Two years ago, while studying a map of African countries, Montclair resident Liza Cohn had an epiphany: she noticed that the country of Chad resembled a human head.
“There was this guy literally sitting in the middle of the continent of Africa,” recalls Cohn, a former lawyer and self-proclaimed “lifelong learner” who has taken multiple classes at the Montclair Public Library’s Adult School.
Cohn contacted her close friend Stephanie Troeller—a fellow Montclarion and a cartoonist who has worked with DC Comics, Hanna-Barbera and Warner Bros.—to ask if she wanted to collaborate. Eventually they brought to life Dad in Chad, a board game that follows the cartoon character Dad on his journey home to Chad, spanning Africa’s 54 countries. Along the way, players learn all about African geography, wildlife, culture and sports.
“We understood together that we could make a game about learning…that was easy, fun and memorable,” says Cohn.
Photo: Courtesy of Stephanie Troeller
Dad in Chad went through a testing phase in New York and New Jersey schools, where Troeller and Cohn observed students playing an earlier version of the game, later incorporating their feedback. The game is currently stocked in 268 schools across 35 U.S. states, thanks to a grant from Seasholes Sheridan Family Foundation, which Troeller says shares her and Cohn’s vision of “immersive educational experiences that bring people together.” (The game is also newly available on Amazon.)
“I know this sounds crazy,” adds Troeller, “but I believe that this little goofy cartoon character [of Dad]…taps into the inner humanity of all of us.”
Photo: Courtesy of Stephanie Troeller
