Spanish teen creates anti-bullying video game, earns Olympic bid
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Fifteen-year-old Darius Atanasiu from Pinto, Spain, developed a video game called Máscara to raise awareness about bullying and has qualified for the International Technology Olympiads.
Darius became interested in programming at age eleven and used his skills to address the issue of school bullying after his school offered a competition. His game, Máscara, presents players with scenarios where they can help classmates being bullied, and it emphasizes the importance of speaking up and seeking support.
The game aims to be more engaging than traditional anti-bullying lectures, offering a casual format that Darius believes will resonate more with students. He designed the game to show that even those who bully others may be struggling with their own problems, and that offering help can resolve situations. Darius is self-taught and hopes to become an aeronautical engineer, but also wants to continue learning diverse skills.
His mother, Mihaela, fostered his curiosity by taking him to museums and workshops, instilling a work ethic rooted in her upbringing in Romania. Over 5,000 young people from nine European and Latin American countries participated in the Olympiads organized by the NTT DATA foundation. Darius will represent Spain alongside other finalists from Barcelona, Cádiz, and Salamanca in the virtual international final on September 22 and 23, continuing to refine the game’s design.
