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“Our expansion to middle schools will help empower a new generation of students through teamwork, skill development and a sense of community.”

Scholastic esports platformPlayVShas announced its expansion to middle schools across the U.S. This expansion will kick off this fall.

Esports

Transforming student pathways: Talking esports and STEM with PlayVS and Stiegler EdTech leaders

Here’s how the PlayVS and Stiegler EdTech partnership is making competitive gaming more accessible than ever while fostering academic pathways.

Amy Chen

PlayVS expands to middle schools

PlayVS' mission is to promote gaming’s positive impacts on students. The expansion to U.S. middle schools for the fall 2024 season will align with this goal. This expansion will more than double the platform’s potential reach as well. “Now, more than 68,000 total schools in the U.S. can offer esports programs to their students,” according to an official announcement.

The middle school esports leagues will feature two-week preseasons alongside an 11-week regular season. Competitors will then duke it out across three months. At the end of the season, the win-loss record will be everyone’s proof of performance.

PlayVS expands to middle school esports leagues cover image

“PlayVS, which is COPPA compliant, will initially limit registration to students 13 and over,” the announcement added. In the spring, the platform will launch a registration portal for parents and open registration to middle school students.

PlayVS and SET reveal transformative esports and STEM education program

“Esports has shown its power in enhancing student engagement, attendance, and overall mental wellness.”

PlayVS and scholastic esports

Additionally, according to the platform’s Fall 2023 Mid-Season Survey of Active Coaches, 90% of esports coaches saw improvements in socialization because of competitive gaming. Meanwhile, 74% of coaches saw improvements in mental health plus a positive outlook on life.

Survey findings

“Being part of a team is one of the most valuable things you can do during your formative years as a student,”PlayVS CEO Jon Chapmansaid. “We already see the incredible benefits of esports at the varsity level, be it as simple as increasing participation in an after-school activity, or as powerful as inspiring students to become game designers or pursue STEM careers. Our expansion to middle schools will help empower a new generation of students through teamwork, skill development and a sense of community.”

That’s all for now. Stick around on esports.gg for morenews and updatesacross scholastic esports.

Transforming student pathways: Talking esports and STEM with PlayVS and Stiegler EdTech leaders preview image

PlayVS and SET reveal transformative esports and STEM education program preview image

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