Student Teams Find Success at Annual Game Jam

Student teams from Imagine High spent 24 hours over the weekend creating video games during the annual Game Jam. The event was hosted by Imagine High and the Chilliwack Innovation Network. In total, twenty Imagine High students competed in the competition alongside adult participants.    

At the end of the second day, each game was assessed by a panel of industry-experienced judges who looked at game concept, completeness, pitch and demo. 

“The judges remarked on how poised and polished our teams were as they demoed their games live and presented their pitches,” said Imagine High teacher, Matt Slykhuis. “For the first time ever all six student teams were able to successfully complete their games in within the 24-hour time limit.” According to Slykhuis, game jams are notoriously difficult, often leading to a less than 50% success rate for competitors.

The competition included gamers, creative artists, college and university students, and secondary students. Each team was expected to bring knowledge of programming, art, music and sound effects, game design, project management, and business.  

Imagine High is an Integrated Arts and Technology secondary school where students learn by connecting subjects instead of studying them one at a time. Fine arts, media arts, and technology provide tools for students to explore and share their learning. As part of its Video Game Development Program, Imagine High offers courses including Game Development, Art for Video Games, Video Game Business Startup, and Arcadecraft.

According to Creative BC, in 2023 there were over 21,400 jobs in British Columbia’s interactive digital media industry and the industry had a direct output of $1.9 Billion. 

Learn more about courses at Imagine High: Course Planning | Integrated Arts and Technology Secondary School.