<p>"Well yes. But college is far away. I guess my question is: All through high-school (and not just for my son) do we have boys tuning out to school and such because there are so few teachers/administrators who consider this a legitimate interest? Their passion is invisible and unsanctioned in the high school world we create for them. To me media arts and technology seems like this enormous cultural wave of the future. "</p>
<p>Firstly, let me be the girl gamer in this thread to feel that the line of thinking (about guys = gaming) is slightly bs and moreover offensive. Are there a lot of men gaming? Of course. But are there women too? Yes…we are not so rare a creature your son will never meet one. </p>
<p>That being said, there is a nugget of truth here. I may have been a gamer all my life (video, tabletop, computer, etc) but I know it’s not THE thing to do for everyone. And moreover often gets a bad rap. (I think differently, case in point: My essay was on how being a geek shed light on my political interest in the world; how gaming and creating and destroying civilizations on the computer led me to start wondering about how real states formed and collapsed and how they were run…etc.) </p>
<p>I’m sorry your son has no access to some of the programs I did either. I went to a half-day tech school in conjunction with my HS. I spent the summer in 3D animation, and the year in Graphic Design. (I found 3D very slow, and enjoyed collage work and typography, so there you go.) [EVIT</a> Programs! | East Valley Institute of Technology, Mesa, Arizona 85201(EVIT Programs)](<a href=“http://www.evit.com/programs/programs.html]EVIT”>http://www.evit.com/programs/programs.html) 3D animation was actually one of the best and strongest programs available to our local HS’s so it’s really a matter of you live in a place without that outlet, rather than a place with one. </p>
<p>"For several years EVIT’s 3d students have taken the gold at a statewide competition known as SkillsUSA, placing them in the top two percent of their field nationwide. Upon completion of this course the student will have his or her own digital portfolio including a demo reel of their work to present to potential employers. " </p>
<p>They liked to brag! And it was part of the schooling system.</p>
<p>I don’t know what your son has local, but I’m sure he could find something. As for grades? Well, we all have to be in classes we don’t want to be. They could engage just as actively as anyone else in those things, but don’t. I think there’s a problem when you make excuses for not doing something just because you don’t want to, or have something you prefer.</p>
<p>Is gaming legit? Hell yeah!</p>
<p>[The</a> University of Advancing Technology](<a href=“http://www.uat.edu/]The”>http://www.uat.edu/) UAT is here in AZ and top of the line, imho. They almost always take out ads in Newsweek or whoever’s BEST COLLEGES. Your son would probably love it: they have some really great languages he’ll need (like Japanese) you choose pirate v. ninja. (Ninja I think is the school mascot though…not sure.) and you do some hardcore stuff that will make it easier to get him a job. </p>
<p>Plus, and here I self-promote: He has access to a local (and ever growing) Comics Convention. Phoenix Comicon (and volunteering for it) happens to be my biggest EC. xD</p>
<p>Bottom line: It’s legit, indulge it, but don’t fail out of classes or refuse to pay attention because of it. It’s NOT an excuse, just a really cool and really competitive career track. AND GIRLS LOVE IT TOO. REALLY LOVE IT. :)</p>