“Mémobox”, an immersive adventure project created by 12 middle school students from Drôme

12 Drôme schoolchildren invented a game to remember tragic moments in History through characters (from Anne Franck to Corneille).

How can we learn from the past to create a better world?

Although it is impossible to lay down a general rule, knowledge of historical facts certainly allows us to better understand the causes of violent episodes, to avoid repeating them. Based on the observation that middle school students are relatively uninterested in historical themes, the “Duty of Memory” commission of the Departmental Youth Council 2022/2023 took up this subject. Their immersive adventure project entitled “Mémobox”, received 1st prize from the National Association of Children and Youth Councils in the “Memory work” category.

A dive into the historical context of famous people

The “Mémobox” project was created by 12 middle school students from Drôme des Collines (Romans-sur-Isère, Bourg-de-Péage, La Chapelle-en-Vercors, Chabeuil). This immersive investigation game takes place in several phases. A famous character who has experienced acts of violence is randomly assigned to each team (Missak MANOUCHIAN, Anne FRANCK, Germaine CHESNEAU, Rosa PARKS, Corneille or Malala). Participants must then understand these facts by immersing themselves in the context of the characters using different resources (books, historical documents, etc.). The game ends with an exchange where the teams explain the circumstances and issues specific to each era and each country.

Meeting with singer Corneille and Malka Braun

During the creation of the game, the advisors had the opportunity to meet the singer Corneille, a victim of the Rwandan genocide. In addition to obtaining a direct testimony of this event, this exchange allowed young people to address the theme of reconstruction and transmission.
A meeting also took place with Malka Braun, granddaughter of Sam Braun, a young French Jew deported in 1944.

A tool available to Drôme colleges

“Mémobox” has integrated the toolbox of the Departmental Youth Council. It is now available to Drôme colleges which request it. Four establishments will receive this game during the 2024-2025 school year.

>>> The CDJ awarded for its Mémobox project – La Drôme Le Département