North America Scholastic Esports Federation will help Texas schools and clubs leverage student interest in esports for career development, plus access scholarships and school grants in nationwide tournaments

(Orange County, Calif., April 29, 2020) – The Texas Scholastic Esports Federation (TexSEF) announced today that it is becoming an affiliate of NASEF, the leading scholastic esports organization, in order to fully leverage esports-based education resources ranging from classroom curriculum to afterschool club programs and esports tournaments.

The North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF) is significantly different from other esports leagues in that it leverages massive student interest in video gaming for education on career and life skills. NASEF combines esports tournaments with intentional learning woven into coaching, mentorship, class materials, club organization and management, and more. Students learn about all areas of the esports ecosystem while participating in their favorite activity. 

“The Texas Scholastic Esports Federation came together in the Fall of 2019, as educators saw the positive impact of esports on the lives and academic achievement of their students and sought to spread that same opportunity to other students across the state,” said Gregg Kite, technology trainer for Humble ISD and CEO of TexSEF. “Becoming a NASEF affiliate is a huge benefit to our organization and its members. NASEF has been the singular most positive force for scholastic esports in the country, and their contacts and support make our work in Texas both easier and more potent.”  

“It’s fantastic to see the vision of the TexSEF team,” said Gerald Solomon, founder of NASEF. “The leaders have personal experience as gamers, and they know how much gaming meant to them as teens. They’re excited to provide a structured but fun program to youth, to give students that have traditionally been marginalized a place to come alive and to envision career possibilities in the wide-ranging esports ecosystem.”

Students at a TexSEF esports Tournament

Humble ISD, Galveston ISD, and Klein ISD are among the Texas districts participating in TexSEF. Several universities have partnered as well, including Schreiner, McMurry, and Concordia Universities. Esports clubs and teams from schools across Texas are invited to join TexSEF and NASEF and tap into their events and resources. TexSEF plans a mix of regional esports tournaments, as well as participation in NASEF’s national events with scholarships and school grants up for grabs. Learn more at https://www.texsef.org or contact [email protected].

NASEF programs are provided free of charge. Whether it’s students participating in tournaments and Beyond the Game™ challenges for recognition and scholarships, teachers using curriculum to integrate esports-based lessons into the classroom, or larger organizations creating programs to serve groups of youth, access to NASEF’s breadth of knowledge, programs, and expertise is completely free.

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.