Success Story #246: Wenqian

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Wenqian joined BAVC's Digital Pathways - Gaming program as a 16-year-old junior at Galileo Academy of Science and
Technology in San Francisco. Galileo is a public school that provides students with five career pathways in biological science, environmental science, space
science/aeronautics, computer science/engineering technology, and
creative media technology. It was Wenqian's Academy of information and Technology teacher at Galileo that told her about BAVC.

A recent immigrant who came from China with her mother just two years ago, Wenqian lives in the Bayview district of San Francisco, and speaks English as a second language.

In the after-school Digital Pathways gaming program, students like Wenqian learn basic 3D modeling and animation with Maya, get inside information about gaming and animation careers, and complete a final project using the Unity game engine.

The only female enrolled in our inaugural gaming class, Wenqian would say of her interest in animation and gaming, "I always wanted to create something, and gaming is one of the biggest trends in the market right now. I'm not a hardcore gamer, but I do keep
up with some of the hottest titles. And I really love animations made by Pixar and Dreamworks. I kind of wish one day I can work for them."

Wenqian counts among her favorites games and animation, "Beyond Good and Evil, Phoenix Wright series , Dance Dance Revolution and GuitarHero.
And I like strategy games. Animated film..hmm... I like The Nightmare Before
Christmas,  Corpse Bride, and Miyazaki's movies."

Currently in her senior year at Gallileo, Wenqian hopes to head to college next year, where she plans to major in fine arts or computer science (interesting choice).