Hispanic Heritage Foundation, ESA announce LOFT Video Game Innovation Fellows

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Twenty minority students were selected as Leaders on the Fast Track (LOFT) Video Game Innovation Fellows based on games and apps they developed to address social issues in their community, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) announced today.

The fellows, ages 15 to 25, will visit Washington, DC October 1-3 and present their ideas to members of the Obama Administration, Congress, and national community leaders. Each fellow will receive an innovation grant to help further develop his or her game or app. For additional information or credentials, contact Santiago Melli-Huber at [email protected] or (202) 558-9473.

The agenda for fellows includes:

October 1

• Arrival and informal dinner

October 2

• 10 a.m. – Congressional Briefing at Capitol Hill (closed to press)
• Noon – Luncheon located at 1001 Pennsylvania Ave., 10th Floor, Washington, DC (open to press)
• 5 p.m. – Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Reception

October 3

• 10:30 a.m. – White House Briefing (closed to press)

"This creative partnership with ESA allows us to engage youth on their terms," said Jose Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of HHF. "We believe that video games are a compelling gateway for teaching students how to code and build their own games and mobile apps -- skills that will ultimately help prepare them to compete in today's technology-driven marketplace. We will empower them to become content creators, not just consumers." 

"The ESA LOFT Video Game Innovation Fellowship demonstrates that games are more than a means of entertainment. They are a valuable tool for positive change in our society," said Rich Taylor, senior vice president of communications and industry affairs at the ESA. "We are proud to offer an opportunity that will help foster and promote creative thinking and innovation in minority communities through the unique platform only video games can provide."

About ESA
ESA offers services to interactive entertainment software publishers, including conducting business and consumer research, providing legal and policy analysis and advocacy on First Amendment, intellectual property and technology/e-commerce issues, managing a global anti-piracy program, owning and operating E3, and representing video game industry interests in federal and state government relations. For more information, please visit www.theESA.com or follow us on Twitter at @RichatESA or @ESAGovAffairs.

About Hispanic Heritage Foundation and Leaders on Fast Track (LOFT)
LOFT is HHF's award-winning, leadership, and workforce development program focused on America's priority fields including STEM, entrepreneurship, education, and innovation. Tens of thousands of students and young professionals are connected to each other; prepared through trainings, priority-field-tailored symposia, workshops, and Charlas; and hundreds are placed into internships, mentorships, fellowships and full-time positions with Fortune 100 companies and government agencies. 

Visit www.LOFTinnovation.org.  Join and follow LOFT on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/hhfloft/ and Twitter - @LOFTInstitute. 

HHF was established by the White House in 1987 and believes that through innovation across all fields that Latinos are the leaders of today, not tomorrow.  HHF promotes Latino cultural pride, accomplishment, and the great promise of the community through public awareness campaigns seen by millions.

Visit HispanicHeritage.org.  Join and follow HHF on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hispanicheritage and Twitter @HHFoundation.

2014 ESA VIDEO GAME INNOVATION FELLOWS

Brittany Arbogast
Female, 16
Caucasian
Mill Creek, WV 26280
Classroom Adventures: Math Skills

Jennifer Caceres
Female, 15
Hispanic
Jackson Heights, NY 11372
La Cocina De Mama: How to Cook & Learn Spanish 

Adrian Lopez-Mobilia
Male, 25
Hispanic
Austin, TX 78757
CodeSpells: Teaching Code 

Maria-Teresa Ibarra
Female, 16
Filipino
San Francisco, CA 94118
First World Problems: Dependent on Technology 

Esteben Zaldivar
Male, 21
Hispanic
Austin, TX 78741
Project Our World: Environmental Issues 

Akin Olawaiye
Male, 24
Nigerian
Chicago, IL 60608
BuildGuid: Skills

Marc Robert Wong
Male, 16
Multiracial
San Francisco, CA 94116
The Abstraction of War: Human Cost on War 

Kevin Sots
Male, 16
Hispanic
Houston, TX 77023
One Jump: Getting Ready for College 

Erin Bringham
Male, 16
African-American
Watsonville, CA 95076
YEI College Mentor: Self Education

Julian Hernandez
Male, 15
White Hispanic
Miami, FL 33175
Networkaholics: CYBER SECURITY

Jorge Avelar-Lopez
Male, 16
Hispanic/Latino
Oakland, CA 94603
(Trim Fitt) and (Trim Fitt 2:Trash Smash): Obesity

Rabimba Karanjai
Male, 25
Asian
White Plains, NY 10504
MathRacer: MathSkills 

Nicolas Badila
Male, 15
African American, French
Jonesboro, GA 30236
STEMBox: Gender Gap in STEM

Selina Wang
Female, 16
Asian
Bayside, NY 11364
Trash Attack: Recycling 

Jose Martinez
Male, 16
Hispanic
Oakland, CA 94621
Lucid: Coping with Loss 

Marilu Duque
Female, 17
Hispanic/Latina
Deltona, FL 32738
My Fitness Journey: Teenage Healthy Lifestyle 

Thomas and John Kriston
Male, 17
Hispanic-Ecuadorian
San Ramon, CA 94582
Children Pioneers Practicing Programming Organization (aka C3PO: Teaching Code)

Yulkendy Valdez
Female, 19
Hispanic
Babson Park, MA 02457
Ya Si!: Mentors For Hispanic Youth in Underserved communities

Ruben Estrada
Male, 16
Hispanic
Los Angeles, CA 90033
Reminder 101: School Work Reminder 

Jay Flores
Male, 25
Puerto Rican
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
Mighty Manufacturing: STEM Education in Manufacturing 

CONTACT
Santiago Melli-Huber
Hispanic Heritage Foundation
202.558.9473
[email protected]

Dan Hewitt
Entertainment Software Association
202.223.2400
[email protected]

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SOURCE Entertainment Software Association