78A Main St. Belfast, ME 04915 (207)338-6447 info@thegameloft.org

Promoting Positive Youth Development

through non-electronic games and community involvement
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I Know ME in Action

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American students discover Canada 

11 students from the I Know ME program (sister program to the Game Loft) explored neighboring New Brunswick, Canada during the week of August 24-28 . On the first day they were graciously received by the mayor of Saint John, Her Worship  Donna Leonard and Trevor Holder a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Saint John. The youth explored the history, geography, geology, art, people, places and food of our nearest Canadian neighbor. At the end of the week, they were able to contrast Maine and New Brunswick and gained a deeper understanding of the long relationship of Maine to the Maritime Provinces. Meeting the mayor and MLA were, from left to right: Devyn Freeman, Molly Thibault (AmeriCorps member), Desmin Littlefield, Wyatt Manieri (AmeriCorps member), Daniel Leonard, Joe Leonard, Linford Young, Gavin Bradstreet, Brian Phelps, Ray Estabrook, Dakota Freeman, Tyson Downs, Damien Hutchinson, Autumn Fletcher and Patricia Estabrook. 

I Know ME in Action

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The More Things Change…

One of my heroes is Frances Willard, crusader of the late 19th century. Her motto was “do everything!” And with that motto in mind the I Know ME program made our first movie. Ms. Willard did not say, “Do everything perfectly” or most of us would never launch into a new project. For us at the I Know ME program “Do everything” means “try everything.”

And so, in the spring of 2022 the I Know ME program went where we had never been before, we made our first movie. Thanks to Ned Lightner of Belfast Community Media, the results are far better than we had any right to expect but if nominated we will not accept the Academy Award. We invite you to join us on July 11 at 6:30 PM in Dreamland at the Colonial Theater in Belfast to see our effort, “The More Things Change.” The film runs approximately one hour and the showing is free with donations accepted. After the film we will be having a brief discussion with the cast and crew about their experiences and reflections on 19thcentury life. 

Unlike a feature film or even a TikTok video, the purpose of this film is help kids understand the past and how it relates to the present. The themes are school policy and bullying, topics that never seem to go out of style. The actors and crew members helped shaped the story and create the scenes and dialogue. 

We invite you to our world premiere of the film, knowing its weaknesses but also applauding its strengths. For the kids it was an opportunity to create and to reflect on education throughout the ages as well as “living” in 19th century Maine. For the adults it was a memorable time of seeing our vision come to life. 

We thank the Penobscot Historical Society for lending us their beautiful re-creation village for our filming. 

For more information about “The More Things Change” please call Ray Estabrook at 207-322-3229. 

The Game Loft in Action

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Let there be Pax on Earth, the Game Loft/I Know ME explores 19th century international history

Look at the picture to the left and what do you see? You might see four goofy kids talking with an even goofier older woman (me). What do I see? I see four diplomats representing Japan, Russia, Italy, and France in the 1890’s discussing the state of the world with a member of the press corps. You see, if just takes a little imagination. In April imagination met with factual learning in the Game Loft’s annual Pax Britannica event. Eight teams of youth and adults spent a full April vacation day exploring the events that led to the First World War. What is even more surprising is that these young people are not the ones who are normally enamored of education, in fact many of them are struggling, but they gladly spent a day talking about colonization, trade routes, negotiated settlements, treaties, alliances, and coaling rights in the far distant past. 

The object of the game is to re-create the period between 1888 and 1916 and to grab as much territory as possible without upsetting the balance of power and causing the Great War. Although the details differ slightly from actual events, the spirit of colonial expansion is the same. Most kids would not say that those topics inspired them to spend a spring day indoors. In Pax Britannica nations must balance the pressures from their own countries for greater revenue and power with the need to keep the lid on what is a boiling pot of international controversies. The countries that are timid will lose but causing the Great War also means defeat. 

The kids poured over maps, created strategies, negotiated, delegated, gave interviews, and interpreted a set of rules that are worthy of an international treaty. What caused this dedication? We didn’t let them know that this was “educational.”

Linford Young, Pax Britannica veteran and high school senior galvanized the room with his eloquent address as the president of the United States. He was able to use his skills and knowledge to get to victory in the game. 

Thank you to our AmeriCorps members who led the event and mentored the less experienced teams. 

Many of the players in Pax Britannica 2022 were new to the game but their grasp of complex issues was heartening. In particular, the coalition of several powers: Russia, France, Italy, Japan, and Austria-Hungary created a proto-League of Nations. In all the many years of playing Pax Britannica I have never seen a time before this where war was averted and nation depended on nation for peace and goodwill. I was truly moved by the spirit of compromise they showed. 

Imparting knowledge and wisdom is the work of schools, but it is a pleasure when afterschool can add a unique perspective to the education process. 

The Game Loft in Action

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Fostering belonging through food, friends, and safety year-round

School vacation should be a time for kids to have fun and be carefree.  Unfortunately, the reality is that many kids are left isolated and lonely when school doors close with families still busy working and long distances separating them from their peers.  That’s why at the Game Loft we’re open year-round offering free van-transportation to and from our site in Belfast during school breaks.  

This April Vacation at the Loft, we got outside to enjoy the changing weather with the start of Live Action Combat season.  Rio ran an epic Star Wars miniatures battle that all came down to a square off between the Imperial Forces and a small, scrappy troop of bounty hunters.  In the end, Henry’s massive Imperial army managed to overwhelm the bounty hunters and claim victory!  The week was capped with a special Pax Britannica event hosted at First Baptist Church (more to come on that soon), and a treat of blueberry pie for Friday night dessert. 

I Know ME in Action

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Observe, Reason, Plan, Create

What’s the difference between people and fish? This should have a snappier punch-line than I can offer but in short, the difference is instinct. Fish live their lives according to instinct and fate but humans must be taught to observe, reason, plan and create. 

At the Craig Brook Fish Hatchery recently the I Know ME cohort 1 learned about the lives of Atlantic Salmon from birth in the hatchery to release in the wild and then returning to the hatchery to deposit their eggs. I Know ME Cohort 1 visited a cohort of salmon that have been in the hatchery since 2018, the year the kids entered the I Know ME program. The salmon will be released later this year, but our kids have one more year with the program. While the fish have spent the last five years just swimming and eating the kids have traveled around the state, seen sights, met people, and learned about themselves and their environment. 

Cohort 5, who entered the I Know ME program in February 2022 are just beginning their journey to self-realization. Last month they and their mentors went to the State House to meet their elected representatives and to see the state house and senate in session. They began the process of observation, discernment, and appreciation. Looking into the capitol rotunda they observed the beauty of the building and got an inkling of the dedication and service our elected officials bring to bear. 

  Cohort 5 met with Nate Wadsworth, Ray’s cousin and supporter of the Game Loft who once played his ancestor, General Peleg Wadsworth, in a Game Loft historical re-creation. They also met Paige Zieglaar and Chip Curry, the senator from Waldo County, who challenged them to follow a bill going through the legislature. As 7th graders these students are teetering at the edge of childhood but beginning to see their adult lives ahead.

 After a long morning of observing, considering, and learning it was important for the kids to cut loose. You can become a better adult if you have fully explored childhood so we took them to the playground to let off some steam. I Know ME stands for knowledge of the state and knowledge of self, because both are important. Because we don’t operate on instinct it is crucial to have this knowledge. Because unlike salmon who run on instinct, we believe that for humans “If you know who you are and where you’re from, you can find where you’re going.”