See Tic STACK Toe in action!

I wanted to share a quick update from this evening, because it was one of those moments that captures exactly what we hope for in experiences like this.

I hosted the group of young women at the President’s Residence tonight — all high school participants in this summer’s week-long entrepreneurship camp focused on empowering young women. It was their first full day together and their first dinner as a cohort. As you can imagine, there was real potential for things to feel a bit stiff or awkward…especially given the setting. The stakes felt high to create something welcoming, relaxed, and genuinely connecting right out of the gate.

So, we leaned into the Tic Stack Toe tournament — complete with a bracketed “Empower Cup.”

I have to say: it could not have worked better! Honestly, it was amazing.

The girls were immediately engaged. They spent nearly as much time filling in the bracket — adding their own names and, importantly, the names of new friends — as they did playing. It turned into this wonderfully organic way for them to learn each other’s names, cheer each other on, and start building connections without any forced icebreakers.

And they loved the game! After round one, one young woman came up to me and said, “This game is absolutely brilliant!” — which, I think, says it all.

At the end, I let them know that both the tournament winner and the consolation winner would receive games to take home. They were thrilled. Then others started asking if there was any way they could get one as well — so we leaned into that enthusiasm and shared generously.

A couple of moments that felt especially telling:

• One young woman had already texted her mom about the game before the evening ended
• Another told me, as she was leaving, that she was bringing her game straight to the cabin this weekend because she knew her family was going to love it

You truly couldn’t script a better first run with this group! What started as a potentially awkward first gathering became energetic, relaxed, and joyful — exactly the kind of tone we want to set for their week together.

You should know how naturally and powerfully the game creates connection — it really is something special!

Being sent to theprincipal’s office is rarely a positive experience for students. Recently, a high school student was referred to me with very little information about what had occurred in class. When he arrived, he sat quietly in my office and was reluctant to engage in conversation. Rather than press him, I allowed him some time to sit while I continued working at my computer.After a few minutes, the student noticed a Tic Stack Toe game on my shelf and asked what it was. I invited him to play a round with me, and he agreed. He quickly picked up the game and began to relax. As we played, his demeanor changed noticeably, and we were able to have a meaningful conversation. He openly shared the circumstances that led to his referral, allowing us to come to a positive and productive understanding.Without the simple connection created through the game—and his curiosity about it—this outcome may not have been possible. Tic Stack Toe proved to be an effective tool for building rapport and encouraging communication. It is a simple, engaging game that can make a meaningful difference. Thank you.

We had such fun playing your game again this morning! It’s really engaging and so much fun for our participants. We had high school basketball players join us this morning so it was especially fun!

Our participants living with early stage memory loss and the Fargo Force hockey team had so much fun playing your game this morning! I overheard several of them discussing going for lunch at Sons of Norway and picking up a game for themselves! We will definitely do this again sometime! Thank you for developing the idea for the game, it’s awesome!

The experience reinforced just how valuable and engaging the game can be in helping students build connections, develop important skills, and foster meaningful conversations. Our staff was highly energized by the experience, and the game prompted deep reflection about how we approach new situations. It led to rich conversations about how our individual gifts show up when we encounter something unfamiliar, as well as how our fears and hesitations can emerge in those same moments. Our Residence Life team sees tremendous potential in Tic Stack Toe, and this group will be integral to helping get the game into the hands of every first-year student.

Thank you for you innovation, creativity, and commitment to building stronger communities. The impact of your work extends far beyond the game itself, and I am grateful for all the ways you help make the Fargo-Moorhead community a better place.