Beginning October 27th, Atlanta Public Schools (APS) is launching its 3rd annual city-wide Minecraft build challenge, providing students with an opportunity to navigate through a customized virtual representation of Atlanta, interacting with experts as they consider, “Building an Equitable and Resilient City: How can we create a future where every resident can thrive? “

As teachers plan interdisciplinary tasks connected to the Georgia Standards, students will build virtual proposals in Minecraft: Education, encapsulating their vision for Atlanta’s future. These proposals will then be submitted for consideration by a panel of judges.

The Challenge

Last year, we asked how you could envision a connected, equitable, and sustainable future for our city. This year, we're taking action. The City of Atlanta is committed to creating an "Opportunity for All,"

ensuring every resident can thrive. Your mission is to harness the power of Minecraft to design and build a model city district that directly addresses critical challenges facing our urban environment.

Your design must be a synthesis of creativity and thoughtful planning, demonstrating how a community can be connected, climate-ready, historically grounded, and food-secure.

In the challenge, students will use Minecraft Education to:

• Visit and explore Atlanta Airport, downtown Centennial Park, the Stitch(Interstate 75/85 & Interstate 20), the Beltline, and Five Points.
  
• Speak with and learn from a variety of experts from the City of Atlanta.
  
  
• Design and build a model city district that directly addresses critical urban challenges. Builds must be a blueprint for an "Opportunity for All" by intentionally incorporating solutions for at least two of the following four mission areas:
  
  
  • Connecting Neighborhoods: Bridge divides with community-focused designs for shared, public spaces.
    
    
  • Climate Resilience: Create sustainable, resilient spaces through green infrastructure and innovative design.
    
    
  • Historic Revitalization: Give new, vibrant purpose to a historically significant area while preserving its character.
    
    
  • Food Security: Design innovative solutions (like urban farms or distribution hubs) to ensure healthy food access for all 
    
    
• Submit a two-minute video overview of your build

Resources:

http://tinyAPS.com/?2025LevelUpAtlantaResources

Minecraft is an open-world game that promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in an immersive environment where the only limit is your imagination. Minecraft: Education differs from the regular video game version as it is aimed for use in the classroom and contains features such as classroom mode and assessment tools that enable powerful learning experiences.

Watch the following video to learn more about Minecraft: Education in the classroom.

Minecraft: Education is available to all APS students through their school student account.

Please connect with your student’s teacher to obtain their login credentials.

While Minecraft: Education is available on APS-owned devices, it can also be installed on personal devices. Please visit the Minecraft Education download page for support on how to do this.

APS Chromebooks: Minecraft Education is available in the Google Play Store app on your Chromebook.

APS iPads: Contact your ETS or School Media Specialist 

APS Teacher Laptops: Submit a Nimbus ticket to have Minecraft Education Installed

APS MacBooks: Minecraft Education is available in the APS Self-Service Application