This document summarizes the launch event of the G.A.M.E.S. (Girls Advocating for Mentoring, Education, and Support) National Network, which aims to develop educational games to encourage more girls to pursue STEM careers. The event featured presentations on the opportunity to use gaming to influence girls' career choices, building a national community effort, and G.A.M.E.S.' action plan. Attendees were asked to volunteer in areas like research, game development, fundraising, and networking to help launch the G.A.M.E.S. initiative and its goal of creating fun and engaging games that steer girls toward STEM.

1. G.A.M.E.S.

3. G.A.M.E.S. National Launch
Event Sponsors Starting Our
Network

5. Today is launch of national coalition
to build a G.A.M.E.S. network
committed to success of G.A.M.E.S.
Mission and its STEM objectives.

6. Our G.A.M.E.S. mission
destination – to work with many
other STEM and girls’
advocacy groups and a
national G.A.M.E.S. Network to
develop a process and game
products that help steer more
girls toward STEM careers.

7. G.A.M.E.S. National Network
Boston
Charlotte
Seattle

8. Many great schools and
organizations across the nation
have been in a number of
ways to promote STEM,
and focus on encouraging girls to pursue STEM
careers. Real progress has been made, but a lot
more is needed.
Gaming is a very powerful tool and one used every
day by many girls. Efforts to develop games that
have the goal of encouraging girls to pursue STEM
have had limited success to date.

9. Our Mission:
Develop one or more really fun
and engrossing games that
will, along with other STEM
strategies underway, make a
real impact in helping influence
girls to pursue STEM careers.

10. TODAY’s Mission:
Our G.A.M.E.S. Level 1 Objectives
WHY
HOW
HOW EACH OF YOU HAS A KEY
ROLE
NEXT STEPS

12. WHY G.A.M.E.S.?
 The Problem and Opportunity With Girls and
STEM
– Karen Peterson, CEO, National Girls Collaborative
Project
 The Power of Games to Influence Girls’ Lives and
Career Choices
– Megan Gaiser, Creative Director and former
CEO, Her Interactive
 Building a Powerful National Community Effort
– Sally Bagshaw, Seattle City Councilmember

14. WHY G.A.M.E.S.?
 The Problem and Opportunity With Girls and
STEM
– Karen Peterson, CEO, National Girls Collaborative
Project
 The Power of Games to Influence Girls’ Lives and
Career Choices
– Megan Gaiser, Creative Director and former
CEO, Her Interactive
 Building a Powerful National Community Effort
– Sally Bagshaw, Seattle City Councilmember

15. The G.A.M.E.S. Action Plan

16. G.A.M.E.S. Mission Plan

17. How YOU Can Help G.A.M.E.S. Get Launched
Volunteer to Help in One of Our 4 Work Area

18. Researchers
 Research on Girls’ STEM Learning
 Research on STEM Career Pathways
 Research on Games and Learning
 Individuals and organizations are
knowledgeable of the research that can
advance G.A.M.E.S., please join us, and
please share your ideas!

19. Gamers
 Music and 3D art, animation and textures
specialists
 Skills in production and design to
programming and scripting to management
and business development
 Crowd source and Game Jam designers

20. Funding/ Resources
Experience in foundation and grant
proposals
Helpers in securing in kind contributions of
all types
Those willing to provide in kind services of
all types

21. Networkers
 Those who know how to build
networks and coalitions
 Marketing, Communication, Media and PR
skills
 Those with existing networks we should
connect with in many areas
 Connectors

22. The Network Comes to Life:
your TURN TO SHARE your views on G.A.M.E.S.

23. We have a successful G.A.M.E.S. launch:
Next Steps

24. Thank You For Coming!
Don’t forget to leave your
BIG IDEAS
on the board
Thanks again to all who made this
happen!
City Catering, National Girls
Collaborative Project, Nyhus
Communications, Institute for Systems
Biology and many others