Category Archives: STEM Challenge

Inspired to create a video game that would engage young people while fostering ecological responsibility, Geneva Heyward from Corona, New York, developed Green Hero. “The idea came to me when I was researching different ways to stop climate change and better the environment,” explains the 17-year-old. “To make it more appealing for children, I decided the main character should be doing tasks that ‘normal’ people could also do—that’s how the Green Hero was born.” In addition to taking home the High School Unity title in the 2017 National STEM Video…

It was a love of dinosaurs that sparked inspiration for 15-year-old Mason Felton’s original video game design, Extinction. Integrating rich custom backgrounds and thoughtfully leveled gameplay, the game invites players to navigate Earth as a dinosaur named Jeff, who, despite his omnivore upbringing, aims to avoid meat whenever possible. The peaceful reptile’s perilous journey through a quickly-changing climate won Mason, from Ripon, Wisconsin, the High School Gamestar Mechanic title in the 2017 National STEM Video Game Challenge. When he’s not developing video games, Mason likes to draw…

Face off with real-life cybersecurity scenarios in 14-year-old Pranav Patil’s original game design, Cyber Champion. After participating in CyberPatriot, a national cybersecurity competition in which students configure systems to be secure, Pranav was determined to educate others on the vulnerabilities of the cyber world. “I wanted to create a fun and simple way for kids to learn how to be safe online,” explains the student from San Diego, California. By combining classic platformer gameplay with a choose-your-own-adventure style narrative, Cyber Champion captured the High School Games for Change title in the 2017…

Commended by the judges for exceptional storytelling, 13-year-old Kyle Roke’s game, Artificial, invites players along on a robot’s intense, heartfelt journey to self-discovery. With over 40 levels, patience and problem-solving skills are integral for success. Thanks to his attention to detail and meticulous gameplay development, the Foxboro, Massachusetts-based student took home the Middle School Gamestar Mechanic title in the 2017 National STEM Video Game Challenge. Kyle learned the fundamentals of the Gamestar Mechanic engine in a class at school, and his love of playing video games provided further motivation to try and create his own. Throughout…

Journey into the depths of an ancient tomb as you navigate The Pyramid, an intricate platform game rich with Egyptian mythology, secret levels, and powerful spells. Created by Parker, Colorado-based teammates John Korhel (age 16), Alex Lawrence (age 16), and John Ripple (age 16), The Pyramid was awarded the High School Team Open Platform title in the 2017 National STEM Video Game Challenge. In 2015, Korhel and Ripple won the Middle School Team Open Platform category in the STEM Challenge with their imaginative platformer design, The Cube’s Journey.  Inspired by a…

With the hope of bettering humanity on both a local and global level, Vineland, New Jersey-based teammates Liakadja Whitesell (age 12), Ruth Elahi (age 13), and Hannah Tamagni (age 13) created The Hunger Game, a story-driven platformer. In The Hunger Game, players move through each level learning about ways to contribute to their community. Sprinkled with engaging mini-games and supported with additional resources provided for players who are looking to learn more, The Hunger Game was a clear pick for the Middle School Games for Change…

In their haunting and elaborate game design, Washington, DC-based teammates Owen Cain (age 15), Doanna Nguyen (age 16), Gabriel Stevanus (age 16), and Tochi Ukegbu (age 16) ask players to step into the shoes of someone who recently took their own life, and has been given a chance to explore the life of someone else to see why life is worth living. With a moving soundtrack, original art, and a fully-realized 3D world, Intervene won the High School Team Open Platform category of the 2017 National STEM Video…

On November 14, 2016, the National STEM Video Game Challenge celebrated its fifth year with an awards ceremony and reception in Washington, DC at National Geographic for all 24 student winners and their families, as well as leading educators, game designers, and policy makers from across the country. I’ve been involved with the STEM Challenge for the past three years, and was humbled by the winning games’ quality, the caliber of the speakers the students met, and the excitement that…

“I’ve always been interested in crafting stories,” says Caleb Koo, a 15-year-old from Galena, Ohio. “And telling stories through a video game is very easy.” Caleb designed Conquering the Underworld, which won the Middle School Gamestar Mechanic category of the 2016 National STEM Video Game Challenge. In this “choose your own adventure”-style game, players navigate a complex underworld collecting tools, defeating enemies, and exploring new levels. “The idea of meeting a variety of characters under different circumstances appealed to me,…

Aspiring programmer Elisha Azaria, 13, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania learned about the National STEM Video Game Challenge from his father — whose work with artificial intelligence helped to inspire Elisha’s winning game design. Created as a complex 3D game, Alien AI Abduction won the Middle School Unity category of the 2016 National STEM Video Game Challenge. In Alien AI Abduction, players run, jump, and blast evil robots as they navigate four levels of increasing difficulty. “I started with a basic Unity3D game,…