I am not a coach... I am no athlete...At best growing up I would of been a team "manager" or "waterboy/girl" . Being part of a team or a team captain is not something I would have been able to do with traditional sports. Two years ago, 20-ish years after I left high school, I found my tribe. That tribe was in ESports - Competitive Video Gaming for Scholarship Opportunities.
This was a student's idea that I had the opportunity to help make happen.
When we started it was just a good, old fashion LAN party. A bunch of people who loved a game met on a Saturday and spent the day playing. One thing I noticed is how much different it was for them to play in the same room as opposed to online from their homes. They worked with each other on how to improve their game and their equipment.
Students who wouldn't have hung together in a normal school day where finding they had so much in common. We quickly found a national league which meant they were meeting other High School students from all across the country with similar interests. They prepared, practiced, and supported.
My Project
We spent last year fund raising to build up five computers that can be dedicated to our team. We were lucky enough to acquire a space this year for our lab. It's a storage room for tech but it's ours.
This space and equipment give everyone a chance to play no matter what their situation is.
We live in a rural area. The school is lucky enough to have high speed internet. This is something most of our students do not have access to at home.
Our area is also low income. Gaming equipment is expensive. The headsets will give everyone a better chance to participate.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Young and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
