Gamechangers

My name is Jasmine Nieto (though most of my community knows me as Ms. Johnson…I just got married this summer). I am an educator within the Chapel Hill Carrboro City School (CHCCS) District. I have eleven years of experience, all within the CHCCS district and have been fortunate enough to receive guidance from phenomenal educators and administrators. Because of their support, I have been fortunate enough to represent my district as the 2014 CHCCS Promising New Teacher, the 2018 CHCCS District Teacher of the Year, and the 2023-24 Upper Elementary Chair for Excellence in Teaching Innovation. I am extremely passionate about making connections with students and helping them develop life skills that will transfer beyond the classroom. With the help of our Chapel Hill Public School Foundation (PSF), I have been able to spearhead several grade level initiatives in my school community, such as the Scroggwarts Experience, #ARVRinScroggwarts, and most recently, Gamechangers. I loved playing board games as a child and have grown to love it more as an adult. The more I played with my peers and family, the more I came to realize that immense social, emotional, and academic benefits board gaming can offer.

Gamechangers began as a free biweekly afterschool enrichment program for my fifth grade students in October of the 2022-23 school year during which time my school district paid me and my colleague $45/hour to pilot the program for about 20-25 students each day. After a wildly successful fall session, we hosted winter and spring sessions with fourth and fifth graders. Students and families began inquiring about summer opportunities, so we piloted multiple sessions of a week-long summer camp for upper elementary and middle schoolers in 2023. That’s when I took over the program and applied for an EIN to create the small business. Participants have had the opportunity to learn and play a variety of board and card games that allow them to practice their mental math, analyze risk against probability,and develop spacial reasoning. They’ve also strengthened their reading comprehension and persuasive speaking skills as they worked together to win cooperative games!

Gamechangers aims to accomplish so much more than simply exposing students to different board and card games and turning them into skilled gamers. The program helps kids develop a multitude of skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and flexibility...all while playing a variety of board and card games! The ultimate focus of the program is to promote social/emotional growth and strengthen the targeted life and learning skills outlined under the broad umbrella of 21st century skills. 

Currently, I am renting a space through the elementary school in which I serve as a fifth teacher, but I’m hoping to broaden the program with our own space (The Gamechangers Lounge) and a mobile option (Game with Me) to bring the experience into a multitude of neighborhoods in our area. I have received $1800 for summer scholarships from our PSF between this summer and last, but I’m hoping that with additional funding to support the Gamechangers Lounge and Game with Me, I will be able to bring this experience to children beyond my tight knit school community. At this point, about 10% of participants are able to attend our summer camp and after school program on full scholarship. It is my hope to raise this percentage to at least 20-25% over the next year. 

I appreciate your time and truly hope to make the our complete Gamechangers dream a reality in the near future.