Gimkit – Josh Feinsilber

When Josh Feinsilber started Gimkit back in 2017 as a junior in high school, he had no idea that it would eventually become the sensation it is today. He had originally created it for a school project, introducing it with the intent to convince ten teachers to use Gimkit in their classrooms (then called “Gimlet”). He posed it to be a “simple, engaging game show for the classroom.” Little did he know that his “simple” game show would capture the interest of over 700,000 people- each month. Feinsilber proceeded to create a Gimkit blog, where he began adding more and more improvements, updates, and edits so that everyone can continue to enjoy the games new modes and gims.

            Feinsilber worked with what he knew. The brain tends to remember fun things over boring things, and if one could find a way to make learning fun, then statistics showed that you would be more likely to remember it. That’s where Gimkit came in, offering games that were engaging so as to trick the brain into retaining memories of lessons taught in the game, instead of forgetting a lecture that was droned about in school two weeks ago.

            Gimkit is beneficial for teachers and students alike, asking questions that players have to answer before they can continue to play, or else risk being stuck, motionless while their teammates rush past them, determined to win. If the questions are school-related or challenging, students will get the same effects as using flashcards—just with the twist of friendly competition, laughter, and lifetime memories.

            Gimkit started as a quirky idea by a motivated teen, and Feinsilber’s story just goes to show how letting an idea spring into fruition can—quite literally—change the world. By pursuing his idea, even though he hadn’t yet considered a reality where Gimkit took off, he enabled all manner of teachers and students an engaging way to learn.