www.esafoundation.org

Fall is upon us, which means the ESA Foundation (ESAF) is busy preparing for Nite to Unite – For Kids, our annual signature gala fundraiser that will take place on October 22 in San Francisco. Read on to learn more about this event and how you can purchase tickets. We look forward to seeing you there!

We are also pleased to announce the three recipients of our annual Education Challenge Grant – all who will enhance student learning by incorporating video games and technology into their classrooms.

Be sure to read the grantee spotlight featuring ThanksUSA and learn how EverFi is making headway in schools.

Thank you for supporting our programs and helping ESAF continue to make a positive impact in the lives of America’s youth. 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

Nite to Unite gala set for October

ESAF is looking forward to hosting the 17th annual Nite to Unite – for Kids (NTU) on Wednesday, October 22, at the San Francisco Design Center Galleria located in San Francisco, CA. The event will feature cocktails, tasting buffets, casino entertainment, and live and silent auctions.

Attendees mingle at Nite to Unite 2013

NTU is ESAF’s signature fundraising gala that supports grants to educators and nonprofit organizations. Games for youth education along with scholarships top women and minorities who are pursing degrees in game design and development are supported through these grants.

To learn more or purchase tickets, visit the Nite to Unite website: http://www.nitetounite.org/.

ESAF announces Education Challenge Grant winners

ESAF announced recipients of the third annual Education Challenge Grant on September 23. The recipients are:

• Bronx Compass High School in Bronx, NY;
• Dunlap Community School District in Dunlap, IL; and
• Jefferson Middle School in Jefferson, WI.

Winners were selected by a distinguished panel of judges, who chose schools based on the creativity of their proposals to incorporate computer and video games into their curricula.

Bronx Compass High School is pioneering a unique opportunity for students in grades nine through 11 to with industry mentors to design and produce computer games that address real world issues. By integrating humanities and technology curricula, the program will challenge students to communicate and empathize with daily challenges faced by inner city youth.

At Dunlap Middle School and Dunlap Valley Middle School, more than 350 students will have an opportunity to enhance their science, technology, education, and mathematics (STEM) skills while designing and developing their own virtual world in SimCity. Students will work together to identify problems that arise during the design process and develop solutions that lead to a successfully operating city.

Eighth-grade students at Jefferson Middle School will be able to develop a greater understanding of American government and economics by constructing their own civilization in Minecraft. During the course, students will blog about their settlements and attempt to persuade their fellow classmates to adopt certain economic ideas.

The Education Challenge Grant is the result of a partnership between the Federation of American Scientists, the Association for Middle Level Education, and The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop. The grant is part of ESAF’s efforts to help promote video games and game technology as educational tools.

Grantee Spotlight: ThanksUSA

On September 30, ThanksUSA honored ESAF at the Treasure our Troops gala, an annual event that salutes military men and women and awards scholarships to children and spouses of those who serve in the Armed Forces.

U.S. Army Chief of Staff General Raymond T. Odierno delivered the keynote message.

ThanksUSA Co-founder Kelsi Okun with Gen. Raymond Odierno

ESAF has helped provide 161 scholarships for military family members with ThanksUSA. Since 2005, ThanksUSA has awarded more than 3,000 scholarships totaling more than $10 million.

Visit ThanksUSA’s website to learn more.

Did you know?

EverFi, a 2014 ESAF grantee, educates Latino eighth and ninth grade students about online privacy and security, cyberbullying, Internet ethics, and effective online research through Ignition – Digital Literacy and Responsibility, an online gaming simulation that addresses the risks and rewards that technology can bring into their lives.

A snapshot of Ignition from EverFi

EverFi asked students to complete a survey on a number of subjects before and after completing a four-hour computer-based program. The results were impressive, as 51% of students said they planned to choose a career in technology, as opposed to 33% prior to taking the course.