BESF to implement scholastic esports programs through partnership

Esports disciplines are booming and students in The Bahamas are excited to not just play the games, but to pursue related careers. To support this thirst for competition and education, the Bahamas Esports Federation (BESF) has just signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and will become an affiliate member of the North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF).

A strong national network enables BESF to offer significant learning opportunities related to esports while expanding tournament play through NASEF. NASEF will provide free tournaments, programs, curriculum and expertise to help scholastic esports grow and thrive in The Bahamas.

Any middle or high school interested in offering their students STEM/STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) programs through esports or school club for esports, are asked to please reach out to the federation at email address: contact@besf242.org. This offer is free for all schools in The Bahamas through the BESF.

NASEF leverages massive student interest in team-based competitive video gaming, offering meaningful career and STEM education alongside tournaments. Students learn about possible career pathways, enter Beyond the Game creative and analytic challenges, manage clubs and events and fundraising, and compete in tournaments in popular titles including but not limited to: Overwatch, Madden, Rocket League, Valorant and Minecraft.

Middle and high school years are significant development times in anyone’s life, including those looking to get into careers involving esports. Signing this MOU and working with NASEF will allow the federation to offer a play-and-learn combination that builds life and career skills to the upcoming generation of esports players, team managers, shoutcasters, audio/video engineers, marketers and more.

“We hope to share and develop an educational curriculum, not only just for the esports ecosystem but also bringing in elements that can help attract students to be more engaged with their work,” the federation stated in a press release. “We also hope to establish programs for coaches, upcoming esports managers, teachers, and players, along with creating and hosting internationally joint competitions, events and workshops.”

The BESF’s vision is that esports becomes a new avenue for entrepreneurship, job creation, tourism, youth empowerment and development in The Bahamas. The results fostered through esports in The Bahamas that the BESF aims to achieve and expects include, but are not limited to, improved economy in The Bahamas, happier youth, improved academic education and a reduction of crime and undesirable behavior.

“We also hope to create and foster competitive esports programs through the lens of academics and learning in The Bahamas’ middle schools and high schools by providing assistance, organizing tournaments and presenting information to schools and advisers,” the release stated. “NASEF offers a unique focus on diversity with an emphasis on cultivating talents in potentially underserved populations and provide a pathway to college scholarships and careers in the gaming industry.”

Gerald Solomon, founder and executive director of NASEF, said: “Research demonstrates the effectiveness of esports as a tool for meaningful STEM and social-emotional learning. We’re thrilled to have the BESF in the NASEF family, where educators will be able to learn best practices from other community networks with experience implementing scholastic esports programs. Of course, the students will be thrilled to take part in huge tournaments in popular games. We’re excited to support the BESF and see the growth across The Bahamas in the coming years.”

Interested persons are asked to visit the NASEF website or the BESF website for more information. Schools across The Bahamas are invited to join BESF and NASEF and tap into their events and resources. BESF is a not-for-profit, non-governmental, religiously neutral, non-discriminatory federation dedicated to the growth and development of the esports/gaming culture and community in The Bahamas.

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