Transformance Names Finalists For Mobile Game Design Challenge

$10,000 Grand Prize Winner Will Become a Vital Part of eLearning Platform

 

Transformance, Inc. and Games for Change have announced the five finalists for the $10,000 grand prize to be awarded to the winner of the Pocket Change Game Design Challenge. The challenge is to provide kids and young adults with a gamified platform for learning how to save money through digital game development. Judging has taken place from a pool of dozens of candidates submitting concepts for the online and app version of their game designs. Targeted to youth and young adults aged 15 to 24, the winning Pocket Change Game Design Challenge entry will become a vital component of Transformance’s multiple e-learning platforms set to launch later this year.

 

Ready to present to a panel of five judges in vying for the cash prize and prestige of seeing their game concept become a reality are the following concepts along with the team which submitted the entry:

 

Once Upon a Knight…

Submitted by Parking Lot Studios

A resource management game where players take on the role of a young serf, impoverished and in debt and, through good financial planning, turn him into a hero of legend. Even heroes need to plan for their financial future! 

 

SAVED!

Submitted by Parsley Team

In SAVED! players walk through life facing a series of decisions that heavily influence your financial well-being. Every time you save the game progress, you save money as well. Make the right choices to succeed in their financial future!

 

Saving Pennies

Submitted by Rajée Jones

Saving Pennies is an arcade-based puzzle game with the objective of teaching players to build wealth and overcome debt through saving strategies and repayment plans. Time-based interactions allow users to see real-world scenarios in a non-trivial way that inspires financial literacy and independence.

 

MentaMorph Money

Submitted by Susan Meredith

MentaMorph Money is played in rounds with players making multiple decisions in a timely manner as they would in the real financial world, with help topics providing detail for the concepts. The rounds enable players to see how choices affect their financial situation over time and are introduced to financial terminology and educational modules as they play. 

 

Lifestyle

Submitted by JR Honeycutt

Lifestyle challenges players to build their future through smart investing and careful planning. Players choose between investment projects based on risk/reward profiles, time requirements, and monetary restrictions.

 

“All the entries we received for the Pocket Change Game Design Challenge were admirable and well thought out,” said Ken Goodgames, president and CEO of Transformance. “However, these five finalists stood above the rest in their methods of using gamification to teach the fundamentals of financial literacy targeted to both teens and young adults. I wish all of them the best of luck for the upcoming final presentation on March 18.”

 

The five finalists will present their winning game concepts in person during a closed-door session at Transformance. Some of the executive judges on a wide-ranging panel of experts who will determine the grand prize winner include: Ossa Fisher, event co-chair and chief marketing officer at iStation, Courtney Moran, event co-chair and executive director for the Cornerstone Credit Union Foundation, Christina Carlisle, program director at the North Texas Enterprise Center (NTEC), Tommy Allsbrooks, vice-president at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and Jeremy Gregg, managing partner with Gregg Partners.

 

The winning game concept will be produced with assistance from iStation, a leading education-tech provider, with game promotion by co-challenge organizers Games for Change (G4C), whose mission is to provide a catalyst for learning and social impact through digital game development. Other mentoring and presenting sponsor roles for the Pocket Change Game Design Challenge include Noggin Labs and Lumos Partners.

 

Once the game concept is completed, the winning entry will be distributed through Transformance’s online portal and mobile app (developed in partnership with Noggin Labs) and also featured as part of Transformance’s e-learning programs targeting young adults.

 

For more information on the Pocket Change Game Design Challenge, please visit the Transformance Pocket Change mobile app and online portal at or call 1-800-249-2227.

 

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About Transformance, Inc.

In 2015, the agency will have delivered more than 125,000 consumer interactions through financial counseling, outreach and education. In 2016, the agency expects to serve up to 1 million low and moderate income families with transformative financial learning solutions accessible online and through a new mobile app.

 

Since its founding in 1974 as Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Dallas, the agency has empowered clients to overcome adversity and attain their financial goals. Services include credit/budget counseling, financial education, housing counseling, individual debt management and bankruptcy counseling. Transformance will:

 

• Provide a national nonprofit resource dedicated to confidential and professional counseling to assist financially distressed or economically vulnerable families

• Develop and foster community educational programs on family money management, budgeting and the wise use of money and credit

• Develop and maintain a positive working relationship with the credit community, employee assistance programs, professional counselors and community-based social service agencies

• Provide opportunities for economic empowerment of low and moderate income families and with a particular focus on at-risk communities such as seniors, military families, veterans, communities of color and single, female-headed households

• Enable good financial knowledge early in life through its focus on education of students (K -12) and their parents through agency strategic partnerships

 

Transformance, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1974, and is a United Way Service Provider as well as a HUD-approved multistate housing counseling and education organization. The agency is formally accredited every four years by the Council on Accreditation for Children and Families (COA) to ensure compliance with top industry standards and best practices. The agency has its headquarters in Dallas, Texas, with satellite offices in Arlington; Austin; Amarillo; Ardmore, Oklahoma; and Colorado Springs, Colorado.

 

To read more about Transformance, Inc., or for an annual report, visit http://www.transformanceusa.org.

 

About Games for Change

Founded in 2004, Games for Change (G4C) facilitates the creation and distribution of social impact games that serve as critical tools in humanitarian and educational efforts, with an aim to leverage entertainment and engagement for social good. To further grow the field, G4C convenes multiple stakeholders, highlights best practices, incubates games, and helps create and direct investment into new projects. G4C is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit corporation, led by President Susanna Pollack.

 

Please visit the G4C website at http://www.gamesforchange.org.

 

About Istation

Istation is an award-winning, comprehensive e-learning program used by more than 4 million students and educators around the world. Istation’s computer-adaptive assessments immediately place students on personalized instructional paths unique to their needs. The animated, game-like interface engages students so effectively that they don’t even realize they’re being evaluated.

 

Istation is led by Chairman and CEO Richard H. Collins. Since its founding in 1998, the Dallas-based firm has seen tremendous growth. The company’s animated learning program now helps students in 44 states and four countries to learn and grow.

 

Please visit the company website at www.istation.com.

 

About NogginLabs

NogginLabs Inc. is an award-winning developer of gamified e-learning tools and platforms serving both the internal needs and client needs of major corporations and nonprofit organizations. NogginLabs’ expertise includes e-learning, simulation learning, “gamification,” mobile learning, rapid learning, learning portals and overall learning strategies. The company has been selected by Transformance, Inc. to develop the Pocket Change mobile app.

 

Founded in 1997, NogginLabs is led by CEO Traci Knudson and Founder Brian Knudson and operates out of its Chicago headquarters.

 

Please visit the company website at www.nogginlabs.com.

 

About Lumos Partners

Lumos Partners is a tech sector-focused boutique investment banking firm with offices in Dallas, Texas, and Silicon Valley bringing extensive operational and funding experience in SaaS, cloud storage and computing, telecom and Internet, e-commerce, digital media, consumer tech, education tech, financial tech, health care information technology and health care devices. Lumos served as the exclusive financial adviser to GoFundMe in its 2015 recapitalization. Six founders are veterans of the tech sector and have combined deal experience exceeding $30 billion in transaction value. Firm principals include Vivek Goyal, Eddie Le and Eric Kim.

 

Lumos Partners is a Securities and Exchange Commission-registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. Please visit the firm website at www.lumospartners.com.

 

Transformance Media Contact:

Jeffrey Cheatham

Senior Account Manager

TrizCom PR

Office: 972-247-1369

Mobile: 972-961-6171

[email protected]