Over the weekend of January 24-26, Atkins HS became the home of the 2025 Camel City Game Jam, featuring a record number of teams across multiple schools competing to impress judges from renowned game studios including Blizzard Entertainment and Take-Two Interactive.
In an event organized by Advanced Game Art Design teacher Jeffrey Rodgers and made possible through the efforts of volunteers, competing teams were provided a limited number of hours to create an original game corresponding to the prompt “Keep Growing” in the game development software Unreal Engine. Following a period of judging by experienced game developers Chris Collins, Thomas Brady, and Gavyn Thompson, teams representing Atkins HS received awards for:
- Unreal Excellence - Ethan Mulwee, Jaden Foose, and Shaylee Fairclough
- Artistic Vision - Linus Downing, Maddox Arnett, and Henry McAnulty
- Judges’ Choice - Isaac Joines, Isaiah McFarland, and Benton Padgett
The competition’s judges recognized Mulwee’s incredible talent in 3D modeling, and he was offered a position in game development following the judging of his team’s game.
Atkins also hosted a series of events available to the general public on Sunday, January 26, including an expo attended by representatives from colleges and local organizations, a question and answer session with VIP Guest game developers, and a keynote address delivered by Thompson. Students interested in attending a prospective 2026 Game Jam are encouraged to compete regardless of their experience in game design for an experience that allows them to further their skills and establish vital connections. Both Rodgers and Game Jam competitor Mae Bramer encourage students interested in game design to stop by Atkins HS Room 306 on Friday afternoons for 3D Modeling and Game Design club.
When asked about his favorite aspect of the recent Game Jam, Rodgers stated, “My favorite part of any of the things that we do is seeing people, not just students, recognize what they are capable of, and the only way that’s possible is by finding the outside limit. The students who go into the Camel City Game Jam on Friday are not the same people who come out on Sunday, and the impact for me is the level of confidence and the level of self-recognition… that’s huge to me.”