About Us!
Originally supported by Congressional funding, Cool School is now the joint effort of a project team led by Rational Games, Inc, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to exploring the power of games to enable conflict resolution projects. We are ably supported in this effort by the expert assistance of Dr Melanie Killen of the University of Maryland College Park, FJ Lennon, game creator, and RealTime Associates for technical assistance. All of this is made possible by a generous grant from the JAMS Foundation.
F.J. Lennon
F.J. Lennon is a novelist, screenwriter, and independent digital media producer, designer, and writer. During his 25-year career, Lennon has been actively employed in multiple industries including video games, interactive television, advertising, and toys. It was his vision, in concert with FMCS and Realtime Associates, that brought Cool School: Where Peace Rules to life.
Rational Games, Inc.
Rational Games, Inc is a consulting, training and coaching service organization founded by Dr. Mark Young, and is dedicated to the employment of games and game-like simulations to resolve conflict. RGI makes financial grants to projects demonstrating innovative and effective approaches to the use of games in conflict resolution. Rational Games has been the driving force behind bringing Cool School: Where Peace Rules to children the world over.
Realtime Associates
With over 100 commercial titles published over the last 15 years, Realtime Associates is one of the longest established independent video game studios in operation today. Our current projects range from educational and music-themed toys to console, handheld and PC games to graphic-intensive simulations. Together with F.J. Lennon and Rational Games, Realtime Associates is bringing Cool School: Where Peace Rules to life in the cloud on a global scale.
JAMS Foundation
The JAMS Foundation, funded entirely by generous contributions from JAMS neutrals and associates, provides grants for conflict resolution initiatives with national and international impact. JAMS has been instrumental in supporting the continued development and success of Cool School: Where Peace Rules.
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
FMCS is an independent agency of the United States government, founded in 1947, which provides mediation services to industry, community and government agencies worldwide. One of its most common tasks is to help to mediate labor disputes around the country. The genesis of Cool School began with a mission from FMCS to create a video game that would teach children the benefits of resolving conflicts. Teaming up with F.J. Lennon and Realtime Associates, FMCS provided the initial funding and support to bring Cool School: Where Peace Rules to life.
Dr. Melanie Killen, Phd
From the very beginning, Dr. Melanie Killen and her team at the University of Maryland have been instrumental in creating, testing, and evaluating Cool School: Where Peace Rules. Dr. Killen was brought in as a developmental psychology consultant to create the conflict scenarios and conflict resolution options in the video game as well as to provide feedback about the developmentally appropriate nature of the text, the game, and the characters. She and then-doctoral student Nancy Margie spent months working with interactive gaming veteran F.J. Lennon and his team - including animator Dave Warhol of Realtime Associates - as they developed Cool School: Where Peace Rules.
