A GameNight to Remember
by Patrick Matthews

This month, I had a chance to sit down (over e-mail) with Emily Nichols from Gamewright to talk about an intriguing program they offer called the Gamewright GameNight, where they help you throw a game night for your school.

What is a game night, you ask? It's a night to play games, of course. Gamewright provides you with the games, toolkit and promotional materials. You set up the event, promote it, and then spend an evening playing games with the students and their families. During the event, you can also sell the games, keeping half the proceeds. Talk about a great way to fund a game club (or whatever else you might like). Not only is it much more fun than selling candy bars, but it also helps you strengthen your school's sense of community.

It's a great idea, and when I heard about it, I just had to ask Emily some questions.

Q1: How would you describe GameNight to a teacher who has never heard of the concept?

I would describe a Gamewright GameNight to a teacher as a fun and educational event for the entire school community.
Playing games in the classroom is a great way to enhance what they’re already teaching. Not only is the GameNight a fun event, but it’s also a fundraiser for the school.

Q2: Who is typically hosting these Game Nights? Do the students drive them, or is usually a teacher doing things?

PTOs are usually the driving force behind GameNights. However, the whole school community is involved. The feedback I get from schools is that teachers love to bring the games into the classroom a few weeks before the GameNight. The Scrambled States of America Game is a great addition to any geography class, PDQ is a perfect learning tool in a creative writing or English class, and Zeus on the Loose or Sleeping Queens could be used in a math class.

The kids are involved in the GameNight because they can take on the important role of Game Gurus. Game Gurus can be kids, dads or anyone that wants to learn some of the games and teach them at the GameNight. Kids are great at learning games and make fantastic teachers. We send the demo games two weeks prior to the GameNight so the Game Gurus have plenty of time to learn the games.

The parents and PTO usually coordinate the backend of the GameNight, including sales, recruiting volunteers and promotion.

Q3: Do you have any tips for potential GameNight hosts? Anything that can help make sure their night runs smoothly?

We provide a handy tool kit that makes the event a piece of cake. I think the most successful GameNights come from PTOs that involve the entire school and promote the event early and often. If people come to the GameNight, they will inevitably want to buy the game they just played. Also, it doesn’t hurt to be familiar with the games you’ll be selling. We send the games two weeks prior to the GameNight. This way, Game Gurus have a chance to learn the games and become the experts.

While the GameNight is a great fundraiser, it’s first and foremost a community building event. What better way to get to know your friends and family than by sitting together, face-to-face, playing a game?

Q4: And the opposite question: Are there any pitfalls to be wary of? Anything that will make a GameNight fizzle?

I’ve never seen a GameNight have zero sales. The ones that are most successful follow the steps I highlighted above. The best part of a GameNight is there’s only a minimal return shipping cost involved. Schools don’t have to buy games up front or meet a minimum sales number. There is no penalty for not selling games. We ship everything to the school at no cost. The only cost is a return shipping fee, which typically runs $25-$45.

Q5: Who picks the games? Does the teacher pick the games they're going to play, or does Gamewright have standard kits they send out?

We have a standard mix of games that we send out based on the size of the school, estimated event attendance, and what games are popular at GameNights. We have it down to a science. Of course, organizers are more than welcome to request their favorite games, though I bet we already send them!

Q6: Obvious question, but I have to ask it: what happens to the games that don't get sold? Does the school ship them back to you?

Yes, the school ships back unsold games and the demo games.
We make it easy and provide the coordinator with pre-printed shipping labels.

Q7: How long have you been doing GameNights? Any fun(ny) stories you'd like to share?

The program is in its 5th year and is continuing to grow exponentially! Because GameNights are self-run by the school, I don’t get to attend too many GameNights. That being said, when there are local GameNights, I occasionally drop by and play some games. I think the best part of GameNights is seeing families sitting down and playing games together. Some families don’t have the time to do this on a regular basis at home, so it’s rewarding to see people take a break and enjoy our games.

Thanks Emily, for all your great answers!

For anyone looking for information about the GameNight program, take a look at the web page right here.