10th annual event booked in for 55,000 students and 1,100 eudcators to get involved with.
October 22, 2024
[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Game Developer and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press]
Games for Change :
New York, NY – October 22, 2024 – Games for Change (G4C) is proud to announce the launch of the 10th annual G4C Student Challenge, a game design program that has empowered over 55,000 students and 1,100 educators worldwide to become creative problem-solvers and changemakers. Since its inception in 2015, the Student Challenge has inspired students to design 6,700 games that address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, all while developing critical STEAM skills, creativity, and digital design expertise.
The program has evolved over the last decade, expanding across the country and around the world and reaching participants from 46 countries and 232 cities. The Challenge has also expanded its resource hub to include educator, parent, and student toolkits that are free to download and use at home, in school, or out of school. Educators also have access to free professional development, which helps educators integrate game design into curricula and teaching practice. Educators participating in the program report significant improvements in students' engagement, creativity, and confidence.
The 2024-2025 Student Challenge is open for submissions from January 6 through April 18, 2025. The Challenge will culminate in an awards ceremony on June 12, 2025, recognizing winners and finalists across a wide range of award categories. This year’s Challenge introduces three exciting new themes developed in collaboration with leading global partners. These themes encourage students to tackle pressing social and environmental challenges, including hunger, environmental sustainability, and equitable resource distribution:
Peaceformers, supported by the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative, invites students to design games set in imagined civilizations where peace depends on equitable resource sharing. By navigating complex decisions around food, water, and shelter, students explore how leadership and fairness can foster peaceful coexistence in times of scarcity.
Nurture Yourself with Nature, backed by Earthwatch Europe, addresses eco-anxiety by highlighting the healing power of nature. Students design games that guide players through five pathways to strengthen their connection with the environment, showcasing how nature can improve mental health and resilience in the face of climate change.
Outplay Hunger, supported by World Food Program USA, tackles the global hunger crisis. Students create games focusing on reducing food waste and promoting healthy diets, encouraging players to take action in their communities and rethink how we produce and consume food. The theme features teaching resources from Take Action Global (TAG).
“For a decade, we’ve seen the G4C Student Challenge empowering students to see themselves not just as game designers but as future leaders and innovators,” says Arana Shapiro, Chief Operations and Programs Officer at Games for Change. “The Games for Change Student Challenge has proven that when young people are given the opportunity to engage with real-world problems creatively, they can drive meaningful change in their communities — and learn a lot of essential skills in the process.”
“At World Food Program USA, we are proud to collaborate with this year's Games for Change Student Challenge on the "Outplay Hunger" theme,” said Jessamyn Sarmiento, Chief Marketing Officer of World Food Program USA. “This gaming challenge gives students an exciting opportunity to combine their passion with a meaningful cause--ending hunger worldwide. By engaging with this theme, students will gain valuable insights into global food insecurity and learn how they can make a real difference through gaming. Together, we're inspiring the next generation to harness their creativity and work towards a future with zero hunger."
“The collaboration between WPDI and G4C empowers students to become architects of peace by encouraging the creation of interactive games that demonstrate how it's possible to build a more compassionate world despite real-world challenges," states Monya Kian, Domestic Harmonizer Program Director at WPDI. "We are excited to participate in this unique opportunity and delighted to showcase students' top entries in our game arcade, Hear Me Out.”
Megan Evans, Senior Education & Learning Specialist at Earthwatch Europe, said, "We are delighted to support the 'Nurture Yourself with Nature' theme in this year’s Games for Change Student Challenge. This initiative offers a fun and creative way for students to explore how reconnecting with nature can alleviate eco-anxiety and foster mental well-being. We are excited to be part of a partnership seeking to inspire the next generation to create connections with nature that will help them build resilience and empower them to create a sustainable future."
Educators are critical to the G4C Student Challenge’s success. This fall, the program is offering 15 free professional development sessions to educators worldwide, providing them with the tools they need to integrate game design into their classroom curricula. These sessions ensure that the program continues to expand its impact and reach in global communities.
This year’s Student Challenge is made possible through the generous support of key partners, including Verizon, Hasbro, Unity, Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative, Earthwatch Europe, World Food Program USA, Take Action Global, General Motors, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Motorola Solutions Foundation, Take-Two Interactive, and Press Start Academy.
Learn more at gamesforchange.org/studentchallenge
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About Games for Change
Since 2004, Games For Change (G4C) has empowered game creators and innovators to drive real-world change — using games and immersive media to help people learn, improve their communities, and make the world a better place. G4C partners with technology and gaming companies, nonprofits, foundations, and government agencies to run world-class events, public arcades, design challenges, and youth programs. G4C supports a global community of game developers working on using games to tackle real-world challenges, from humanitarian conflicts to climate change and education.
About Earthwatch Europe
Earthwatch Europe Earthwatch Europe is an environmental charity that helps people take action to protect the natural world around them. We connect people with nature and give them the tools they need to fight for our planet. We support communities and organizations to build knowledge, create connections, and motivate action. Learn more at earthwatch.org.uk
About the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI)
The Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) is a non-governmental organization with an international scope and reach, founded in 2012 by the artist, social activist and UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace, Forest Whitaker. WPDI is committed to fostering peace, gender equality, sustainability, and resilience in countries and places affected by violence, poverty, and marginalization. In Africa, Europe, as well as Latin and North America, WPDI develops a wide range of programs aimed at training and supporting underprivileged individuals and groups, with a particular focus on youth and women, enabling them to become empowered as mediators, educators, entrepreneurs, and leaders, fostering positive transformation within their communities and beyond. Learn more at https://wpdi.org/
About World Food Program USA
World Food Program USA, a 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, D.C., proudly supports the mission of the United Nations World Food Programme by mobilizing American policymakers, businesses, and individuals to advance the global movement to end hunger. To learn more about World Food Program USA’s mission, please visit wfpusa.org/mission-history.
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