Future Game Designers is an intensive, free, hands-on, 12-week workshop designed to introduce talented high school freshmen, sophomores and juniors to the process of digital game development and the game industry. The program will take place at the NYU Game Center’s facilities in Downtown Brooklyn. The workshop will introduce students to the methods, tools and principles used in developing digital games. Over the course of the 12 weeks, students will work alone and in pairs to create a series of four digital prototypes or ‘sketches’, culminating in a final polished game. Up to 16 students will be selected to participate, with a focus on recruiting groups that are underrepresented within the game industry, particularly students from lower socio-economic backgrounds. To learn more and to apply, visit the NYU Game Center website. Applications are due November 15, 2015.

The New York City Department of Education and NYC College Line have developed Career Maps, an online tool that demonstrates how career opportunities and jobs are organized and identifies the questions and choices students will need to think about along the way. The interactive career guide features over 200 careers and 11 different industries. By answering four simple questions via the free career quiz, Career Maps allows students to explore careers, job requirements, yearly salary, and college majors.

Take it to the Bank: A New Yorker's Guide to Affordable Checking Options, by the Office of the New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer, is designed to make the process of selecting a bank easier by providing extensive information on basic banking products in one place. This report profiles 74 different FDIC-insured banks that offer retail services in New York City, and shares data on 34 different features, fees and attributes of each bank. The checking accounts surveyed in this report – one account per featured bank – have the lowest opening deposit and monthly maintenance fees among each bank’s product offerings, making them an accessible entry point to banking for many New Yorkers. This information is available in an interactive online search tool.

Young Invincibles in partnership with The Westchester Community Foundation and The Heckscher Foundation launched a new mobile health app called HealthYI to empower young adults to navigate the health care system. The HealthYI app guides users through the health care process. It allows users to learn more about which services are included in their insurance network and then book appointments with doctors through a simple-to-use tool. The app provides a health checklist, a glossary of health care terms, tips for saving money, and information on often complex aspects of using health services, like how to understand a medical bill. Users can also submit any personal question about their health care coverage or needs and receive an answer within 48 hours. The app is available for free download from the App Store or Google Play.

The Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) has launched discoverDYCD, a new service locator application that connects New York City residents to DYCD-funded services. Users can search programs and activities by program type, borough, neighborhood or zip code, and provides contact information, lists of activities offered, and a mapping feature with navigation. Categories of services include COMPASS afterschool, Family Support, Immigrant Services, Jobs & Internships, Reading & Writing, Runaway & Homeless Youth, and Summer Programs. Advanced search features also allow users to narrow results through keywords. Comments, suggestions, or corrections can be emailed to YouthConnect@dycd.nyc.gov.

The 2015-16 print edition of the Green Book is now available for purchase exclusively from the CityStore and online at NYC.gov/greenbook as a searchable, digital application. The directory gives New Yorkers the opportunity to search for personnel and government office information at City, County, State and Federal levels.

Zone 126 is hosting the first GradNation Community Summit in New York City on November 10, 2015. The Summit will feature speakers with expertise from a wide variety of education and advocacy backgrounds, including Dr. Rudolph Crew, former Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, and current President of Medgar Evers College, Deputy Director Marco Davis from the White Center for Educational Excellence for Hispanics, and Rev. Dr. Alfonso Wyatt, a national leader in youth development and mentorship. The afternoon will include a panel moderated by Dr. Michael McAfee, VP for Programs at PolicyLink, focused on Community Schools as a key strategy for closing the achievement gap and increasing high school graduation rates. Breakout workshops will explore various strategies for improving outcomes for youth, increasing family and parent engagement, increasing equity and access to educational opportunities, and critical elements of academic and socio-emotional development from cradle to career. Visit the Zone 126 website to register.