College & Workforce Readiness

Harrisburg Univ. Teaching Teens Video Game Creation

By The Associated Press — July 06, 2010 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Information from: The Patriot-News, http://www.pennlive.com/patriotnews

Tori Hepler just graduated from Upper Dauphin High School and is a budding video game artist designing the lead character and monsters in a supernatural quest to defeat the Lord of Shadows.

She is one of 14 students attending Harrisburg University of Science and Technology’s three-week summer Gaming Academy launched last week, an intensive course designed to introduce students to the world of game design and programming.

The camp gives high school students a crash course in digital media, where they learn from industry experts and create their own games.

“We focus more on the process of game making rather than the final product,” said Hepler, 18. She’ll be attending Pennsylvania College of Art and Design in the fall, where she wants to expand her skills of animation and artistry, and land a job with DreamWorks or Pixar.

The course also includes special instruction from industry veterans. Thursday’s speaker, who spoke to the class through a live video feed, was Joshua Seaver, a Pixar artist who worked on the film “Toy Story 3.”

Charles Palmer, executive director of the Center for Advanced Entertainment and Learning Technology and associate professor of multimedia, said the course works toward “taking all of the creative talents and bringing them together” to create an engaging game.

Students are responding to the challenge. This session, three students are returning after completing previous sessions, and two will attend both sessions this summer, which run from June 21 to July 9 and July 12-30.

“It’s a great camp for anyone who wants to get into game design and pursue a college degree,” Shane Fleming, a programmer, said.

Fleming, 16, who attends Central Dauphin East High School and lives in Swatara Township, wants to get a degree in computer engineering and work with software or design.

Anthony Ortega, production coordinator and lead game design instructor at the academy, said students learn the fundamentals of game design by getting back to the roots of gaming, starting with core concepts and building new games for each step.

“Students are looking for the game that’s the most fun possible, not the most beautiful,” he said.

Related Tags:

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in Schools
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by Panorama Education
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Spark Minds, Reignite Students & Teachers: STEM’s Role in Supporting Presence and Engagement
Is your district struggling with chronic absenteeism? Discover how STEM can reignite students' and teachers' passion for learning.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
Recruitment & Retention Webinar EdRecruiter 2025 Survey Results: The Outlook for Recruitment and Retention
See exclusive findings from EdWeek’s nationwide survey of K-12 job seekers and district HR professionals on recruitment, retention, and job satisfaction. 

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

College & Workforce Readiness Q&A Graduation Rates Might Get Worse Before They Get Better
Schools must make a convincing case for why students should show up, Robert Balfanz says.
5 min read
Learning Recovery Hurdles 092023 1303680911 01
iStock/Getty
College & Workforce Readiness These Students Are the Hardest for Schools to Track After Graduation
State education chiefs are working with the Pentagon to make students' enlistment data more accessible for schools.
5 min read
Students in the new Army prep course stand at attention after physical training exercises at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., on Aug. 27, 2022. The new program prepares recruits for the demands of basic training.
Students in the new Army prep course stand at attention after physical training exercises at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., on Aug. 27, 2022. State education leaders are working with the Pentagon to make graduates' enlistment data part of their data systems.
Sean Rayford/AP
College & Workforce Readiness As Biden Prepares to Leave Office, He Touts His 'Classroom to Career' Work
At a White House event, the president and first lady highlighted their workforce-development efforts.
3 min read
President Joe Biden speaks at the Classroom to Career Summit in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024.
President Joe Biden speaks at the Classroom to Career Summit in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Nov. 13, 2024.
Ben Curtis/AP
College & Workforce Readiness Can the AP Model Work for CTE? How the College Board Is Embracing Career Prep
The organization known for AP courses and the SAT is getting more involved in helping students explore potential careers.
5 min read
David Coleman, CEO of the College Board, speaks at the organization's annual conference in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 21, 2024.
David Coleman, CEO of the College Board, speaks at the organization's annual conference in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 21, 2024. Long an institution invested in preparing students for college, the College Board increasingly has an eye on illuminating career options.
Ileana Najarro/Education Week