XAVIER COLLEGE PREPARATORY STUDENTS HOLD VIDEO GAME TOURNAMENT

XAVIER COLLEGE PREPARATORY STUDENTS HOLD VIDEO GAME TOURNAMENT

Xavier College Preparatory student members of the Video Game Club will hold their first ever Video Game Tournament on February 20, 2009 on the school’s campus. Xavier girls as well as students from Brophy College Preparatory will compete at video games such as Rock Band, Mario Kart, Guitar Hero, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl on the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360. Xavier hopes to make the Video Game Tournament an annual event.

This is the first year for the Video Game Club at Xavier. There are 36 student members who meet twice a week to play games and discuss trends in video games. In addition to the club, Xavier offers a Video Game Development class where students learn how to make games that focus on learning and social responsibility. Both the club and class were created based on student interest, with a goal of integrating technology, and specifically video games, into the learning process.

“Kids are already using games anyway and using them at school engages them in learning,” said Mrs. Catherine Wyman, club moderator and teacher.

“Some people believe that girls aren’t interested in video games,” said Sara McClellan, a Xavier senior and member of the club. “Xavier’s Video Game club, the game development class, and this tournament prove that girls do like video games, and that we can use them to learn, communicate and grow.”

Senior Rachael Giebel, also a member of the club, said, “We like being competitive and interactive playing video games. And there are plenty of video games that do not have gore and violence but are really fun to play.”

According to Mrs. Wyman, “These girls are doing amazing work with video games. They are learning about using games to have a positive effect on society, and that games can be used for good.”

Game Crazy is generously supplying the games and consoles for the tournament.

Rainbow Studios, a division of THQ, will also bring their newly released Wii game for participants to try. Their new game, Deadly Creatures, is based on indigenous creatures of the Southwest such as scorpions, tarantulas and rattlesnakes. A company representative will be on hand to explain the design and creation process of making a video game.