Tag Archives: stemchallenge16

After years of training as an artist and animator, Angela He, 17, knew she was ready for a new challenge that would encourage her audience to take a more active role with her creations. The Oakton, Virginia resident decided to develop a game design based on her research into the refugee crisis, hoping to encourage players to develop empathy and understanding as they moved through the game. When Angela learned about the challenges North Korean refugees were facing, she decided…

Since the age of 11, Aventura, Florida resident Samson Simhon, now 15, has been fascinated with game design. After mastering the basics of the Scratch platform, he taught himself increasingly complex code that allowed for 3D visual effects and advanced game mechanics. “I’ve created over thirty different projects,” says Samson, “including an iOS app called Jealous Bird.” Samson’s game design Prism won the High School Scratch category of the 2016 National STEM Video Game Challenge. Prism is an updated take…

With only one level to go before receiving his black belt, 11-year-old Nathan Kuravackal drew on his extensive training in Taekwondo to create Can’t Catch Me!, winner of the Nat Geo Explore Game Design Document Middle School category in the 2016 National STEM Video Game Challenge. The Tacoma, Washington native was inspired by his instructor Master Shon to create a puzzle-based game with a ninja as the main character. In Can’t Catch Me!, players travel through real-world destinations avoiding obstacles,…

Thanks to early exposure to robotics and Scratch in elementary school, 14-year-old Georgia Martinez of Chicago, Illinois is now an avid game developer. “I was immediately hooked,” she explains. Georgia’s game, Fractured Forest, won the Middle School Scratch category of the 2016 National STEM Video Game Challenge. In Fractured Forest, players search for resources and battle monsters as they navigate 20 floors of colorful gameplay. Georgia’s other hobbies include playing euphonium and piano, and her favorite subject in school is…

If you suddenly found yourself stranded in the hottest desert in North America, would you have the survival skills and environmental wherewithal to make it out in one piece? In The Great Desert Escapade, designed by 15-year-old Lauren Thomas from Boise, Idaho, players instincts are put to the test as they navigate the unforgiving Sonoran Desert. Thanks to an engaging and well-executed design, The Great Desert Escapade won the High School Gamestar Mechanic category of the 2016 National STEM Video…