Forward-thinking schools can join the only national organization that closely ties scholastics with video gameplay in a free competitive league and classroom curriculum

(Orange County, CA – August 6, 2018) – The North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF) is activating new clubs across the continent as the fall 2018 high school esports season officially opens. NASEF has devised a remarkable system that marries students’ number one pastime, video gameplay, with hands-on coaching and mentorship that helps students build real-world skills as they participate in esports clubs as players and team members.

NASEF’s system was piloted in Orange County, CA. Leading games and learning experts worked together to shape the initial season, then evaluated factors such as student experience and enthusiasm, overt and embedded learning factors, and school and family involvement. Today, NASEF offers its research-based method to all organizations looking to incorporate significant educational elements into league play of popular video games while maintaining an authentic gamers’ experience. Clubs, coaching, and a fully-credentialled esports-centric curriculum are available.

“We’re approaching esports through the lens of personal growth and career preparation. Our number one objective is to help teens learn, grow, and thrive,” said Gerald Solomon, Executive Director of the Samueli Foundation and Founder of NASEF. “We’ve seen firsthand that they are enthralled by the entire ecosystem of esports, so we’ve embraced it right alongside them, and we’re helping them learn as they play.”

“In the first season, we observed noteworthy educational impacts across STEM, English Language Arts, Career Technical Education, and even social-emotional learning,” said Dr. Constance Steinkuehler, Professor of Informatics at UC Irvine and NASEF’s Education and Research Lead. “Participating students are developing abilities that are in high demand for today’s college and career markets: data analysis helps them improve their odds of winning a match. Web development and marketing skills help them promote their teams. Collaboration and a problem-solving approach yield stronger teams. Woven throughout, students see that personal drive and initiative are fundamental to success. And did I mention fun? They are absolutely having a blast!”

NASEF provides free resources to help schools implement a club, develop a competitive team, and join local and national esports tournaments. To learn more about participating in the Fall 2018 season or piloting the curriculum, join an informational webinar: Wednesday August 8 or August 29 at 11:00 a.m. PDT/2:00 p.m. EDT. NASEF experts will present a club overview and address questions.

About the North America Scholastic Esports Federation

The North America Scholastic Esports Federation is working to ensure that ALL students possess the knowledge and skills needed to be society’s game changers: educated, productive, and empathetic individuals. NASEF is on a mission to provide opportunities for ALL students to use esports as a platform to acquire critical communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills needed to thrive in work and in life. The Federation’s core values are intertwined through all aspects of education and play: learning, opportunity, community, diversity, and respect.

Under the Samueli Foundation’s leadership, the Federation is led by partners from the Orange County Department of Education, OC STEM Initiative, Connected Camps, Connected Learning Lab, UCI Esports, UCI Henry Samueli School of Engineering, and the UCI Bren School of Information & Computer Science.

Learn more at the NASEF website. Members of the press can find videos, infographics, and leadership profiles in the online press room. Join online conversations on Twitter @NASEFgg for esports updates and @NASEFedu for our education news, on Facebook and Instagram, and see matches streamed live on our Twitch channel.