The mission of the Urban Video Game Academy (UVGA) is to better prepare students in disadvantaged areas for postsecondary education and technology careers by teaching them the fundamentals of video game design and development. Our mission has three basic components: to expose disadvantaged students to career opportunities in video game design and development, to educate them in how to create games, and to enhance learning in academic subjects, such as math and writing, that are important in the video game development process.
The academy uses video game design and development to accomplish the following objectives:
- better prepare disadvantaged youth for college-level study in video game design and related fields such as computer science, digital art and engineering;
- excite and inform disadvantaged youth about career alternatives in the video game design industry and related fields such as computer science, digital art and engineering;
- instill in disadvantaged youth a positive self image and teach them teamwork, leadership skills, positive social interaction and good communication skills;
- provide after-school and weekend activities that will keep disadvantaged youth engaged in productive activities; and
- encourage related businesses and public organizations to support these efforts.