In the virtual world of Minecraft, where building possibilities are endless, members of the Classes of 2020 and 2021 decided to recreate one of their favorite places: Jesuit High School.
The team of a dozen students, known as the JesuitCraft Build Team, spent hundreds of hours this spring during social distancing collaborating in the game to build an impressive, 1:1 recreation of JHS.
"During quarantine, my friends and I were trying to think of a way to celebrate our graduation while also giving back to the school," said Nicholas Espinoza '20. "We realized this was a perfect opportunity to work on something collaboratively and uplift the spirits of the Jesuit student body."
During a time members of the community were asked not to physically be on campus, the Minecraft version offered a unique alternative for seniors who wanted to honor their high school years and share their fondness for campus with future classes.
"We all loved our time at Jesuit and seeing the completed campus was an emotional experience that reminded us of our positive memories there," said Jack Milne '20. "After the finishing touches, we wanted to open the JesuitCraft world to our community so current and prospective students also have the opportunity to experience the campus even during a pandemic."
The team utilized their intimate knowledge of the campus, images from Google Earth, and pictures provided by faculty and staff to recreate even the most minute details. Each Minecraft building block is roughly equivalent to one yard in real life. From the pavers leading into the Knight Center Gymnasium to the flags in Mary's Plaza, visitors are able to easily identify and tour the virtual campus.
"The level of detail is absolutely amazing," said Jesuit Principal Paul Hogan. "I've been blown away by our students' creativity, resilience, and desire to give back during the pandemic – but this takes the cake."
