Game Initiative Donates $17,000 to Communities in Schools

Author: by Beth A.

The Game Initiative, producer of conferences and events for game industry professionals, is set to donate $17,000 to Communities in Schools (CIS), a dropout prevention program serving thousands of Austin-area children and families each year. The Game Initiative has pledged a portion of each Austin Game Conference registration fee to help fund CIS's Tech Tots Program, which provides computers to low-income families with preschool-age children. The 4th annual Austin Game Conference unfolded last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at the Austin Convention Center. The conference brought together 2,400 game industry professionals from 20 countries and representing over 520 companies for three days of lectures, roundtables, and networking events. A new addition this year, the Dell ArtZONE offered game designers advanced training with top training representatives from Autodesk and Softimage using Dell Precision Workstations. "We're proud to support Communities in Schools," says Christopher V. Sherman, Executive Director. "The conference aims to promote education in the Austin area, not just amongst game industry professionals, but where it really matters -- in the early stages of development." The Community in Schools offers a variety of services in addition to the Tech Tots Program. CIS provides professional social services including counseling and supportive guidance, health and human services, and employment training to at-risk students and their families. The program boasts a proven success rate: 99% of all referred students stay in school. For more information, visit The Game Initiative's Charity.