RIVERSIDE – In almost two years, the Riverside County Esports League has grown to encompass 285 participants and 18 individual tournaments for middle and high school students to compete on district and school teams for tournament trophies.
Students are now eligible for college scholarships thanks to a generous donation of $25,000 from ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual solutions and educational technology. The funds will be used for college scholarships for winning schools (in both individual and team tournaments), esports league participants, gift cards for tournament winners, developing online curriculum for esports related content, and minimal league costs and supplies.
“We’re very excited to be partnering with one of California’s largest esports leagues,” said Ray Hedrick, vertical marketing manager of Gaming at ViewSonic. “We believe this scholarship fund can further the mission of esports in education and provide students the support needed. ViewSonic continues to support activities that motivate and engage students and allow them to be more creative.”
The Riverside County ESports League was organized by the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) Educational Technology Services (ETS) in July 2019. Students from across the county display their skills in the popular video game, “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.” District teams as well as individuals battle each other through several rounds in a winners and redemption brackets until only the best team or individual is left standing. The league will soon pilot a Rocket League next month.
“We are grateful to ViewSonic Corp. for its unwavering support of our students and the esports league. During the pandemic, esports has served as an exciting activity to engage students through a combination of modern technology and gaming with academic and interpersonal skills in a virtual environment,” said Dr. Edwin Gomez, Riverside County Superintendent of School. “This significant donation greatly assists esports participants’ pursuit of college or post-secondary education.”
Traditional sports have long been a vehicle for college access and connection to school for students across the nation. Despite the popularity of such sports, this benefit reaches only a small subsection of the school’s population. Over 90% of students, however, play video games on personal or console devices, so students having the opportunity to participate in a safe, non-toxic, and competitive esports league through their school’s esports club or team has great academic and motivational potential. Research has shown that as many as 70% of students that participate in school esports leagues had no previous involvement in extracurricular activities.
“When we launched the league in 2019, our goal was to increase student engagement in school via esports programs, commented Dennis Large, Director, Educational Technology Services for RCOE. “These scholarships will now help us extend that engagement into college.”
The global esports market is valued at $612 million, with an audience of 134 million, according to SuperData, and it is only predicted to grow. Universities across the United States are diving into this emerging market with scholarship programs and competitive teams.
The Riverside County Office of Education Foundation and the Riverside County Esports League are actively seeking donations for scholarship opportunities. Financial contributions greatly assist in RCOE’s efforts to ensure that every student in Riverside County graduates from high school academically and socially prepared for college, the workforce, and civic responsibility. Please contact Ed Lewis, Foundation Director at 951-826-6345 or elewis@rcoe.us, to explore partnerships or contribute.
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About ViewSonic
Founded in California, ViewSonic is a leading global provider of visual solutions and conducts business in over 100 countries worldwide. As an innovator and visionary, ViewSonic is committed to providing comprehensive hardware and software solutions that include monitors, projectors, digital signage, ViewBoard® interactive displays, and myViewBoard™ software ecosystem. With over 30 years of expertise in visual displays, ViewSonic has established a strong position for delivering innovative and reliable solutions for education, enterprise, consumer, and professional markets and helping customers “See the Difference.” To find out more about ViewSonic, please visit www.viewsonic.com.