A group of Dauphin Students is using their love of Minecraft to help others learn about the game.
Judith Cooper is a teacher at Ecole MacNeill and during the pandemic, she got certified as an official Minecraft International Coach. That inspired a group of her students to complete a boot camp and get certified as Student Ambassadors.
Harris McMaster, Connor Shanowsky, Riley Karpiak, Lael Kang, Andrew Bereza-Moss, Jack Yakimishen, and Tega Poast are the Ambassadors. Even though many have since moved on to Mackenzie Middle School, the group still returns to Ecole MacNeill to help teach others.
The group has also teamed up with the Dauphin Public Library, to offer Minecraft University to others who don't have the opportunity to learn about it at school. Cooper says that Minecraft University is a great opportunity for students to learn about the game.
"Minecraft University is sort of just mini-lessons, mini sessions, showing kids who may or may not have the ability to do it at home, or at school, and just giving them tips, and the ambassadors are in charge of that."
The group held its first Minecraft University session at the Dauphin Public Library on Friday with students from Barker, Smith Jackson, Henderson, and a student from Grandview says, Cooper.
"We are the second cohort within Canada, the other cohort that I know of is in Toronto. So these kids, my ambassadors, they are official representatives of Minecraft education."
Library Director Alison Moss says she hopes this leads to more technological opportunities at the library.
"I believe libraries should be a technological hub in our communities. We are interested in hearing about what people want to learn and experience at the library. We have been experimenting with a 3D printer and plan to run workshops. We are also applying for grants to bring Virtual Reality to the library – I hope that one day you will be able to experience these cutting-edge technologies during a visit to the library."
Anyone looking for more information on the program can reach out to Judith Cooper at Ecole MacNeill, or Alison Moss at the Dauphin Public Library.
