Eastern Tech Students Win Video Game Design Competition

Three Eastern Technical High School students took first place in a recent countywide video game design competition.

Kate Delossantos, Molly Lynas and Scott Sechrist were awarded the top prize in the third annual BCPS Student Games Contest, according to a news release. The contest is part of the school system’s Project L.i.V.E. (Learning in Virtual Environments) initiative. 

The winners' entry, "Formula Fantasy," was recognized at a recent awards ceremony at Eastern Tech. In the game, players use chemistry and other science and mathematics-related skills and knowledge "to complete a series of challenges, which include defeating adversaries and navigating virtual worlds much like the most popular commercial video games," a Baltimore County Public Schools release stated.

In all, more than 70 students from eight Baltimore County high schools submitted more than 30 video game concepts, which each had to be based entirely on school system curriculum, according to the release. Gaming professionals will create software of the winning entry to be used in county schools.   

Among the other entries were the second-place team of Miguel Fernandez and Kayla Clay (George Washington Carver Center for the Arts and Technology), who developed  “Journey to the Derivatives: The ex Battle.” while Alex Reynolds Jr. (Owings Mills High School) took third place for his entry, “World Redemption.”

“The contest really taps into the creativity and technical expertise of our students, and does so in a fun and enriching way,” Daniel Scroggs, manager of the BCPS Department of Technology, said in a statement. “Especially since Baltimore County is a center of the gaming development industry, the students we challenge and honor with the contest today are well on their way to soon becoming the award-winning video game designers of tomorrow.”

In addition to the winning game becoming professionally produced, award winners received trophies and software donated by Microsoft.