By Lindsay Doty
Whether it’s a marathon Monopoly game or a quick round of Sorry, board games have a special place in pop culture and have made a comeback amid pandemic boredom.
To explore the science behind the fun and create your own board game, Hendricks County 4-H is starting a new program through Clover Gaming Connection for 7th through 12th graders.
The group, led by experienced volunteers, will meet once a month and go through topics such as game mechanics, game design, narrative and storytelling, strategy, and even careers in gaming.
The program’s mission is to provide an experience that fosters critical thinking, creativity, competition, and collaboration which inspires confidence and empowers youth to design their gaming (board, card, and/or video) ideas unlike any other learning experience available to kids today.
“The kick-off meeting is virtual, with the goal of going to a hybrid format. However, it will all be dependent upon health guidelines and policies set in place by local and state authorities,” explains Kati Sweet, Extension Educator and 4-H Youth Development for Purdue Extension – Hendricks County.
Clover Gaming Connection is an innovative 4-H program that is a result of a collaborative effort of 4-H youth educators in Purdue Extension. They work to connect all 92 Indiana counties to world-renowned research from Purdue University.
The Clover Gaming Spark Club is open to all 7th-12th graders. The first informational meeting will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, November 10th at 6:30 p.m.
To register for the program, visit https://bit.ly/CloverGaming2020
If you would like more information, please contact
Purdue Extension – Hendricks County at 317-745-9260 or email https://hendrces@purdue.edu.