Empathy High School Digital Game Jam coming to Capital Region
TROY, N.Y. >> A first of its kind game jam event is coming to the Capital Region, and local high schoolers are encouraged to participate.
The Tech Valley Center of Gravity (TVCOG) in and AT&T have partnered to host The Empathy High School Digital Game Jam Powered by AT&T.
The event starts at 6 p.m. on Friday evening, Nov. 9 and ends at 8 p.m. on Saturday evening, Nov. 10 at the Tech Valley Center of Gravity, a makerspace and business incubator located at 30 Third St. in downtown Troy.
According to a news release, the region’s first empathy game jam offers a unique and free opportunity for Capital Region high school students interested in learning what it takes to make a video game and gain a new technological skill. This applied educational experience is designed to introduce and encourage more students to follow along a technology or STEM career path.
The innovative event will challenge teams of high local students to develop functional video games with an overarching theme of social good, and a focus on empathy, cooperation and addressing digital dilemmas.
This event is being held in conjunction with “Get Along, JAMMIT,” a weekend-long digital game jam for jammers of all ages working with iThrive Games through the Tech Valley Digital Game Hub at Rensselaer. iThrive is a team of psychologists, and social and emotional learning experts that work with game developers, mental health experts, and educators, to provide meaningful, game-based growth opportunities. Local professional game developers, computer programmers, artists, musicians and college students will participate as mentors and help the high school teams to take a hands- on approach to create original games with uplifting themes and addressing issues impacting the lives of high schoolers that the students can call their own and demonstrate how technology can be used for social good.
The event will provide students with exposure to software and technologies that are in demand in a rapidly growing industry, both globally and across the Capital Region.
Events like The Empathy High School Digital Game Jam Powered by AT&T are important for youth because according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Labor, much of the growth in the domestic and global economy will come from STEM-related jobs, a highly lucrative and competitive field. It is es-
timated by 2020 there will be 2.4 million unfilled STEM jobs with more than half made up of computer and coding careers, underscoring the importance of providing youth the tools and skills necessary to compete in this innovation economy.
AT&T’s support for this educational program is part of the company’s legacy of supporting educational programs focused on STEM and computer coding disciplines in New York through AT&T Aspire, the company’s signature $400 million philanthropic initiative that drives innovation in education by bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including fund-
ing, technology, employee volunteerism and mentoring. Aspire is one of the nation’s largest corporate commitments focused on school success and workforce readiness by creating new learning environments and educational delivery systems to help students succeed and prepare them to take on 21stcentury careers. AT&T has given more than $103 million to support STEM initiatives since 1987. Projects supported by AT&T contributions range from after-school programs and camps for students at risk of dropping out to handson technology labs and elite robotics competitions and mobile app challenges.
“AT&T is proud to collaborate with the Tech Valley Center of Gravity to develop and support this innovative experience for students as it further enhances our commitment to providing resources for STEM-related educational programming throughout the Capital Region,” said Marissa Shorenstein, president of AT&T’s Northeast Region, in a press release. “Our economy continues to transform at a robust pace – requiring a workforce with a focus on technological education and literacy – and STEM-focused programs like this one are vital to ensure that the students of today are equipped to compete in the global innova-
tion economy of today and tomorrow. I am excited to see the amazingly creative video games that are created by the students.”
Tech Valley Center of Gravity executive director Holly Cargill- Cramer added, “This jam-within-ajam format will allow students to work with teams of their own age group alongside and with the mentorship of professionals and college students. We’re very pleased to have the support of AT&T to ensure that all schools and students have the opportunity to participate on the same playing field.”
The event is free and open to teams from high schools and individual high school students across the Capital Region, though they must register in advance.
It is not a competition between the teams, though there will be awards in various categories.
To eliminate economic barriers and promote an all-inclusive experience, laptops and development resources will be made available for students without their own resources.
Parents and or school teachers/administrators can register teams by contacting the Center of Gravity at info@tvcog.net or 518-244-3544.
Limited space is available, so early registration is encouraged.