Esports Camp Helps Students Game for Success Beyond the Screen

Gathered around a bank of large monitors, dozens of high school student sat in gaming chairs, immersed in competitive gaming at Elite Gaming in downtown Syracuse.
 
Around them, their peers were busy, too. In the front of the room, a small group of students gathered near a stage as mentors spoke with them about social emotional learning – discussions about social-emotional aspects of gaming and of life. Students comprising a production crew sat in a studio streaming a live interview conducted by their classmates. In a glass-enclosed meeting room, another group of students gathered in small groups around tables, writing out storyboards as they planned their own video game storylines.
 
Over the course of five weeks, the 90 high school students and 50 middle school students participating in the Esports Camp rotated through five different stations, enabling them to do so much more than stare at screens and play video games. The students worked on interviewing, writing, podcasting, production, Lego robotics, and more.
 
“They need variety,” Elite Gaming Co-Founder Rob O’Connor shared. “They stay engaged here. We’re an open, friendly gamified environment. But it is truly about so much more than gaming… we are exposing them to so many different career pathways here. We want them to know that college isn’t just out there in the ether for them… it’s accessible.”
 
Mr. O’Connor noted that many of the students enter the esports camp with the goal of becoming a YouTube star or a pro gamer. In reality, the odds of that happening are slim – so the Elite Gaming team hopes to help students build other skills that can open up a host of career possibilities.
 
“Our goal is to show them that when you come here, you become part of a community – something larger than yourself,” Mr. O’Connor added. “We want to show them that gaming can be their community, the thing that makes their high school and college experiences more exciting.”
 
Notably, about 80 percent of students who sign up for esports have never signed up for a school activity before – making esports a great opportunity not only to engage students in building life skills, but also social networks.
 
“I was a captain of the PSLA esports team last year, and we went to the Nationals!” incoming PSLA at Fowler sophomore Elliott Crandall shared. “But the people here at the esports camp are the best part of being here… I can socialize and I feel like I have a social life. One of my favorite things here has been working on podcasts, because we were able to just talk about tournaments and our esports preferences.”
 
“I’ve written a story about a soccer player,” incoming Nottingham sophomore Dewas Rai explained as he showed a storyboard he designed. “My video game would follow his career from high school all the way to the elite professional leagues. I like soccer so I wanted to write about it! This camp is a cool experience. I like to play games – but there are also things I’ve never done before – like Lego robotics. It’s exciting. It’s giving me so many ideas for my future… it’s also allowing me to build a network of people I can communicate with.”
 
In addition to the skills students are learning from each other and their Elite Gaming mentors, they have also enjoyed visits from a nutritionist, as well as representatives from Syracuse University and the University at Albany. The Herkimer College Esports team even stopped by one day, speaking with the students about the esports program at their school and competing against students. Mentors noted that as the college students spoke about their campus experience, the younger students were hanging on their every word.
 
“It’s all objective-based here,” Elite Gaming Co-Founder Matt Guernsey explained. “The kids get to be hands-on and gravitate toward their areas of interest. They are able to use their brains in different ways each week!”
 
Upon completion of the program, including meeting attendance and participation guidelines, the students are paid – with high school students receiving a $550 stipend, thanks to the Bea Gonzalez Fellowship Program.
 
“I like video games, so I figured: why not get paid to do what I love?” incoming PSLA at Fowler senior Avier Keith said. “My favorite part has been writing my own story for a video game… it’s the first time I’ve written my own original story, and I’ve really enjoyed it. I hope to pursue a career in computer programming, where I can work on video games – but I might also dabble in writing, too! This experience is definitely preparing me for my future.”
 
Thank you to the team at Elite Gaming for again hosting our students for this engaging summer program!