In June, scholastic esports and STEM education company EsportScholar launched an esports-focused summer education program for students ages 13 – 17 in the city of Cleveland, Ohio. The program was facilitated through a partnership between EsportScholar, the City of Cleveland, Cleveland State University, and the esports division of NBA team the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cavs Legion GC.
Running until Aug. 18, the program is being run in eight locations throughout Cleveland including Parks & Recreation centers, libraries, and school district groups. These locations feature a total of 60 custom-built PCs with gaming equipment capable of running such games as Overwatch, Rocket League, League of Legends, and Fortnite.
EsportScholar claims that its program allows students to showcase their skills in the aforementioned games and provides an educational component that offers introductions to STEM related computer skills.
Students participating in competitions will vye for a spot in a “grand championship event” to be held at the Cavs Legion headquarters at a date to be announced. Prizing and other considerations for participating students was not disclosed.
In case you didn’t know, Cavs Legion GC is the NBA 2K League affiliate of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
EsportScholar is a for-profit company that provides esports coaching, mentorship, and educational programs, with a mission to “nurture talent, promote academic excellence, and empower individuals to succeed in the rapidly growing world of esports.”
There are more than 35,000 K -12 students in the Cleveland Municipal School District, served by more than 90+ schools, according to data from the district’s 2021-2022 school year as reported by the National Center for Educational Statistics.
As of this writing, it is unclear just how many students are participating in this summer program.
