In the center of a one-million square foot convention center two Kentwood students and the video game they created were featured, special guests of Microsoft’s Corporate Public Sector group.
Kentwood senior Zachary Nawar and junior Evan Brossard and their business and computer science teacher Shannon Henderson were invited and sponsored by Microsoft to attend the company’s Worldwide Partner Conference in July.
Microsoft’s Corporate Public Sector group got wind of the Xbox game the two students created for a state competition last winter. They had also won “Best of Show” in the Video Game Expo at Kent School District’s VisFest, a districtwide annual student visual literacy arts festival. The focus of the game was exactly what Microsoft had had in mind for the conference.
As it turned out, the game was the main focus of the entire Corporate Public Sector space.
Named “Defend Your City” by Microsoft, players got to defend their cities from asteroids. Some of the asteroids required a player to answer a trivia question about Microsoft Public Sector. If players answered correctly, the students would grant them scratch-off tickets for prizes.
“Shannon, Zach, and Evan did such a fantastic job!” said Senior Marketing Manager Lynette Eastlake from Microsoft’s Worldwide Public Sector.
Four years ago, Kentwood High School teacher Henderson had instituted a curriculum incorporating game programming, based on a pilot program by Microsoft. While learning how to program games, students learn the C# programming language and Microsoft’s XNA add-on for Visual Studio. Henderson found she could incorporate all the important programming concepts while teaching game making, which is a very popular interest among students. In the meantime, says Henderson, they learn the most important skills—critical, analytical, and creative thinking; problem-solving; and teamwork.
Starting in the 2013-14 school year, all Kent School District high schools will offer game programming.
“The preparation these bright students received during their school career has certainly paid off,” said Superintendent Dr. Edward Lee Vargas. “Kent School District is committed to preparing our students for successful futures, and these young achievers are proving their potential to make a difference in the industry.”
Kent School District is a Microsoft International Demonstration Site and is known for its technology in the classroom and educational innovation. It is the fourth largest school district in Washington State and its most ethnically diverse district with more than 138 languages spoken.
