Baldwin Park Unified School District is gearing up for the launch of a new E-Sports program coming in the fall of 2024. The pilot program will debut at Jones Middle School, marking the District’s first venture into the rapidly growing field of electronic sports as an extracurricular activity.
E-Sports is a type of competitive video gaming where teams play against each other online. Similar to other team sports, E-Sports requires careful planning, learning, practice, and teamwork. Players need to solve problems quickly, work well with their teammates, react fast, and communicate effectively.
The integration of E-Sports in education is growing quickly as it helps students develop skills in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). It also enhances social-emotional skills. Students can also benefit from E-Sports by finding new ways to engage, participate, and feel included with their peers.
The pilot program at Jones Middle School will run for multiple seasons and will feature a classroom setup with specialized gaming equipment for 32 students, a teacher station for two dedicated coaches, two big screen TV displays, and a broadcasting system for live channel streaming. This program will be open to all Jones sixth through eighth graders, and is set to expand to all middle schools in the near future.
After many months of planning, BPUSD is thrilled to soon debut this new offering, dedicated to expanding engaging learning opportunities for students.
2024_ESports_Jones: Concept art of the dedicated E-Sports classroom coming to Jones Middle School in the Fall of 2024.