Santa Fe Public Schools Hosts Second Annual GameJam Creative Problem Solving Competition

Santa Fe, NM: SFPS is calling all student game designers to gear up for GameJam 2019: Connectivity. GameJam Teams that register by May 3rd and upload their original game designs by May 17th may receive awards.  Registration is $20 per team. Awards will be announced on May 20th. The competition is open to teams both inside and outside of the school district. Online registration is available at http://bit.ly/sfps-gamejam-register-19.
 
The annual GameJam, hosted by the SFPS Services for Advanced and Gifted Education (SAGE) department, puts game designing skills, including creative problem solving, to the test.  Balancing academic analytical thinking with creative and practical skills in school helps students grow to become scholars whose great ideas make an impact.
 
At GameJam, teams of two to four students from elementary, middle or high school work together to design video games, card games, board games or action games to fit the theme of “Connectivity,” a word with Latin origins combining “con,” which means “together,” and “necto,” which means “to bind or tie.” Designing original games to fit the theme places high demands upon team members as they apply their expertise in math, reading, writing, history, science and the arts while working together to accomplish a goal.
 
In 2018, 108 students from five District schools participated in SFPS SAGE’s first annual GameJam under the theme of “Flow.” Volunteer judges included scientists, educators, a director of a non-profit organization and an artist.
 
Students interested in participating, teachers interested in managing a team and volunteers interested in judging entries are encouraged to contact Steve Heil, SAGE Program Specialist.

​Those interested may also explore available online resources. An electronic guidebook, website and poster are available for those interested in gearing up for GameJam 2019: Connectivity.

Website: https://kidblog.org/settings/class/gamejam2019/
Electronic guidebook: http://bit.ly/sfps-gamejam-guide-19
Poster: http://bit.ly/sfps-gamejam-poster-19
 
For more information contact Steve Heil, SFPS SAGE Program Specialist, sheil@sfps.k12.nm.us 505-467-2512