Girls Scouts works to introduce young girls to game development

Girl Scouts of the USA accepted a $600,000 grant from Dell to bolster its Journey and Connect Through Technology program with a browser game designed to introduce young girls to video game development, the companies announced today.

In Be the Video Game Developer, girls are encouraged to think critically about the kind of design and structural decisions they want to see in video games. Participants will make their own mini-game, picking a character, storyline elements and other features. This setup is designed to help teach skills in critical thinking and teamwork that are crucial to the game design process, the company stated in a press release.

Through Be the Video Game Developer, Girl Scouts hopes to encourage girls to pursue careers in engineering, technology, science and math by introducing them to video game development. Today, Girl Scouts and Dell will convene for a "think tank" to discuss innovation and new ideas in the games industry and the skills young women need in order to take that career path.

"Today's girls are digital natives, as comfortable in front of computer screens and smartphones as adults," said CEO of Girl Scouts Anna Maria Chávez in a press statement. "Be the Video Game Developer lets girls delve deeper into the world of technology, learning vital new skills and discovering their own creativity in a manner both engaging and interactive. As we face a future of ever-expanding opportunity in science and technology, Girl Scouts and Dell are partnering to create a girl-led learning experience that will drive more girls into these groundbreaking new fields."

In March, the Boy Scouts launched a similar initiative when they began offering a merit badge for game design. Check out Be the Video Game Developer for yourself here.