Video Gaming & Animation

The Video Gaming & Animation program is a two-year Career and Technical Education (CTE) program designed for students interested in turning their creativity, technology skills, and passion for gaming into future career opportunities. Students explore the art, technology, programming, and design behind video games and digital animation while developing the technical, creative, problem-solving, and workplace skills needed for careers and postsecondary education in the rapidly evolving gaming and digital media industries.

During this two-year program, students receive instruction in:

• Video game design and development

• Foundations of computer programming and coding

• Game mechanics and gameplay development

• 2D and 3D animation

• Character design and development

• Digital illustration and concept art

• 3D modeling and digital environments

• Storyboarding and visual storytelling

• Game level and environment design

• User interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design

• Interactive media development

• Audio and visual elements in game development

• Game testing, debugging, and quality assurance

• Emerging technologies in gaming and animation

• Project planning and production

• Digital portfolios and professional presentations

• Copyright, intellectual property, and responsible digital citizenship

• Leadership development, communication, collaboration, and employability skills

Instruction is delivered through a combination of classroom learning, demonstrations, hands-on technology experiences, collaborative projects, and project-based learning. Students move beyond simply playing video games to understanding how games and digital experiences are imagined, designed, programmed, animated, tested, and brought to life.

Throughout the program, students apply the design and development process to create original projects. They may develop characters, animations, interactive experiences, game concepts, digital environments, and playable projects while learning how programmers, designers, artists, animators, writers, and producers work together in professional development teams.

The program places a strong emphasis on creativity, innovation, problem-solving, technology, and career readiness. Students learn to receive and apply feedback, troubleshoot technical challenges, collaborate with peers, manage projects, meet deadlines, and communicate their creative vision. Students also develop a digital portfolio that can showcase their skills and completed work to colleges, employers, internship programs, and other future opportunities.

Work-Based Learning

Eligible students may participate in Work-Based Learning (WBL) experiences with game development companies, animation and design studios, technology companies, digital media organizations, marketing and creative agencies, and other industry partners. These supervised experiences allow students to apply classroom knowledge in professional settings while developing technical skills, workplace readiness, professional communication, and valuable industry connections.

Upon successful completion of the program, students will be prepared for entry-level employment, internships, industry credentials, and postsecondary education in fields such as game design and development, computer programming, animation, graphic design, interactive media, digital art, 3D modeling, user experience design, software development, and other emerging technology and creative media careers.

Instructor: Hussein Saghir
Email: hsaghir8@ycschools.us