Pasadena High School’s App Academy is thrilled to announce that their talented students have been awarded the Grand Prize in the Games for Change Student Challenge. The students’ outstanding achievement in game design has earned them a $10,000 scholarship for their game, “Buddy System.”
The Games for Change Student Challenge recognizes and celebrates exceptional use of game design to create positive social impact games that are not only fun and engaging but also effectively convey meaningful messages. The judging panel was highly impressed by the Pasadena High School students’ game, commending its gameplay mechanics and its ability to illustrate a positive social impact.
“Buddy System” was developed by a dedicated team of App Academy students throughout the past semester, undergoing the rigorous process of ideation, initial prototyping, usability research, character design, and development/testing. The result is a game that successfully combines educational elements with enjoyable gameplay.
The students who contributed to the creation of “Buddy System” are:
Finneas Moser ’26 (Developer/Designer)
Eden Bashan ’25 (Developer/Researcher)
Alexander Soultanian ’25 (Designer)
Warren Kwok ’25 (Project Manager)
Deborah Orret is the lead teacher of the App Academy at Pasadena High School.
“We are incredibly proud of the Pasadena High School’s App Academy students for their outstanding achievement in the Games for Change Student Challenge. Their success reflects their dedication, creativity, and the collaborative spirit that App Academy fosters. Congratulations to the students and their mentor, Deborah Orret, for this well-deserved recognition,” said Patrick Conyers, Executive Director of the Pasadena Educational Foundation.
App Academy is a four-year computer programming academy offered in partnership with the Pasadena Educational Foundation (PEF) and the Pasadena Unified School District. This collaboration fosters an innovative and enriching learning environment for students interested in exploring the world of technology and computer science.
