Minecraft was their canvas, and their brush – the computer.
For the past two years in Puerto Rico, Microsoft has held the Microsoft Minecraft Challenge, a competition that aims to boost technological competence, creativity, and computational thinking skills and promote the acquisition of STEM skills (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) – using the videogame Minecraft.
This year’s edition had participants design their ideal school, taking advantage of the region’s natural resources and keeping in mind the capricious nature of the Caribbean weather. Students presented proposals for attractive and practical schools equipped with accessible recreational areas and classrooms.
Competing against over 100 other students, twelfth-grader Sebastian Martinez Rivera from and seventh-grader Anier Alberto Cruz Soto from Mayaguez stood out from the rest. THE WEEKLY JOURNAL caught up with this year’s winners to talk about their projects and future aspirations.
Anier Alberto Cruz Soto, Seventh Grade
Anier was inspired by his belief that the students of Puerto Rico should have a good school where they could learn and have fun, a bright space that evokes liveliness and creativity. His design featured the French language (Anier regards teaching a third language as a necessity) and spaces to cultivate and prepare vegetables and food.
“In my opinion, yeah it was hard because I had to think about my construction and everything. I had to [make] it eco-friendly and against natural disasters. Making details on the inside took a lot of effort and time. It took my mind on a big trip,” said Anier, of the challenges of the project.
The seventh-grader said he doesn’t feel safe in his own school. Thinking of improvements he would like to see led him to ideas for his design. Using concrete and implementing a closed design, Anier made sure that water and wind wouldn’t severely impact the structure. Additionally, it has many columns and supports, and spaces for people to take refuge and access food and water.
“I really like school projects. Being able to do a competition to make my own creations in Minecraft really helped. I really want to keep making creations in Minecraft and see where it leads me. I want to create things for the future, use renewable energies for some things in the future as an electrical engineer,” Anier added.
“Im really grateful to be in this project, it [helped] me a lot. It’s not about the prize, it’s more about what you learn from doing it,” said Anier.
Sebastian Martínez Rivera, Twelfth Grade
“I consider school to be the most important part of anyone’s life,” asserted Sebastian.
Under a ‘sound mind and sound body with design’ approach, as the twelfth-grader articulated, the project uses eco-friendly and renewable resources, such as recycled concrete and natural stones, to form an earthquake and hurricane-resistant school.
“I placed a lot of open space. In case there is an earthquake, students and faculty have a space to get together and be away from any falling structures. Also, [there are] plenty of emergency exits. With all these things in mind, it would be safe for students and faculty alike,” Sebastian said of the safety features in his design.
Sebastian took the elements of his own school that he liked and applied them to the Minecraft school. “I’m from an arts school, so I like how they incorporate different things about art. Students have that kind of freedom and creativity. I took aspects of my school to make them better, make them my own,” he explained.
The hardest part for him was getting started, figuring out the general layout and structure. Nevertheless, looking back he says, “I honestly had a great experience working with this. I had my difficulties – struggled at some parts. I learned a lot, besides the technical parts, I learned how to persevere in the face of adversity. There are challenges in the game and in life. Remind [ourselves] that if we put our mind to it, we can achieve any of our goals.”
Graduating this year, Sebastian plans on studying biology, with an interest in going to medical school later in life. As for the present, he is a creative. “I like reading, writing, watching movies. Taking into consideration all the viewpoints that surround me. Playing video games, tinkering around with technology. I like to be a well-rounded person,” he commented.
Participating in, and winning, the Minecraft challenge left Sebastian with the following conviction: “Any of us can change the world, it just takes our own initiative.”
