Game On: Putting girls in the driver’s seat of technology

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Empowering youth to acquire important skills like critical thinking, problem solving and technology literacy is at the heart of how we engage in many of our local communities around the world.  As part of these efforts, we help close the technology gap and creating learning opportunities for those who may not have access through our youth learning initiatives.

We’ve discovered a gap still exists for young girls in the US and are working with local and national organizations to provide new and innovative possibilities to build confidence and excitement for careers in our industry – and put them in the driver’s seat of technology.

I’m excited that through a national partnership with the Girl Scouts that we announce the release of our Be the Video Game Designer, an interactive experience that will put girls in the driver’s seat of idea generation in video game development. To mark these milestones, today Dell and Girl Scouts came together for a Think Tank attended by industry influencers where they discussed innovation and the past, present and future of video game technology and the growing roles that girls are playing in this space. We are incredibly excited at the potential Be the Video Game Designer has to inspire girls to unleash their creativity while exposing them to the ever-evolving and exciting world of video game development. As part of the game, girls will consider aspects of what they would like to see in video games, and make selections based on those preferences including choosing avatars, storylines and other video game features. They will learn critical thinking, teamwork, and ideation skills that will allow them to take on the role of a creator in the video game process.

In preparation for this launch, Dell team members lent their expertise and mentorship to the five councils that will receive the game upon launch, including Girl Scouts of Central Texas, Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee, Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital, Girl Scouts of Northern California and Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma.  Dell has been a longstanding supporter of our local Girl Scout organizations because like us, Girl Scouts is committed to building confidence, character and leadership among the next generation of leaders. Girl Scouts is the only organization, out of 50 charities managing 34 programs, to receive a 2-year commitment from the Dell Powering the Possible Youth Learning Initiative, providing $2.4 million to charities across the nation.

We hope that thousands of young girls will enjoy the Be the Video Game Designer experience and rethink possibilities in information technology, science and math.  Gaming is a fun and engaging way to make this happen.

How do you think the gaming industry can empower girls in technology? Share your thoughts below.

About the Author: Michele Glaze

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