Mrs. Elaina Rogers, a local math teacher known for blending education with her love for Pokémon Go, recently attended the game’s convention in Los Angeles. Invited for her creative approach to using the game in the classroom, she joined fellow educators and fans to explore new ways the game can foster learning and community.
Mrs. Rogers isn’t a stranger to the game, as she’s been playing for over twenty years.
“I have played Pokémon games since 1998 when I was a young kid. I’ve played every game up until PoGo came out in 2016. I’ve been playing ever since,” she explained.
According to her students, they are no strangers to her cherished hobby either.
“It’s already interesting to discover people’s hobbies, and learning about them is entertaining in itself. While she doesn’t always connect Pokémon and math, when she does, it’s always a delight to see how she brings the two together,” Kaitlyn Halapaska (25) said.
With this amount of experience, Mrs. Rogers explains her favorite aspect of the game.
“I love the grind. Catching, battling, and just dominating the map. I love going places, and Pokemon Go allows me to travel the country meeting other players from all over the world. I also very much so enjoy exploring, hiking, and visiting interesting places that the game features. I know Fredericksburg and its history almost as well as local tour guides due to the locational history available in the game to learn about,” Mrs. Rogers said.
This experience proved invaluable, leading to an invitation to a convention in LA. Mrs. Rogers goes on to explain how the event was organized.
“Top players from Virginia banded together and flew out to LA. I was invited by our local top players to join in the fray – altogether there were 9 of us invited to go. Others might have traveled and paid their own way,” Mrs. Rogers explained.
Upon hearing about this, Mrs. Rogers was thrilled.
“I was quite excited and started planning the trip almost immediately. When interesting experiences and once in a lifetime opportunities pop up, I always try my best to jump right in and allow the plan to fall together,” she said.
Her excitement for the trip grew as she imagined all the possibilities that lay ahead.
“I was excited to sight see, experience a new city, and get the newly released pokemon, Kyurem. There were several regional “shiny” pokemon I was quite excited to obtain, Sigilyph being one of them. I ended up getting two copies of every shiny regional available for the event, alongside all four shiny Pikachu for those interested in a trade,” Mrs. Rogers said.
The event wasn’t just about collecting Pokémon; it also offered exciting challenges and competitions.
“I participated in a ranking contest, where I was first in my group to get to rank 250. Typically the challenge is live for the duration of the weekend, from 6am Friday through 10pm Sunday for folks to attempt to max out their rank. I went from rank 1 to rank 250 within 6 and a half hours of playing, being the first of anyone I met to get to the rank. There were some cute merch rewards for getting to certain ranks, and it was surprising to find out that players in the Fredericksburg area outclassed a great deal of players from around the country,” she said.
The experience was even more memorable with some incredible encounters along the way.
“I had the pleasure of meeting the number 1 player in the world, BrandonTan91 for those familiar with the game, and we added friends to send each other invites and gain friendship XP. We took photos with GTValor, another well-known YouTuber, and our group might be on the Pokemon website or app again like my trip to Seattle a few years back,” she explained.
Among all the incredible experiences, one story stood out as her favorite.
“We went to a Michelin Star restaurant – Parks Korean BBQ. Lauded as one of the city’s most cherished destinations for Korean barbecue, Park’s has been luring patrons for well over an age. This is evidenced by the photo wall of famous chefs, actors and politicians right by the front door. While there, one of our friends tried some new foods and it felt like an amazing experience. They loved the Kimchi until I explained what it was. Their reactions were priceless, but I enjoyed the remaining Kimchi to myself!” she explained.
As the trip went on, the group continued to share plenty of laughs and memorable moments until the end.
“We later had a friend try edamame for the first time at another restaurant, where you pop the beans out and eat them. Funny thing was he ate the whole pod. It was probably 5 or so pods in before we realized what he was doing and had a good laugh,” she concluded.
In the end, Mrs. Rogers’ trip to the Pokémon Go convention was an unforgettable experience, filled with exciting challenges, new connections, and plenty of laughs.
