Inspired by Obama, STEM Video Game Challenge Grabs Kids’ Attention

Image from stemchallenge.org

May 21, 2012, at the Smithsonian American Art Museum will see the sponsors of the 2012 National STEM Video Game Challenge honoring the next generation of game developers involved in trying to unlock the promise of breakthrough technologies to transform teaching and learning.

The National STEM Video Game Challenge is a multi-year competition with the goal of motivating interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning among America’s youth by tapping into students’ natural passion for playing and making video games. President Obama launched the initiative in 2011, praising it for helping to advance America’s global STEM leadership, and it hasn’t taken long to prove a big hit with teachers and students.

The 2012 Challenge featured a Middle School Category, open to students from any U.S. school in grades five through eight; a High School Category, open to students in grades nine through 12 from any U.S. school; a Collegiate Category, open to undergraduate and graduate students; and an  Educator Category, open to licensed professional educators.

By its second year, the program had seen more than 4,000 middle, high school and college students as well as educators submitting original video games.  For more information on the May 21 event, check out the official website.

Image from stemchallenge.org

By Colm Barker