Over the past several years, esports programs have exploded in popularity among district leaders whose goals are to expand career pathways and provide postsecondary opportunities for students. If you’ve yet to look into esports’ value for education, here’s how to get started.
Glenn Robbins, superintendent of New Jersey’s Brigantine Public School District, says his program, which is designed for students in grades 4 through 8, started with conversations with key stakeholders—primarily IT.
“We had the infrastructure to handle this,” he says. “If we built something, I didn’t want it off in a corner. I wanted to treat it as if we were starting a new football team.”
That means giving the students uniforms, and of course, the opportunity to name the team. “We’re the Buccaneers, but the kids said, ‘No, we want to be called The Megaladons because we’re going to eat the competition,'” explains Robbins.
The students also broke with their school colors, choosing black and red to fit the aesthetic of a dangerous shark lurking deep underwater.
A gaming arena was built near the school’s server area to reduce the cost of running lines and cables. The students named that arena “The Abyss” to highlight their brand.
Esports is all part of Robbins’ plan to give his students identity and agency over something they’re passionate about. “The students feel welcomed,” he says. “It doesn’t matter what you look like or who you know. They just care if you can game.”
How esports improves student outcomes
Like any other traditional sport, students have to meet a certain GPA requirement to participate, says Robbins. Educators must ensure students understand that playing video games is also about discipline and teamwork.
“It has reduced our absenteeism rates and improved student discipline,” he says. “We haven’t had a student miss out on esports because of a discipline issue.”
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Brigantine is the only district in New Jersey that uses the “Crew model,” a social-emotional learning program that teaches students the habits of ethical people and effective learners. Robbins says the framework also applies to his esports team.
“Our esports coach is teaching them things like hygiene and healthy eating while also teaching them how to be sports players,” he says.
When you think of a young teenager playing video games, you often think of anger or badmouthing other players, he adds. Their esports coach is teaching them etiquette and sportsmanship.
“He’s teaching them how to be a true teammate,” he says.
Creating pathways
Brigantine was one of the early adopters of esports in New Jersey. Now, some of the neighboring high schools have begun adding programs of their own.
Educators are quickly realizing the value of esports because it’s more than just an opportunity to game. Robbins’ students livestream their competitions on Twitch, an online video game streaming platform. If you’re streaming an event, you need folks to staff it, he says.
“We have kids who come in solely for the streaming aspect,” says Robbins. “They handle the broadcasting and the commentating. Those students might pursue communications or journalism in the future.”
Most importantly, Robbins says, the kids value the space the district has created for them. The esports arena is a place where they feel comfortable and accepted.
“They want to come to school,” he says. “They’re building friendships they may not have made otherwise. We have fourth-graders who are friends with eighth-graders. That doesn’t happen in every middle school.”
