Minecraft Fostering Imagination and Education in Chicago Through Artistic Construction and Knowledge Enhancement
Chi-Craft, a Minecraft esports initiative in Chicago Public Schools (CPS), offers a unique "battle of the builds" format with a Chicago flair, spanning over four weeks. The initiative has grown significantly, with over 70 schools participating and 700 students engaged.
Many schools have used Minecraft to launch esports programs, and Chi-Craft was partially inspired by New York City's Battle of the Boroughs Minecraft challenge. To get involved, schools typically coordinate with the CPS Office of Network Supports or the specific esports program administrators.
Schools participating in Chi-Craft are required to have Minecraft installed on their devices and ensure they can run the game smoothly. All CPS students, staff, and employees have free access to Minecraft Education Edition, which is compatible with Chromebooks, iPads, old Windows and Mac machines.
Schools must designate a faculty advisor or coach who facilitates team formation and practice. They also participate in scheduled online or in-person competitions organized by CPS or partner organizations. Access to resources and training materials is provided to help students develop gaming skills and teamwork.
Support for teachers and coaches is provided via chats, Google meetings, and school visits. Entries are judged using a 110-point STEM-powered rubric. Budget cuts in CPS led to the incentivization of the program, with the promise of support for teachers and coaches.
Chi-Craft aims to combat the issue of underrepresentation of female and non-binary students in esports by partnering with organizations like GirlsWhoGame. Schools must have at least two to five students to form an esports team to participate in Chi-Craft.
To get precise guidance, schools should contact the Chicago Public Schools Office of Network Supports, the CPS esports program coordinators, or local CPS youth media and tech engagement groups, which may include YouMedia centers or the Chicago esports network.
If you are a school administrator, teacher, or coach interested in Chi-Craft Minecraft esports for CPS, the best next steps are to:
- Visit the official Chicago Public Schools website or CPS esports pages.
- Reach out to CPS Network Support or Student Programs offices.
- Connect with related CPS youth organizations (such as YouMedia Chicago) that support gaming and esports initiatives.
Unfortunately, none of the provided search results contain this specific contact or procedural information for Chi-Craft Minecraft esports in CPS. If you need help with drafting an inquiry for CPS esports, feel free to ask!
- The Chi-Craft Minecraft esports initiative, inspired by New York City's Battle of the Boroughs, is participated by over 70 schools in Chicago Public Schools (CPS), engaging 700 students.
- To get involved in Chi-Craft, schools typically coordinate with the CPS Office of Network Supports or specific esports program administrators.
- All CPS students, staff, and employees have free access to Minecraft Education Edition, compatible with Chromebooks, iPads, old Windows and Mac machines.
- Schools must ensure Minecraft is installed on their devices and designate a faculty advisor or coach who facilitates team formation and practice.
- Online or in-person competitions are scheduled for the school teams, and resources and training materials are provided to help students develop gaming skills and teamwork.
- To combat underrepresentation of female and non-binary students in esports, Chi-Craft partners with organizations like GirlsWhoGame.
- To get precise guidance on participating in Chi-Craft Minecraft esports, schools can contact the Chicago Public Schools Office of Network Supports, CPS esports program coordinators, or local CPS youth organizations such as YouMedia Chicago.
