President Obama urges children to make videogames

Who says Washington is out of touch with today’s world? President Obama has announced the launch of the National STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Video Game Challenge. "Our success as a nation depends on strengthening America’s role as the world’s engine of discovery and innovation," said President Obama. "I applaud partners in the National STEM Video Game Challenge for lending their resources, expertise, and their enthusiasm to the task of strengthening America’s leadership in the 21st century by improving education in science, technology, engineering and math," he continues.



The challenge takes the form of two separate competitions. The first is a youth prize, to be awarded to middle schoolers who design their own educational video games. The submissions for middle school students can be either a playable game, or an on-paper design document with a total prize pool of $50,000. The second challenge is for actual developers (or undergrad/grad students) to create their own educational video games for young children.


Above: A student tightening up the graphics on level three

First prize (best developer submission) is $50,000. The prize for best undergrad/grad submission is $25,000. And the prize for the submission that has the “greatest potential to reach underserved populations” will receive another $25,000. That’s some serious walking-around money. The STEM program will be accepting all submissions as of October 12th, and will be announcing the winners in mid-March of next year.