

1. Create a written game design document.

2. Make a playable game using the free version of Gamestar Mechanic, Scratch, or Gamemaker 8

3. Make a playable game using any gamemaking or programming platform

The deadline for submissions is January 5, 2011.

Prizes for students include a laptop computer, a subscription to Gamestar Mechanic and a subscription to BrainPOP. The school of the student's choice will receive $2,000 ($3,000 if the school is a recipient of Title 1 funding from the U.S. Department of Education).

To learn more, visit www.stemchallenge.org.