News
The National Esports Association (NEA) has elaborately built the new Sands-Constellation Center for Critical Care in the video game platform Minecraft, to further engage the community as Rochester Regional Health opens portions of the new center located on the Rochester General Hospital campus.
The Sands-Constellation Center is a 7-story structure spanning 312,000-square-feet. Recreated in Minecraft, the center is navigable for those young and old through interactive learning opportunities inside the virtual world. The new innovative center features breakthrough technology and equipment, including a new surgical care center, women's health and newborn care suites, and 36 private patient rooms per floor.
RRH commissioned the virtual build to engage the community, especially families and children, who can learn about healthcare through the Minecraft build—perhaps see where grandpa is having a surgery or where mom is having a baby, since children are unable to visit the center themselves at this time during COVID.
“We are proud to partner with Rochester Regional Health, to engage our youth who, through this digitized world, will experience healthcare education in the way they are excited to learn and interact,” said Lori Bajorek, president of the National Esports Association and Pittsford NY resident. “Minecraft is more than placing blocks in a virtual world. It is a world where we can all come together to play, which is very much needed during this time of social distancing and remote learning.”
The NEA launched the “Build Your Community” program in April. The first project was building the Strong National Museum of Play and its World Video Game Hall of Fame in Minecraft, in a 1-to-1 model duplication, when the museum was unable to host visitors during COVID. As Minecraft was inducted into the World Video Hall of Fame in June, Minecraft gamers were able to interact with museum exhibitions and video games.
The mission of the non-profit National Esports Association — which has been using Minecraft as an educational tool for more than a decade—is to promote education, community, and inclusion through esports. Minecraft is a platform that all can enjoy, as children and teens practice strategy and teamwork as well as learn geometry, geology, and geography.
