NASEF’s video game tournaments and content creation competitions make meaningful connections between play and learning for high schoolers 

(Orange County, CA – November 30, 2018) – As high school esports booms in popularity, the North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF) is kicking off registration for 2019 events, including several free esports tournaments plus new creative competitions – all with an intentional design that embeds learning into the myriad aspects of club and team participation. 

For winter 2019, NASEF has selected Riot Games’ League of Legends for the season-long tournament. To compete in that event, Clubs must be active in NASEF and designate a team by January 16, 2019. “Extra Credit” mini-tournaments will be offered in Rocket League and Fortnite, and new this season – a fan favorite title. NASEF participants will vote for their preferred game, and a mini-tournament will be organized around the title with the most votes. Clubs will be able to opt-in to those events throughout the spring. 

Many students are drawn to esports for the creative aspects, not just the competition. To that end, NASEF is implementing several “Beyond the Game™” creative challenges tied to careers, including designing a logo, shoutcasting a game, producing a highlights video, and more. Details will be provided to member Clubs through the free General Manager online portal. 

Mark Deppe, commissioner of NASEF, said, “We’ve prepared an exciting line-up of games and activities that tap into high schoolers’ love of all aspects of esports. Students are thrilled that their competitive and creative talents are now legitimized with official Clubs in their schools and community groups. Educators are embracing the learning environment that NASEF Clubs create. Parents report that their previously-disconnected students are now more engaged in school because of their affiliation with the esports Club. These are remarkable results after just one year!” 

"With support for League of Legends in high schools and colleges accelerating, we're excited to partner with NASEF on their mission to leverage games for the development of teens' life and work skills." said Matt Birris, Scholastic Program Lead for Riot Games in North America.  "Our goal is to make League of Legends an inclusive, generational sport; NASEF's program creates new growth opportunities for the next generation of students."

NASEF’s unique esports Club environment enables students to pursue their chosen hobby with their friends – at the same time receiving positive guidance from mentors and learning how their unique talents can be applied to future careers. 

Participation in NASEF is free. High schools and community organizations for teens are encouraged to activate a NASEF Club and gain access to workshops, clinics, and Coaches Corner sessions, plus enter any combination of tournaments or creative challenges that they choose. All high school teams are encouraged to form a NASEF Club even if they belong to other leagues, so that they can access the variety of free educational resources for esports enthusiasts.

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. 

Note: All product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.