Esports
Electronic sports, or competitive video gaming, is an extracurricular activity in K-12 and higher education with organized competitions at regional, state, national and international levels. It involves software and hardware devices and varying degrees of technical skill, and in some schools is combined with STEM curricula.
The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Esports Association that began five years ago now counts more than 150 middle schools and high schools as members, and it recruits students for esports-related scholarships.
Global esports organization Gen.G purchased an analytics company specific to the League of Legends game and will use the technology to develop student prospects in its academy program.
A new 1,600-square-foot sports arena with high-tech computers will accommodate the university's growing esports program, which is slated to transition into a full varsity program in the fall.
The Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federations has 3,500 clubs across 50 U.S. states, with members in 70 countries. Some colleges provide scholarships so students can play while majoring in STEM subjects.
PlayVS is the official platform of North Carolina's Varsity Esports and STEM League, organized by the STEM education and esports company Stiegler EdTech to incorporate educational competitions into the esports calendar.
Just over a year since the launch of Atlanta’s new Office of Technology and Innovation, city tech leaders reflect on the role of the office in the city's work to build a broader technology ecosystem.
The Orangeburg County School District in South Carolina unveiled the new Esports lab at its Career and Technology Center last week, a classroom space that has been renovated to include 21 gaming stations.
As in many other states, esports are increasingly popular at Missouri high schools and colleges, and they represent an opportunity for participants to learn teamwork and build confidence and social skills.
A public community college in Ohio will establish a competitive video-gaming team this fall, to be coached by a student who is studying cybersecurity. Esports have been gaining popularity throughout the state.
The iMerge Community Center in Alton is working with the K-12 computer science curriculum provider Mastery Coding on two-week summer camps that focus on coding for game development.
