AMD (NYSE: AMD)
today announced the AMD
Foundation, in support of AMD
Changing the Game, has awarded a grant to the Alliance
for Young Artists & Writers. The $65,000 grant will be used to
help fund the Alliance’s new video game design category for the 2010 and
2011 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
“That tradition is
well-represented with the addition of the video game design category.”
The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers is a nonprofit organization
that runs The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the most prestigious and
longest-running competition in the United States recognizing teenagers’
intellectual creativity, innovation and artistic talent. Through this
competition, scholarships and other activities, the Alliance annually
reaches more than three million students in seventh through 12th
grades, and 400,000 Art and English teachers. Including the new video
game design category in the competition increases the reach of the
program to math and science teachers and presents video game production
as an art form requiring imagination, technical skill, planning and
storytelling.
AMD’s partnership with the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers will
help to significantly broaden the reach of the AMD Changing the Game
signature education initiative to its target audience. The AMD program
is designed to promote the use of youth game development as a tool to
inspire learning and improve science, technology, education and math
(STEM) skills.
“The Alliance’s addition of a video game design category to its annual
competition validates the growth of game design as a creative learning
tool for teens,” said Allyson Peerman, President, AMD Foundation.
“Digital gaming is the universal language of teens, and teaching them in
that language can result in more engaged and better prepared students.”
“The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have always represented the cutting
edge of student creativity,” said Virginia McEnerney, Executive Director
of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. “That tradition is
well-represented with the addition of the video game design category.”
During its 87-year history, The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards has
recognized more than nine million creative teenagers, including Andy
Warhol, Robert Redford and Sylvia Plath. For the 2011 program year, the
Alliance anticipates receiving 700 student submissions for the video
game design category. The AMD Foundation grant also will help the
Alliance host game design workshops and help fund cash awards and summer
program scholarships for students. Each year top video game submissions
will be showcased online.
“The ability to design computer and video games taps into a deep-seated
passion for todays youth and fosters critical 21st Century skills such
as creativity, collaboration and critical thinking,” said Alan
Gershenfeld, Chairman, Games4Change. “The Scholastic Art & Writing
Awards video game design competition is a phenomenal outlet to spotlight
teens’ passion and talent for shaping this powerful new medium. I tip my
hat to the AMD Foundation for recognizing that when kids are motivated
to learn they can move mountains.”
AMD Changing the Game
AMD Changing the Game is designed to take gaming beyond entertainment
and inspire youth to learn critical education and life skills by
equipping them to create digital games with social content. The
program’s purpose is to promote the use of youth game development as a
tool to inspire learning and improve science, technology, education and
math (STEM) skills. The initiative is rooted in AMD’s commitment to and
experience in supporting education, and the company’s passion and
expertise in the graphics processor and gaming industries.
Since its launch in June 2008, AMD Changing the Game has:
Funded 13 organizations that enable youth game development
Funded the development of a youth game development curriculum with
PETLab and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). Earlier in
2010, BGCA chapters in Larimer County, Colorado and Marlborough,
Massachusetts kicked off new “Game Tech” programs that teach club
members how to understand game design and create their own games.
Co-sponsored the Malaysian Cybergames Festival 2010, including the
“Dare to Create” digital game design and development workshop
Co-sponsored the 2008 and 2009 Games for Change Festival
Funded an online toolkit to help nonprofits create games on social
issues
Sponsored a video contest exploring the intersection of education and
gaming
About the AMD Foundation
The AMD Foundation connects and empowers individuals with knowledge,
thereby opening doors to opportunity. The Foundation’s signature
program, AMD Changing the Game, supports initiatives designed to help
youth harness the power of digital games with social content, while
learning critical Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)
skills and life skills. The Foundation also funds the AMD Employee
Giving Program which supports AMD employees’ community interests by
matching their personal donations of time and money to local
organizations and schools.
Supporting Resources
AMD
Changing the Game fan page on Facebook
AMD
Changing the Game video
Alliance
for Young Artists & Writers Featured Donors page
Media
Information about the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers and the
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
About AMD
Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) is an innovative technology company
dedicated to collaborating with customers and technology partners to
ignite the next generation of computing and graphics solutions at work,
home and play. For more information, visit http://www.amd.com.
AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, and combinations thereof are trademarks of
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other names are for informational purposes
only and may be trademarks of their respective owners
Source: Business Wire