The HEF eSports Connection project is an innovative approach to help solve many of the challenges Henrico middle schools face today. This project has the potential to significantly impact chronic absenteeism and incidence of disruptive behavior while simultaneously increasing academic achievement in Math and Science, as well as improving student wellbeing and connection to their school community. Below we detail the reasons, research, experiences, and potential that middle school eSports clubs hold for our most disconnected from school students. 

Esports Brings Success to More Students

In 2018, Pew Research reported that 97% of teen boys and 83% of teen girls played video games. Yet there are no extracurricular activities offered in Henrico middle schools related to gaming or eSports. The creation of eSports Clubs opens the door for greater participation and connection with the school community to students interested in video games. When students can join a school esports club, it becomes a social experience. Without a school esports club, passionate gamers often feel left out of mainstream school social life. Organized esports bring these kids into the fold. It can help them become accepted and respected members of their school community.

Competitive gaming has become a billion-dollar business and is projected to grow exponentially. The prevalence of eSports in schools is likewise rapidly expanding. The High School Esports League (HSEL) – just one of several such leagues – claims over 1500 schools as members. Between 2018 and 2021 the number of leagues that facilitate esports in schools nearly doubled. Esports in schools are on the verge of going mainstream, but there are no eSports programs at any Henrico middle schools. 

Connecting Henrico Middle Schools with Similar Goals

Since no eSports Clubs exist in any Henrico middle school, forming one eSports club could be considered innovative. But we feel this project is truly innovative because it unites three Henrico middle schools that initially seem to be very different but share many of the same challenges and goals for the 22/23 school year. Despite their geographical and demographic differences, all three schools have the following challenges and have set goals to overcome them, listed in their School Quality Plan for 22/23.

School Quality Goals at Brookland, Fairfield, and Tuckahoe middle schools 

1. Attendance (reducing chronic absenteeism)

2. Discipline (reducing incidents of disruptive behavior)

3. Academic Achievement and Achievement Gaps in Math

4. School Climate Survey (improving connection to school)

Additional benefits of eSports Clubs include:

1. Develop Henrico Learner Profile Skills (Durable Skills) 

2. Esports and STEM go Hand-in-Hand 

3. Esports Expands College and Career Opportunities, including College Scholarships, STEM Careers, and eSports Careers.  

4. Esports Align with the HCPS Strategic Plan

Esports Clubs Reduce Chronic Absenteeism

The national rate of chronically absent students in U.S. public schools is 16% (over 7 million students), according to a briefing recently updated by the Department of Education, Chronic Absenteeism in the Nation's Schools. Chronically absent students are more likely to fall behind in their classes and to drop out of high school -- which is tied to a higher likelihood of "poor outcomes later in life, from poverty and diminished health to involvement in the criminal justice system."

Adding to the alarming outcomes from the Department of Education briefing, the Economic Policy Institute published study results in 2018 listing the adverse effects of chronic absenteeism on student test scores. The report states that eighth-graders who missed three or more days the month before testing scored 0.3 to 0.6 standard deviations lower on the NAEP math test than students who did not miss any school.

Esports Reduce Disruptive Behaviors

Students that join activities are more likely to pay attention in class. They care more about their education. They also feel better about themselves and engage in fewer harmful behaviors like smoking and drinking. The sense of inclusion gained through participation in esports at school can have far-reaching benefits. We know that kids involved in school activities are more successful. This involvement can benefit the community at large. When kids feel included and good about themselves, they’re less likely to seek attention through provocative behavior and aggression. According to American Psychological Association researchers, social rejection increases anger, anxiety, depression, jealousy, and sadness. It reduces performance on complex intellectual tasks. It can also contribute to aggression and poor impulse control.. 

Esports Impact on Math and Science learning

Results of testing by the globally recognized Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) data found that students who play online games almost every day score 15 points above the average in math and 17 points above the average in science. The research determined that when students play video games regularly, they solve puzzles to move to the next level, and that involves using some of the general knowledge and skills in math, reading, and science that you've been taught at school. The study recommended that teachers consider incorporating popular video games into teaching -- so long as they're not violent.

Esports vs the Middle School Engagement Cliff

The Gallup Student Poll Snapshot Report provides insights into how students experience their lives in and out of school. The results show how the "school engagement cliff" poses a challenge for school leaders, with the starkest engagement differences occurring during middle school. There is a 13-percentage-point difference in engagement between sixth and seventh grade and a nine-point difference between seventh and eighth grade, with engagement declining as the grade level for students increases. In total, students engaged by grade drops 34% from 5th grade to 9th (from 74% engaged in 5th grade to only 40% by 9th grade)

Esports Develop HLP Skills (Durable Skills) 

It’s intuitive: team sports teach valuable skills. Many parents encourage their children to participate in team sports. Team sports provide an arena for teaching important lessons and life skills beyond the classroom. The skills practiced and honed as a team applies equally to any sport. Participation in eSports helps students develop the following Henrico Learning Profile skills and attributes.  

• Collaboration. Call it teamwork, cooperation, or collaboration. By whatever name, working well with others requires developing countless additional skills. Like communication, assertiveness, and compromise. Conflict management, active listening, and respect.

• Communication. Social skills are the building blocks of interpersonal relationships. And they’re integral to working well with teammates and coaches. In addition to those noted above, social skills include critical basics like maintaining eye contact and using appropriate body language, and refraining from interrupting. And knowing when and how to share ideas. For many kids, these skills don’t come naturally. Those with limited social experience are particularly prone to skill deficits. Participating in a school esports team provides an environment for these kids to learn and practice these skills.

• Critical and Creative (Strategic)Thinking. Sports require students to set goals, assess the competition, and consider their individual strengths and weaknesses. As team members, students learn to establish tactics, put together game plans and adjust execution as needed. Thinking quickly and strategically is part and parcel of any sport.

• Managing Success and Failure. Team sports teach the tough lesson that life isn’t always fair. No matter how hard you prepare, you won’t always come out on top. Learning to manage the emotions of losing – and winning – helps kids become resilient.

• Citizenship. Team sports of any kind provide an opportunity for coaches to instill positive values. Principles and standards of behavior like good sportsmanship, fairness, and respect. Persistence, honesty, fun, and healthy competition. These values can buoy students throughout their lives.

Esports and STEM go Hand-in-Hand. 

Students drawn to gaming are often equally captivated by the broader technology ecosystem. Sponsors at high school and college levels report that many of their esports participants are interested in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Often, it’s proportionally larger than the student population as a whole. In 2018, for example, Riot Games director of collegiate esports said that nearly two-thirds of their League of Legends players were majoring in STEM fields. That’s a notable jump from the 45% of all undergraduates in 2015 that planned to study STEM. Offering esports as an extracurricular activity is an excellent way for middle schools to encourage students to pursue careers in lucrative STEM-related fields.

Esports in Schools Expands College and Career Opportunities

We know that involved students are more likely to go on to higher education. Beyond this benefit, esports, in particular, provides students with added options for their next steps in life.

STEM Careers: Students involved in esports are a natural fit for careers in STEM, which are projected to offer some of the best employment opportunities for today’s students. Of the 100 jobs defined as STEM-related by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 93 have wages above the national average. Growth in STEM employment is projected to be better-than-average. Computer-related occupations are the largest projected category of new jobs between 2014 – 2024. 

When students take part in eSports in school, sponsors can nurture a passion for STEM and guide students to explore STEM careers. Colleges with a strong eSports culture tend to offer a robust STEM curriculum. Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio, for example, is a pioneering leader in game design and eSports competition. The university offers a BS in gaming programming through the Engineering Department as well as a BA in Game Art through the fine arts department. 

Careers in Esports: Sports teams need a range of support personnel to operate. From professional sports teams to local intramural programs, teams need more than just players. This can include managers, marketing staff, technology and finance professionals, medical staff and recruiters. So it is with eSports. Projected at the pro level to eclipse the NBA by 2025, eSports offers rapidly growing career opportunities.

College scholarships: Not only does eSports in school boost student interest in higher education, but it can also provide a pathway to postsecondary scholarships. Close to 100 colleges and universities are members of the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), the official governing body for varsity esports. Over 250 more have club programs. Nearly 200 US colleges collectively offer around $15 million a year in esports scholarships.

Esports Align with the HCPS Strategic Plan: 

Middle School eSports Clubs support all four cornerstones of the HCPS Strategic Plan, Destination 2025. 

• Safety and Wellness - Building an equitable and inclusive school climate that provides for all stakeholders' social, emotional, cultural, and physical wellness. 

• Academic Growth - Growth that occurs from the cumulative impact of exposure to core curricula, electives, and life-skill development opportunities prepares students to reach their potential. 

• Equity and Opportunity - Collective effort of all stakeholders to reduce disparities among students from varying demographics and backgrounds through engaging, meaningful and relevant experiences. 

• Relationships - Building authentic, trusting connections that encourage collaboration and engagement among students, families, staff, and communities.