Make Games, Save the Planet: Young people as civic science leaders

By Alexis Kelley, Student, Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University; Gouri Nair, Student, Westwood High School; Iliana Rodriguez, Student, Arizona State University; Jaclyn Rodriguez, Student, Mesa Community College; Jackeline Santiago-Aguiluz, Student, Forensic Psychology, Westwood High School; Lian Smith, Student, Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University; Samiksha Varahagiri, Student, Biotechnology, Arizona State University; Rae Ostman, Research Professor, Arizona State University.

This blog is part of the Afterschool Alliance's Collective for Youth Empowerment in STEM & Society (CYESS) initiative, which showcases the systemic change young people can make in their communities when their afterschool programs support them to layer action onto their STEM learning. If you would like to know more or submit a blog about your youth action program, please contact us.

Introduction

“Make Games, Save the Planet” was an internship program at Arizona State University that positioned young people as leaders who engage their communities in shaping positive climate futures. Over three years (Fall 2022-Spring 2025), 12 teens collaborated with university faculty and students to co-create a video game that explores water scarcity and to playtest it with urban and rural communities in Arizona.

Purpose

We chose to focus on water because it is essential for life and for the future of our community. Our goal for the game was to break down complex ideas and help players see that they can work together to create change. Through the game’s story and design, we wanted to evoke empathy and human connection, deliver relevant ideas, and directly impact our community.

Process

We created the game through a process of collaboration, expert guidance, continual reshaping of ideas, and self direction.

2175 Game

2175: The Renewal takes the player into a future society called Aridium. The people living there are allocated water by a powerful utility, using a chip embedded in their arms. While exploring this world, the player faces challenges, navigates conflicts, and makes decisions that impact Aridium’s future.

Community Engagement

Throughout the program, we held a series of community events to share concepts and early versions of the game with peers, experts, and mentors. When the game was completed, we playtested it with other teens at school clubs and library programs and with younger kids and adults at science center programs.

We collected data on usability, engagement, and learning. This information helped us improve the game and show its impact.

Takeaways

Eight months after the project ended, we had a reunion (January, 2026). In addition to hanging out, we also talked about what was most important in the program design.

This is our advice for people wanting to run similar programs:

• Application: Give candidates a chance to show who they really are, rather than asking questions that have a predetermined answer. Show what the program will be like.
• Team building: Be sure to let the group get to know each other. Don’t skimp on this!
• Collaborative project: There needs to be a creative project that causes you to work with people rather than just doing your own separate things and then coming together later.
• Choice: Let the group choose their topic or project, and allow them time to explore and develop a base of knowledge before they actually jump into something.
• Process: Step back and let us do our thing. Give the group time to learn how to work together.
• Soft skills: It’s important to learn how to work in a team, communicate cross-functionally, and share ideas by speaking to the group.
• Leadership: If you want to teach leadership, you need to teach collaboration first. Just let them work in a team and foster a safe environment.
• Fun: Along with having the end goal, it's important to have little fun events throughout the year, things to look forward to.
• Connections: Bring in experts to talk to us. And not just to teach us something, but to interact with us.
• Communication: Ongoing communication is really important so the group knows what’s going on, even on the days we can’t attend.
• Community engagement: Getting to share the game with the world was the coolest part. Having an end product to show was something we could look forward to and was exciting.

Resources

Online Workshop Recording: Young People Co-creating STEM Engagement Projects

During this online workshop, we explored the intersection of co-creation, positive youth development, and futures thinking. We heard from partners who have developed and implemented a variety of programs, exhibits and games that have empowered youth to help shape the future for their communities. We discussed strategies for working with young people, how to create a sense of ownership, belonging, STEM identity, and more.

Our Team

Youth leaders: Alexis Kelley, Jennifer Mejia Jimenez, Noah Monjaraz, Gouri Nair, Iliana Rodriguez, Jaclyn Rodriguez, Nalani Roza, Jackeline Santiago-Aguiluz, Alex Stephenson, Lian Smith, Samiksha Varahagiri, and Chloe Zhan.

ASU student collaborators: Akanksha Pawar, Faith Popov, Lourdes Rodriguez, Calvin Stanley, and Yannie Szeto.

Adult researchers and mentors: Wendy Barnard, Eugene Judson, Paul Martin, Rae Ostman, Nicholas Pilarski, and Nicholas Weller.

Acknowledgements

	This project was led by Arizona State University’s Center for Innovation in Informal STEM Learning and Resilient Visions Co-Lab at the Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center.
	This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under award #2148016. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this presentation are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.

Additional support provided by the Arizona Water Innovation Initiative and the Impact Water - Arizona program, courtesy of the State of Arizona and the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust; Arizona State University Principled Innovation Initiative; and Arizona State University Create the Change Initiative.