After a year of remote or socially-distanced learning, it was AMAZING to play Success Prints Crash Course®, the college life strategy board game with students, live, in-person, and gathered around a table.

This spring we played with sophomores through seniors in an English class in Florence-Carlton High School and with students in a Family Consumer Science course in Manhattan (rural Montana not New York City). We played with college students taking part in Montana State University’s Life Scholars program, which provides an inclusive post-secondary experience to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Finally, we played with middle and high school students at every school across the Ft. Peck Reservation.

Wherever we went, students were ready to play, learn, and win!

Some may wonder what games can teach. This student’s statement says it all.

““The best part of Success Prints is that you can learn how to divide your time in a way so you can study, earn money, be social, and still get good grades while learning how to handle stress well.””

— FLORENCE CARLTON HS STUDENT

Leanne Deschamps, English teacher from Florence-Carlton High School and instructor of the students in the images above , shared, “Some of my students were shocked when a student went to every social event in week 1. By week 3, he was headed to the library!”

“As a teacher supporting students' plans for post-high school education, Success Prints Crash Course is an incredible bridge of knowledge to ensure my students' success in college.”

Tricia Seifert created Success Prints Crash Course® with a team of student game developers because she wanted to bring her research about navigating the college transition directly to the students who the research was about.

After playing with some MSU Life Scholars (shown in the photo above), Dr. Seifert asked what they thought of the game. Without hesitation, one student piped up, “it was fantastic.” That response still brings a smile to her face.

Culturally-responsive Game Development

Great things come from collaboration. Working with the Chanté Project, Fort Peck Community College’s (FPCC) college and career program, is an example of a great collaboration.

The Success Prints Crash Course game was first shared with the FPCC staff in May 2018. Although they seemed intrigued, they commented that the cards failed to tell the story and convey the culture of the students who attend FPCC. When asked if they would be interested in creating a culturally-responsive expansion pack — a set of game cards created by students for students — there was great int.

The collaboration began playing Success Prints Crash Course with students in high schools across the reservation and at FPCC. Like the tribal college staff, the students immediately identified topics to add to an expansion pack. They drafted a whole set of assignments representing the language and cultural learning central to the tribal college’s mission. There were peals of laughter as we brainstormed “life happens” cards and events to include, like powwow and harvest.

With the text ready, it was time to find an artist to put images to the words. Again, the commitment to “by students for students” led the project. Povee Youngman, senior at Brockton High School, brought the card text to life with her drawings. She collaborated with Alexis Mitic (Montana State University art student) who prepared Povee’s designs for publication and manufacture. The card below is just one example of this awesome expansion pack that will complement the games already used by the Chanté Project.

I am deeply grateful to Chanté Project staff, Fort Peck Community College students, the artists, and funding from the Montana State University’s Outreach and Engagement Council. Together, they made this culturally-responsive game possible.

I am struck by how this has been a year of creativity. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we figured out how to play Success Prints Crash Course® remotely through Zoom. We designed a personal game board and score sheet to play socially-distanced at individual desks (check out this blog post). We collaborated to create a culturally-responsive game for students on the Fort Peck reservation. 

And we have a BIG summer planned too. I invite you to follow our activities on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. 

Looking back at 2020 and the first seven months of 2021, staying true to the creative mission of games for college success has been the guiding star. 

Wishing you a restful and rejuvenating summer.