Sophie (student)

“We came up with a really cool game ourselves”

At Sondervick College, you’ll have the chance to discover what you’re good at. In your first year, you’ll take GO classes once a week. You’ll choose between a learning lab or a skills session and get to work on a topic you enjoy—or a subject where you could use some extra help. Sophie is in her first year of HAVO/VWO and took a learning lab on game development.

All first-year students at Sondervick College take GO classes once a week. These consist of learning labs and skills sessions. Skills sessions are tutoring sessions for Dutch, English, or math. Learning labs are electives, such as film and photography, knitting and crocheting, games, drama, and dance.

Develop a Game

Sophie first took English skills sessions and then chose the game design lab. “I love setting up scavenger hunts for my little brother and sister,” she says. “I thought it would be really fun to learn more about making games. Together with a small group of other students, I came up with a game for Sondervick College—for the orientation week or an open house, for example. We developed a scavenger hunt where students search for teachers on the school grounds. The teachers have hidden themselves, and the students only have a map with a blurred photo, a name, and the teacher’s subject. It’s a fun game and a great way to get to know the teachers.”

Working Well Together

Sophie really enjoyed coming up with the game. She was in a small group with students from other classes, which also allowed her to make new friends. “During the learning lab, you learn how to work well together,” she says. “I also found it instructive to plan the game properly. What are the rules, and how do you make sure everything runs smoothly? Everything has to be just right and clear to the players. It’s great that you get to do these kinds of creative projects at school. Learning is important, but you also have to keep doing what you enjoy.”