Starting this spring, middle school students took their seats in Pace University’s state-of-the-art esports arena to venture into the world of competitive gaming. Through an innovative partnership between Pace Esports and New York Edge, a nonprofit dedicated to bridging the opportunity gap among students in underinvested communities, these middle schoolers are getting a crash course in teamwork and leadership that goes beyond games.
This new program brings pre-teen students from a New York Edge site school to Pace’s esports arena every other week for an eight-week session. The students receive coaching from Pace Esports staff and varsity players, developing technical skills alongside teamwork and strategy. “This program is about helping serve New York Edge site schools, which are populated by underserved students, and getting them engaged through gaming,” says Jesse Bodony, Pace’s director of esports.
