high school
The Evergreen Valley High School esports team in San Jose, Calif., practices playing Rocket League.
Play to Win Esports provide an outlet for gamers to succeed at their craft
O
n spirit day at La Feria High School in Texas, the video gamers strut around in their matching team jerseys. “They all walk together through the hallways just like the football players do,” says teacher Claudia Carranza. “Most of them would otherwise walk around with their hoodies up and their heads down. Now they have swagger. They get to be leaders.” In addition to teaching math
90 BACK TO SCHOOL | 2020
and computer science, Carranza leads the school’s esports team. Around the nation, schools have embraced competitive video gaming as a way to meet students where they are, to get them engaged and to teach valuable life skills. “Eighty percent of the kids that participate in our league never took part in any other extracurricular activity,” says Jason Kirby, president of the High School Esports League
(HSEL). With more than 3,000 partner schools, it’s the largest group organizing competitive tournaments among high school gamers nationwide. “This is a means to engage the unengaged. It’s similar to terrestrial sports like football and baseball, but anyone can play, regardless of their shape, their gender or their race,” Kirby says. The growing esports trend enjoys a virtual world of momentum fueled by a revenue >
HIGH SCHOOL ESPORTS LEAGUE
BY ADAM STONE