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The Entertainment Software Association Foundation (ESAF) is busy at work this summer – and we hope you are too!

In June, we attended an unforgettable E3 in Los Angeles, exploring the latest innovations the computer and video game industry has to offer. At E3, we also launched the beginning of a year-long partnership with Humble Bundle, an organization that helps raise money through name-your-own-price game bundles. From June 9-12, Humble Bundle and Twitch, the official web streaming partner of E3, sponsored an “E3 Live” virtual swag bundle, with proceeds supporting ESAF. To date, gamers have purchased more than 152,000 of these bundles

In addition, ESAF is gearing up for this year’s “Nite to Unite – for Kids” (NTU), which will take place at the San Francisco Galleria on October 22. NTU is ESAF’s signature annual fundraising gala and the main source of support for ESAF’s grant making and scholarships. We will share more details with you, as well as ticket and sponsorship options, as the event approaches. Please visit http://www.nitetounite.org/ for updates.

Our 2014 grantees have also been busy this summer, and this edition of the ESAF newsletter highlights an update from Brown University’s Bootstrap program and also features the inspiring work of the Tiger Woods Learning Center and iCivics.

We appreciate your continued support of ESAF programs. For updates on our programming and our grantees’ activities, be sure to follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Warm regards,

Jenny Lai
Vice President, ESA Foundation

Grantee Update: Bootstrap

In July, Brown University’s Bootstrap program held a summer training session for Washington, D.C. public school teachers to help them learn how to incorporate Bootstrap, which uses game programming to teach algebra and geometry concepts, into their curriculum. Participating educators praised the training for its hands-on approach:

"The workshop takes you through the exact same process that your students would use, so it gives you a chance to see what it will be like in their shoes. I think Bootstrap is an excellent tool to introduce students to computer science and engineering, and I see it as a very useful add-on to any math curriculum. As a math teacher, it is sometimes difficult to come up with projects that engage students. Bootstrap allows me to do this, which is as welcome breath of fresh air. Of course, the credit for my review goes to the creator and workshop leader, Emmanuel Schanzer. He was very engaging, enthusiastic, patient, and understanding. He does a really good job emulating the optimal practices for teaching Bootstrap to students."

— David Hill, D.C. Public School Teacher

Washington, D.C. teachers learn how to use Bootstrap

Grantee Update: Tiger Woods Learning Center

On July 24, donors visited the Tiger Woods Summer Academy Camp at the Tiger Woods Learning Center (TWLC) in Anaheim, California, followed by an event for family and special guests on July 25.

To view photos and videos from the event, visit TWLC’s blog, like TWLC on Facebook, or follow TWLC on Twitter: @TWFoundation.

Grantee Spotlight: iCivics

Founded by former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, iCivics leverages a series of web-based games to teach students about American government and to encourage them to become active citizens. With ESAF’s support, iCivics is now developing a new game – DBQuest: Eyes on the Prize – about the Civil Rights Movement. Drawing on primary sources and the seminal PBS documentary “Eyes on the Prize,” iCivics’ DBQuest: Eyes on the Prize will allow students to explore the experiences of those involved in the Civil Rights Movement and challenge students to consider the complexity of social change. Beyond teaching students about a crucial period in American history, the game aims to enhance core literacy, critical reading, and persuasive writing skills by requiring students to distill information presented in the game into a series of short argumentative essays.

This screenshot from DBQuest: Eyes on the Prize demonstrates how students will engage with archival photographs in the game

Through a growing network of 55,000 educators, iCivics reaches more than four million students every year. iCivics has also developed various curricula for teachers, organizing its lesson plans into topics that align with state and Common Core standards. With a combination of readings, activities, discussions, and games, iCivics provides teachers with new and engaging ways to educate students.

DBQuest: Eyes on the Prize will be available online and piloted in select schools this September. For more information about iCivics, visit: https://www.icivics.org/.