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$20,000 for team apparel and transportation
The Compton Unified School District (CUSD), in partnership with the Carrot Group and the Los Angeles Chargers, will host its first-ever eSports High School Tournament between its four high schools – Centennial, Compton, Compton Early College, and Dominguez High Schools – to kick off a districtwide career program and strengthen Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) skills in schools.
The CUSD eSports program aims to develop students’ STEAM skills while reinforcing skills such as collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving. The eSports program also seeks to educate students about computer programming and the various career opportunities within the video game industry, while encouraging gameplay sportsmanship.
Registration is free and open until October 4, with tournament play set to begin October 14. Teams can register at https://highschool.gg/comptonunified/. There will be an orientation and kickoff at Compton High School on October 8, from 1:30pm – 3:30pm.
As part of the Chargers partnership, the club will provide a $20,000 donation to supply team gear and support transportation for teams to practice, tournaments and career days. The donation continues the Chargers investment in STEM programming for students from under-resourced communities. In addition to supporting the facility renovations at Boys & Girls Clubs of Watts/Willowbrook and Challengers earlier this year, the Chargers provided critical funding to launch STEM programming at all Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles clubhouses. Additionally, the Chargers partnered with Ducommun and UCI Samueli School of Engineering to develop STEM on the Sidelines, a hands-on robotics and engineering competition for kids from Orange and Los Angeles Counties.
Each student team will have six players and one alternate. Once a week for six weeks after school, teams will play an approximately 60-minute match online using the wildly popular video game Overwatch. Students will also attend a two-hour facilitated off-campus Orientation and Career Pathway session from leading educational partners that will include insights on careers in video game industry and access to a free online, college level course in game design.
Several Chargers players will also serve as honorary team captains at the tournaments, including wide receiver Geremy Davis, defensive tackle Justin Jones, defensive end Isaac Rochell and quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
Managed by HighSchool.gg, the tournament, which is provided at no charge to students, will culminate in a play-off round with the best team from each school competing the two winners will be facing off in a 2-hour live Championship event on Tuesday, December 10, 2019. Prizes include tickets for the winning team to attend a Chargers home game, a gamine accessories package from SteelSeries a VIP trip to meet with leading video game production designers, a CUSD eSports Championship ring, and a scholarship to attend a game design bootcamp. More information about the tournament can be found at: http://www.compton.k12.ca.us/esports.
About eSports
Also known as electronic sports, eSports is a form of team competition that is facilitated through computer gaming. Most commonly, eSports takes the form of organized, multiplayer online video game competitions. These competitions often incorporate live broadcasts with commentary and award trophies and prizes to the winning competitors. eSports is also one of the fastest growing sports in the world and offers many exciting jobs opportunities. Because the gameplay is online, a team does not need to be in the same room to compete. eSports are 100% gender and American Disabilities Act neutral, offering a completely level playing field to all who want to compete, regardless of their physical attributes or limitations.
About Carrot Group
Carrot Group is the leading organization engaging, cultivating, and celebrating young innovators to solve real-world problems using science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM). The highly creative and fully customizable programs drive impact and spark a passion for discovery. Carrot Group designs various programs for preschool children to college students and through the belief that the power of competition inspires learning, creativity, and innovation. The critically acclaimed programs reward dynamic thinking, perseverance, cooperation, imagination, and ingenuity. Learn more at www.gocarrotgo.com.
About Compton Unified School District
Compton Unified School District is located in in the south-central region of Los Angeles County, California. CUSD encompasses the city of Compton and portions of the cities of Carson and Los Angeles. The district currently serves nearly 24,000 students at 36 sites and has emerged from a dramatic turnaround, marked by increases in student achievement rates, a graduation rate nearing 90% (according to the California Dashboard), facilities improvements, and a focus on STEAM throughout all schools. The mission of the Compton Unified School District is to empower leaders to lead, teachers to teach and students to learn by fostering an environment that encourages leaders and teachers to be visionary, innovative and accountable for the achievement of all students. For more information, visit http://www.compton.k12.ca.us.
About Los Angeles Chargers
Now in their 60th season, the Chargers have continually stretched the imagination and given fans the most exciting show in football. Behind the dramatic games, unforgettable highlights, beloved players, groundbreaking performances and one of the best uniforms in the NFL lies an uncompromising drive for success – one rooted in toughness, resilience and old-fashioned hard work. A charter member of the American Football League, the franchise was established in Los Angeles in 1960 and called the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum home during its first year of existence. From 1961 to 2016, the team played in San Diego. Advancing to five of the first six AFL Championship games ever played, the Chargers claimed the 1963 title and later joined the National Football League when the two leagues merged in 1970. Since the merger, the Chargers have gone on to appear in Super Bowl XXIX and have captured an additional 10 division titles. The Chargers were purchased by construction leader and real estate developer Alex G. Spanos in 1984 and have been under the guidance of Spanos’ eldest son Dean, the team’s current Chairman of the Board, since 1994. Dean Spanos’ sons – A.G. Spanos, President of Business Operations, and John Spanos, President of Football Operations – oversee the day-to-day operations of the franchise. The Chargers returned to Los Angeles in 2017 and play all home games at Dignity Health Sports Park while the team’s new SoFi Stadium home, set to open in 2020, is constructed at Hollywood Park. For more information, call 1-877-CHARGERS or visit http://www.chargers.com
