Indiana Schools Launch Esports Network

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 10/02/19

An English language arts teacher has become the director for esports at his high school and kicked off a state-wide initiative to link up other Indiana schools interested in esports as well. John Robertson, who teaches at Tipton High, has launched the Indiana High School Esports Network, which currently has 13 members — all high schools (although middle schools are also invited to join).

The idea is to work together to connect the clubs, "rather than paying an outside company to do it for us," the network stated on its website. "We conceived IHSEN to assist new clubs in growth, to help them learn from the hurdles we've overcome and to connect with other schools. To create the best possible experience for all students in Indiana, we feel it's important to create a positive culture around high school gaming in our great state. IHSEN can assist with this by connecting teachers and administrators with each other to share ideas and grow our clubs."

Major goals of the network are to help other schools form their own esports clubs and to develop a set of rules and schedules for students to compete.

The latest season will last six weeks and cover six games: Overwatch, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, League of Legends, Rocket League, Hearthstone and Forza Motorsports. Matches will be streamed online over Twitch and Mixer.

Tipton High opened its own combination esports/virtual reality lab last December, using funds from a grant provided by the Tipton County Foundation.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • A teacher and students gather around a glowing crystal ball containing a miniature school building surrounded by clear AI symbols, including holographic interfaces, neural networks, circuits, and data streams

    2025 Predictions: AI's Impact on Education

    What should schools and districts expect from the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence in the coming year? Here's what the experts told us.

  • digital illustration of Estonia with glowing neural network-like connections spreading across the map

    Estonia to Roll Out ChatGPT Edu for all Secondary Schools

    In a nationwide artificial intelligence program dubbed "AI Leap 2025," the country of Estonia plans to provide free access to leading AI applications for all secondary school students and teachers. The initiative will launch with a rollout of ChatGPT Edu to 20,000 high school students in grades 10-11 and their 3,000 teachers, beginning Sept. 1.

  • A middle school student wearing safety goggles and a lab coat uses a microscope in a science lab, surrounded by beakers and test tubes filled with colorful liquids

    2025 Young Scientist Challenge Seeks Students Using Science to Solve Everyday Problems

    The entry period is now open for the 2025 3M Young Scientist Challenge, a science competition from 3M and Discovery Education for students in grades 5-8 recognizing individuals across the United States who have "demonstrated a passion for using science to solve everyday problems and improve the world around them."

  • young child sitting at a table, using a tablet with an AI-generated interface

    Research: 1 in 3 Kids Use AI for Learning

    In a survey of parents with children aged 8 or younger, nearly a third of respondents (29%) said their child has used AI for school-related learning, according to a new report from Common Sense Media.