Melody W. ’27 Develops Game Simulator on US Politics
A neighborhood walk along Whittemore Road sparked some big questions for Melody W. ’27. An international student from Shanghai, China, Melody began noticing the range of political candidate signs scattered throughout the community. She saw that the signs represented more than competing campaigns, but perspectives, priorities, and values.
“How could all these people living in the same small town hold such different views about the candidates competing for their votes? What really shaped their decisions?” Melody wondered.
These questions led to a much wider study. She explained she wanted a better understanding to grasp the following questions: “How does a voter make an informed decision at the ballot box, how do voters decide who has earned their support, what is it like being a candidate and taking a stance?”
These are important questions and no easy project. In fact, it evolved from a simulation activity that took place in Melody’s AP US Government class her sophomore year.
“We were studying voting and elections, so I divided the class into different campaigns and had them run as different types of candidates from the Democratic and Republican Parties,” shared History Teacher Sean Gorman.
“I created several roles for each campaign to give students an opportunity to gravitate towards their strengths on the team. I, admittedly, expected Melody to select a role such as ‘Campaign Manager,’ since she had one of the stronger analytical minds I had encountered from a student since I started teaching,” Gorman explained.
“Instead, to my delight, she chose to be the candidate and wrote bombastic speeches that she enthusiastically delivered to her classmates.”
Gorman added, “Since this class, I was thrilled that this project left such an impression on her that she continued researching voting in America and how it can be ‘gameified’ to teach others about participating in the democratic process.”
For Melody, curiosity was only the beginning. She began to explore her questions with knowledge from her WISE classes and her love for US Politics to develop her own Presidential Election Simulator. Built entirely from scratch, the interactive game brings together coding and real life policies and scenarios, all designed by Melody herself.
“My goal is to help younger people look beyond the yard signs and bad commercials, especially because, as an international student, I noticed how polarized US elections tend to be,” Melody expressed. “People need to be able to process facts to make a decision.”
Envisioning an experience that would invite players to step into different roles, explore a range of perspectives, and experience the challenges of political decision-making, Melody’s Presidential Election Simulator offers a deep look at what goes into the election process. By experiencing the perspectives of both voters and politicians, players can gain a better understanding of the decisions that ultimately shape Election Day.
When asked who inspired the characters she created, Melody explained, “The characters are not based on specific people, but on party ideologies, a simplified, general version of a voter or candidate. Ideally, because of how I created this game, I want them to have a more comprehensive understanding of the election process, weigh political questions and decisions for both parties, and maybe, with this game I made, the younger generation will feel more informed, confident, and ready to be heard when it is their time to vote.”
Melody further explained, “This game is an entertaining tool for new voters, for them to understand the voting and decision process. I think it is so important for us to know more about politics, especially because many of us are reaching that eligible voting age and many of my peers will be casting their very first vote.”
As Melody looks ahead to the November US Midterm Elections, she is already imagining new possibilities for her Presidential Election Simulator, including expanding the game to explore state and national-level elections. She credits her History classes and WISE courses with helping shape her thinking and bring her vision to life.
Outside of game development, Melody is a proud Over and a member of Westover’s US Politics Club. Her favorite spot on campus is the Adams Library, and her favorite class has been AP Human Geography; this is quite fitting for a student whose curiosity about the world continues to inspire her work.
With new ideas on the horizon, Melody is just getting started, using her creativity, coding skills, and passion for politics to make the inner workings of the political process more accessible and engaging for others.
To play Melody's Presidential Election Simulator, please click here.
To play Melody's Presidential Election Simulator, please click here.
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