By Jade Entien and Ronald Gordon

On Saturday June 8th, New York City held its second annual Minecraft Education: Battle of the Boroughs (BOTB) competition at the spacious Brooklyn Public Library. The contest was also a chance to introduce students with a love of Minecraft to the gaming industry. As a partner with our own Minecraft Writing Challenge, the New York Videogame Critics Circle stopped by and laid claim to our booth!

Ronald: The second annual Minecraft: Battle of the Boroughs began with a bang, and having had the opportunity to witness not one but two of these special events, I couldn’t help but be proud of NYC coming together in such a way. I had read all of the posts from students in the finals, which was our big exclusive last week. Check out the finalists’ words and photos on our home page. Just scroll down.

When I first witnessed the BOTB in 2023, I went into it expecting a simple tournament between students. I left feeling as though I had witnessed a top-notch competition worthy of national television. This time around a similar feeling overtook me as I watched the events of the second ever BOTB unfold.

Jade: I unfortunately missed the first Battle of The Boroughs event. So I was excited to be able to attend this one. Deep in the heart of Brooklyn lies the Brooklyn Public Library. Part library and part museum, it was completely awe inspiring from the moment you walk through the main entrance. The venue was massive and the view from the second floor (where our booth was), made it clear that people from every borough came to cheer on and support their teams. 

We both arrived in the morning around the time the event started at 9:30 am. We were amazed to see the energy already ramping up from the various families and spectators hyping up the event. We had our booth set up in the business center of the library with various other groups interested in reaching out to the NYC youth about their programs or games. Familiar faces like the talented game developers at GUMBO NYC, the GameHers, and Game Plan Company all came down to not only support the students but also connect with others in a welcoming space. Our table drew a lot of attention, thanks to the candies and fliers executive director Ryan O’Callaghan brought. With sweets in hand; handfuls of coaches, parents, and students were curious to hear what the NYVGCC was all about.

The competition was broken down into different groups: Elementary schools, Middle schools, and High schools. Before the rounds started, we were treated to a look into the different teams and what brought them so far to get to the competition. We were honored to snag last year’s winning high school team, Blockhampton from the John Dewey High School in Brooklyn, to get their thoughts on this year’s competition. Needless to say, they came with a fighting spirit! “We came to defend our title!” exclaimed Jayla M, one of many passionate Blockhampton members. 

Since last year’s victory, Blockhampton experienced some changes in their roster. Including one member, Esran L, who graduated not long after the 2023 BOTB. But Esran L was here anyway, to support her former teammates. It goes to show that as some members graduate, other students passionate about the craft step in. Arlite D joined Blockhamptom ready for action!

Then, the topic of discussion shifted to where their lives might lead when they go to further studies. One such member replied that she may go into city planning and infrastructure, which was not too different from the prompt of this year’s BOTB. 

Towards the end of the competition, Ryan delivered awards to the student winners of the NYVGCC Minecraft Writing Challenge. Over the last few months, students submitted stories and game narratives they’d want to see replicated through the lens of Minecraft. Four winners received a certificate and a $300 check they can put towards school supplies, college, or maybe a game they can fall in love with!

Three of our winners come from the previously mentioned John Dewey High School: Aeth Finch, Nahil Rashid, and Rehan Ali. Our final winner, the youngest to submit, is 9th grader Mary-Ellis Ryan from Baruch College Campus High School.

Ronald: Those that attended were ecstatic to have won our competition. Having been one of the judges for the Writing Challenge, I can say with pride that they deserve every cent of what they won. Their narratives were impactful and their understanding of gameplay was deep. 

Our Talk With MOME Commisioner Pat Swinney Kaufman

Jade: To top it all off, we were given a chance to interview the Commissioner of NYC’s Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, Pat Swinney Kaufman. She was more than delighted to see the turnout for this event. She said, “I’ve never been more excited!”

Commissioner Kaufman was elated for many reasons. Not only were the students being highlighted for their creativity, but dozens upon dozens of people were taking interest in a subject once widely ignored in the city. Gaming had taken up a spotlight amongst many other creative endeavors and opportunities, and the Commissioner wanted nothing more than to see gaming thrive within NYC. 

Jade: She had such a bubbly, winning personality. It was really nice being able to speak with her about the future of gaming in NYC. She agrees that more parents are starting to see gaming as a new avenue for their children to explore post college, and that the narrative is changing. She mentioned that video games are in fact “a brilliant use of time” because they pave the way for careers in coding, computer science, and programming. 

Ronald: I was almost at a loss for words whenever she spoke. When I first thought of talking with someone of her status within the Mayor’s office, I didn’t think the conversation would become so fervent. Yet there I was, struggling to think of the next question to ask as the Commissioner was ready for anything we asked. 

On the list of grand ideas and hopes that Commissioner Kaufman had stemming from this event, the one she was most excited about was seeing NYC become a digital hub for gaming. Similar to how Los Angeles or San Francisco is a hub for big developers like PlayStation or Electronic Arts, NYC would be a hub for those who want to create games in abundance and spread them far and wide. 

The Big Winners

When 4:30 pm hit, the final results were announced. The Elementary school winners were Bronx’s The Straw Hat Luffers and Manhattan’s The Green Guardians. The Middle school winner was Manhattan’s Amateur Hour, and the High school champions were Staten Island’s Stream Team 2.0. 

Ronald: The most shocking turn of events was the tie at the end between the Straw Hat Luffers and the Green Guardians. Both teams were deliberate in their build choices, articulate in their explanations, and passionate about the topic of creating a space where anyone would be welcome. I would’ve had a hard time choosing if I were a judge of this event, so I was glad both teams got to hold the trophy at the end. It was a well-earned tie.

Jade: I can’t wait to see what teams make it to the finals next year. I know there will be some new faces eager for the win. I believe competitions like this are great encouragers for schools to teach gaming to students who might seek a career in those fields later on in life. 

The Minecraft Education challenge has been a fantastic initiative for not only NYC, but for gaming as a whole. It shows schools and parents all over the world that there’s more to games than just destruction. There’s reconstruction and imagination. There’s eco-friendly designs, and more importantly there are opportunities. We hope to see more from the NYCDOE and MOME in the future, as it’s clear that NYC isn’t giving up on its students, and it’s not giving up on gaming either. And with our Playing With Purpose classes, we’ll be there to help out.

Long-time senior intern Jade Entien attends SUNY Cortland. Long-time senior intern and mentor Ronald Gordon is the scribe who does our awesome Roundup column.