Computer Graphics World

ed interest in the development of STEM skills among today's youth. "e more in- volvement we have with students now, the better the workforce we'll have in the long run," she says. "ey will not always go into engineering, but the more we can get students engaged and excited about learn- ing, the better off we all are." For this reason, AMD became excited about the gaming concept—that and the fact that AMD had acquired GPU/chip- maker ATI Technologies, at which time gaming literally became an even larger part of the company's portfolio. After extensive research on gaming as a potential education initiative, the company discovered there is a strong connection between learning and gaming. In particular, when kids sit down to play games, they learn a great deal. "ey acquire skills while having fun, and they don't even realize they are learning them," Peerman adds. On another note, when kids become in- volved in the thought process of developing games—initially the conceptual process and then the more technical aspects—the skill sets they learn increase exponentially, Peer- man contends. "at is pertinent to the STEM skill development," she adds. "is is not just about meeting kids where they are; it's not about games for the sake of games. ey also learn about social issues during the process of learning about game develop- ment. It is turning games into a multifaceted education tool." Growing the Program Changing the Game is focused on teens in late middle school and high school, between 13 and 18 years old. According to Peerman, while all kids in all socioeconomic groups play games, AMD's focus is primar- ily on enriching the educational experience of disadvantaged teens. So far, the AMD Foun- dation has provided grants to five organi- zations through the initiative, including Girlstart, an Austin, Texas-based nonprofit created to empower middle school and high school girls to excel in math, science, and technology, and Global Kids, a New York City-based group seeking to transform ur- ban youth into successful students, commu- nity leaders, and global citizens (see "Mak- ing a Difference," pg. 44). "We would like to see them using games to express themselves and learning these critical-thinking skills as they go along," notes Peerman. "We also want them to recognize the other component, workforce development. As the kids become involved and learn the process of making games, they are also exposed to the game develop- ment industry. Ultimately, some of them may choose that as a career path." at certainly may be the case with Girl- start: In Austin, where Girlstart is located, there is a shortage of game developers, and Peerman believes these studios will contin- ue to look for good candidates to fill jobs. While all the grants during the first year of AMD's involvement have been to US orga- nizations, the Foundation seeks to make this a global program. "Gaming is universal and transcends languages, and kids all over the world are using games," says Peerman. During this first-year build-up phase, AMD provided only monetary funding to the cause "because it took us a while to find the right candidates," says Peerman, noting there are not many programs like G4C at the present time. "I think it's an early emerging arena, and that's good for us because we feel like we got in on the front end. We believe there is huge potential for this to grow." In addition, AMD provided monetary support for the Games for Change Festi- val. Now in its sixth year, this annual event brings together leading nonprofit groups, experts, and game developers to explore the real-world impact of video games as an agent for social change. Called "an early Sundance of video games for socially responsible game designers," the Festival showcases some of the new, innovative titles in this area. During last year's event, AMD, along with the John D. and Cathe- rine T. MacArthur Foundation, co-funded a daylong workshop featuring presenta- tions and brainstorming sessions by some of the nation's leading authorities on social- issue game development. Topics that were covered included game design, fundraising, evaluation, youth participation, distribu- tion, and press strategies. Program Expansion Funding a handful of applicants was the first step. Now, AMD is taking its second Global Kids' Ayiti looks at Haitian poverty. A Global Kids Playing for Keeps participant learns 21st century skills with an eye to social awareness. March 2009 43 Education n n n n

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