Twenty students from across Central Florida recently had the opportunity to turn their passion for gaming into a glimpse of a future career thanks to Electronic Arts’ (EA) annual Get in the Game STEAM Camp.
Held July 17–24 at EA’s Orlando studio in downtown Creative Village, the free weeklong program introduced high school and college students to careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) while connecting them with the developers behind some of the world’s most popular sports video games, including EA SPORTS College Football and Madden NFL.
Designed to inspire the next generation of technology professionals, the camp combines hands-on coding instruction, career mentorship, and real-world insight into the game development industry. Students spent the week learning from EA employees and industry experts while gaining practical experience creating their own games.
“This camp is one of our favorite outreach programs each year because we finish the week so inspired by the creativity and talent of our local students,” said Jocel Boney, director of strategic programs and community relations at EA Tiburon. “Students already have the passion. Our goal is to help them build connections, confidence and a clearer pathway toward a career in this industry.”
Coding instruction was led by Ron Weaver, technical design director at the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA) at the University of Central Florida. Throughout the week, students also participated in workshops, demonstrations, and mentorship sessions that offered a behind-the-scenes look at the technology, design, and creative processes involved in developing EA SPORTS titles.
The program concluded with a student games showcase, where participants presented projects they developed during the camp. Each student also received a complimentary laptop preloaded with the same coding software used throughout the week, allowing them to continue learning long after camp ended.
Since launching in 2018, Get in the Game has become more than just a summer camp—it has evolved into a talent pipeline for Central Florida’s growing technology industry. Several former participants have gone on to intern with EA, with some now working full-time at the company.
One of those success stories is Rachel Dauns, who attended the camp in 2019 before later earning an internship and ultimately joining EA as a Software Engineer on the EA SPORTS Madden NFL team.
“When I participated in this program back in 2019, it was the first time I began to see that a career in the industry could be a reality for me,” Dauns said. “The experience helped open doors for me that transformed my interest in STEAM to a real career.”
Current EA interns who previously attended the camp returned this year to share their own experiences during an “Interning at EA” panel, giving participants an inside look at what it’s like to launch a career in the gaming industry. Alumni were also invited back for the final-day showcase to celebrate the students’ accomplishments and reconnect with mentors.
Interest in the program continues to grow. This year’s camp received more than 100 applications representing over 30 schools throughout Central Florida. Students were selected by a volunteer committee of EA professionals based on their STEAM coursework, extracurricular involvement, project portfolios, and essays demonstrating their interest in technology careers.
2026 Get in the Game Participants
The 2026 class included students from high schools and colleges across Central Florida:
- Sarim Akbar – Cypress Creek High School
- Ardan Aldaranov – Freedom High School
- Christopher Andrade – Crooms Academy of Information Technology
- Salinaa Chawla – Timber Creek High School
- Afrin Check – Seminole High School
- David Cuciuc – Seminole State College of Florida
- Shayna Culumber – Crooms Academy of Information Technology
- Hayden Davenport – Timber Creek High School
- Donatella Secheto Facci – Valencia College
- Lily George – NeoCity Academy
- Ethan Guan – Winter Springs High School
- Demetrius Hart – Ocoee High School
- Chris Koshy – Lake Nona High School
- Parth Kulshreshtha – Winter Springs High School
- Nikita Kuznetsov – Timber Creek High School
- Yuna Kwok – Winter Park High School
- Mykhailo Plotnikov – Boone High School
- Raunak Sharma – Lyman High School
- Kate Wilson – Lake Buena Vista High School
- Maryam Zia – Winter Springs High School
As Central Florida continues to grow as a hub for technology, simulation, and digital entertainment, programs like Get in the Game are helping prepare local students for careers in one of the region’s fastest-growing industries while providing valuable mentorship and real-world experience.
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