“If you play video games, you are welcome,” says Jacob Dees, instructional technology and esports coach for Apollo Junior High School in Richardson, Texas.
Launched online in the early days of the pandemic, the esports club not only served as a social lifeline for students in lockdown but also became the springboard for an impactful school program.
Their online gameplay was so successful that when participants returned to campus full time, educators at the school doubled down on esports. They convinced Richardson Independent School District leaders to build a state-of-the-art esports room…