1
It all started with an idea…
On Halloween, I played a board game in AP Statistics class. Having fun with friends, I found myself surprised by how much I was learning just by playing a game.
I thought back to the alarming civic illiteracy statistic I’d read just a few days earlier, and that’s when it hit me: What if I created a board game to make civic literacy more equitable and accessible to everyone?
So, I did just that.
2
The First Prototype
The first step to any ambitious idea is a rather unappealing prototype — made complete with Hershey’s Chocolate pawns and paper cards and tokens, of course.
3
The First Online Mock-up
New Year’s Eve, 2024. I began to illustrate what would become my first game board.
4
Card Revisions
After hundreds of hours and card revisions, our virtual card mock-ups were complete!
5
The First Proofs
I found it quite fitting that the night before my AP Government exam, I saw the official proofs of Branch Out! for the first time.
6
The First Shipment Arrives
In the peak of Las Vegas summertime, I wiped sweat from my forehead and watched the first 1,000 copies of Branch Out! finally arrive.
7
The Packing Begins!
Stickers. Shipping labels. Boxes. Oh my!
