School Specialty continues its commitment to Transform More Than Classrooms through a longstanding relationship with the College Football Playoff Foundation (CFPF). As Georgia and TCU prepare for the College Football Playoff National Championship at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles, CFPF and School Specialty were at Morningside High School in Inglewood unveiling a brand new state-of-the-art eSports Lab to benefit students in the area.
Esports in Education
Despite the historically tenuous relationship between education and gaming, the popularity of esports has grown exponentially. This is largely thanks to studies linking it to cognitive development. When the global pandemic caused widespread lockdown and social distancing measures, Esports exploded onto the scene as a way for students to develop their STEM and technical skills while maintaining interpersonal relationships and communication.
Esports Arena Design
Above are renderings of the proposed eSports lab courtesy of in-house designers and learning environment specialists from Projects by Design. Below is the reveal and ribbon cutting for the new room at Morningside High School on January 6, 2023. This lab features Classroom Select gaming furniture provided by School Specialty, along with all the best in gaming and eSports technology.
Schools Prepare Students for STEM Future
Participation in eSports is directly or indirectly linked to numerous occupations across many fields. The competitions themselves create significant revenue and can employ coaches, analysts, announcers (known in the eSports world as shoutcasters). And of course, the players! Larger operations require everything from software development and on-site tech specialists to event organizers and marketing support. The skills gained from participation don’t just benefit those looking to stay in the field. They are also highly transferable into a traditional job market starving for STEM talent.
This room is preparing our students for degrees associated with eSports. This room is about scholarships to college. It’s about careers that we can’t even imagine, that don’t exist now, but that our students will be engaging in the future.”
Dr. Bernadette Lucas, USD Chief Academic Officer
Learn More About School Specialty & CFPF Makeovers
School Specialty and CFPF hold a shared mission to improve educator resources and access to better learning opportunities for children. This marks the 43rd makeover project School Specialty has completed, with more on the way! Congratulations to Morningside High School on your new Esports Lab!
