On Tuesday, May 7, the Computer Technology Committee (CTC) created a Minecraft server— a computer program that allows video gamer players to play Minecraft together on a central location.

The committee decided to use Minecraft, a computer video game in which players navigate a three-dimensional world using blocks, as a way to connect students across the high school. “CTC had a Minecraft server last year, and it was really fun to play with other Parker kids,” junior Wil Rantala said. “It was a cool way to meet new people you might have not known before.”

CTC’s primary goal was to bring the student body closer together and to help students meet new people. “The cool perks of having a Minecraft server are that it can be somewhat nostalgic to bring everyone together through Minecraft,” sophomore Bodie Florsheim said. “That type of nostalgia is great for bonding and can spark conversations about who used to play when they were younger if they still play.”

Freshman and player on the server Evan Ehrhart agrees. “It’s a classic game that most of us grew up with and watched evolve for the better,” Ehrhart said. “Today, the game is over ten years old and it still has an insane amount of users of all ages. The CTC Minecraft server has finally allowed a community to unite over a seemingly simple block game that encourages creativity and teamwork to work on projects in the game.”

Whether it’s through online game chats or a server, Ehrhart, Rantala, and Florsheim believe that Minecraft is an effective tool to connect people. “This perfectly connected with what the CTC is trying to do,” Florsheim said. “We brought people together through a video game.”