Skyview students recognized for video games

FELIDA — Two Skyview High School student-created video games were recently recognized for excellence in the Oregon Game Project Challenge, a competition for middle and high school students. Team Sisters in STEM, which included students Emma Fancher, Phoebe Abbruzzese, Paige Barrett and Claire Russell, was honored for its game “Diver City,” which challenges players to save the ocean by swimming and picking up as much trash as possible. Judges praised the promotional artwork, vision for the game and execution of the concept, according to a news release on the school’s website. Team S.W.A.M.P. — comprised of students Tyler Sharp, Luke Williamson, Kyle Armstrong, Noah Mariotti and Ryan Prudente — created the game “Robovania.” It explores a world fled by humans and controlled by robots. Judges recognized it “for the creators’ attention to detail and thoughtful approach to different gameplay elements,” the news release said. The students, all from Skyview’s Science, Math and Technology Magnet Program, started work on the games last fall. They met weekly to design, develop and market their concepts, even after schools transitioned to remote learning. The teams’ advisers were teachers Kim Hansen and Kurt Schmidt, with volunteers Darrell Quick and Mike Kinney.