For about 30 students at Kenneth White Jr. High School, video games aren’t just for playing at home anymore.
The campus launched an eSports program at their campus recently, where students have the opportunity to competitively match their skills against other gamers across the country as part of an official eSports league. Esports, which is classified as organized competitive video gaming, is similar to traditional sports in that players compete against each other in tournaments for the top prize.
“It may sound weird linking video games to school, but most people might not know that participating in eSports also promotes teamwork, increases hand-eye coordination, communication skills, how to accept failure, how to win properly— it’s all just really going to help them in the long run,” Martinez said.
The campus is a part of a program called Generation eSports, a Middle School Esports League that aims to harness middle school students’ passion for video games through organized competition in a safe and secure format.
“I’ve been a part of this club for a few weeks now and I really like it because not only do I get to play with students from around the country, but I also get to play with my friends in person here at school,” said Fredy Cortez, a 6th grade student in the newly formed eSports club.
Every week at K. White Jr. High, students participate in matches on the national level, are able to join leaderboards and track where they rank. According to Martinez, the students will know if they’ve made it to the Championships by December.
“I love being in this club because I can keep getting better and my goal is to start a YouTube channel in a few years and see how far I can make it,” said Sean Salinas, an 8th grade student at K. White Jr. High. “Additional skills I get by being in this club are quicker reactions, it helps me think faster, and it also helps me solve problems a lot faster.”
Among the games students can participate in are Minecraft, Fortnight, Rocket League and Chess.
“When I see them scream and get excited, especially after they’ve won a match, I get really happy,” Martinez said. “I know that eSports are one of the top things that students are going to compete in in the future. This is something they love to do and seeing that excitement makes me enjoy it that much more.”
Click HERE for a video of students in the eSports Club.