NMS sixth graders Jullien Martinez-Torres and Michael Dorunda with Game Club advisor Daniel Kinney.
WESTFIELD – North Middle School Principal Katherine Bourque introduced Applied Science and Engineering teacher Daniel Kinney to speak about his After-School Game Design Club to the School Committee on Monday.
Kinney called it a great STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) opportunity and creative outlet for students. He said students encounter design challenges in developing their own video games, and learn about software and creative problem solving.
Kinney then introduced two of the students in the club, sixth graders Michael Dorunda and Jullien Martinez-Torres. “It kind of makes you think different, because you have to go step by step,” Michael said in describing the process.
Jullien talked about the different levels of play in a game, which change the way you think about it. “You have to beat the game before you publish it,” he said, adding that you don’t want to make it too hard or too easy. He also showed some of the game to the School Committee on the monitor.
The club meets on Wednesdays from 3 to 3:30 p.m., although Kinney said every snow storm this year has seemed to happen on a Wednesday, so they’ve missed a few meetings.
School Committee member Diane Mayhew asked Kinney how far they could take their game designs, and whether they could copyright them. Kinney said the program they use is a simple one that has set pieces that are copyrighted, but is a good starting point for students to go on and create their own games.
Mayor Brian P. Sullivan asked the students if the club was their favorite part of the day, to which they answered, “Yes.”
