Zynga’s Hidden Agenda: Improving High School Education

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hidden Agenda, a nonprofit organization that teaches high school subjects in unique and effective ways, today announced that Zynga (www.zynga.com), the largest developer of social games, is the lead sponsor and advisor for its annual contest where college and graduate students create applications that teach high school subjects through social interaction.

“As the leader in social gaming, Zynga is the perfect partner for this year’s Hidden Agenda project”

The Hidden Agenda Project, based in Austin and started in 2003, is the first broad game development contest designed to improve education for those who face challenges learning in traditional school environments. The organization has awarded an annual $25,000 prize to the winning educational game created by college or graduate school teams from across the United States. Top Hidden Agenda games have taught subjects such as chemistry, physics and algebra, and have been distributed on computers donated to thousands of underprivileged students in urban areas.

This year, Hidden Agenda is offering a new challenge. Entrants must create a fun and engaging game that teaches a high school subject using Facebook as the platform. The focus on social networking and Facebook captured Zynga’s interest in the project.

“We are just beginning to understand how social gaming can affect people’s lives in a positive way,” said Mike Verdu, senior vice president of games, Zynga. “Our partnership with Hidden Agenda is an extension of our continued efforts to partner with non-profit organizations across the country. We are excited to see the creative and innovative games developed by these very talented students.”

Most recently, players of Zynga’s popular game FarmVille, raised more than $700,000 for the welfare of children in Haiti in conjunction with non-profit organizations FATEM and FONKOZE. The monies raised will provide over 500 children with lunches for the entire year amongst other efforts.

“As the leader in social gaming, Zynga is the perfect partner for this year’s Hidden Agenda project,” said Hidden Agenda Director Lauren Davis. “As it works every year, we have absolutely no idea what the brilliant students who enter our contest will come up with. With Zynga as an advisor and consultant on the project, we know we’ll see some revolutionary applications.”

The rules of the Hidden Agenda contest are simple. College and graduate students create a Facebook application that teaches a high school subject through social interaction, and are judged 70 percent on the entertainment value of the games and 30 percent on the educational value. High school students will weigh in on their favorite entries while a distinguished board of advisors – including serious game gurus Marc Prensky and Ben Sawyer and video game legend Richard Garriott – offers expert advice and feedback. In the spring, the $25,000 prize is awarded to the winning team. For more information about the contest or to enter, visit www.facebook.com/haproject.

About Zynga

Zynga is the largest social gaming company with over 200 million monthly active users. Zynga’s games are available on Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Friendster, Tagged, Yahoo! and the iPhone, and include FarmVille, Café World, Zynga Poker, Mafia Wars, YoVille, Vampires, Roller Coaster Kingdom, and the recently introduced FishVille. The company is funded by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, IVP, Union Square Ventures, Foundry Group, Avalon Ventures, Pilot Group, Reid Hoffman and Peter Thiel. Zynga is headquartered in Potrero Hill San Francisco. For more information, please visit www.zynga.com.

About Hidden Agenda

The Hidden Agenda Project began in 2003 with the goal of teaching children who do not or cannot learn school subjects effectively through traditional means. Once sponsored by the Liemandt Foundation, Hidden Agenda is now sponsored by the Trilogy Employee Foundation in Austin, Texas. The Project is supported by an impressive and devoted team of advisors, including game legend Richard Garriott, renowned game-based learning expert Marc Prensky, Serious Games leader Ben Sawyer, and friends at great organizations such as Zynga, Hope Lab, Computers for Youth, and more. For more information on the program or the Trilogy Employee Foundation, visit www.facebook.com/haproject.