STUDENT IMPACT
Some students come to school for esports. Then they stay for everything else.
For many students, esports is the reason they first connect with school. What begins as competition becomes friendships, leadership skills, academic motivation, workforce experience, and a plan for the future.
6,356 student & educator survey responses · 2022–2025
AT A GLANCE
The Outcomes Schools Care About
97%
Make at least one new
friend by joining esports
42%
Have not been involved in any
school activity before esports
98%
Say their esports advisor is a
trusted adult
72%
Say their team motivates
them to come to school
400+ schools · 12,000+ students statewide
BELONGING
Every Student Deserves a Place to Belong
The students who benefit most from esports are often the ones who never found a place in traditional activities. Garden State Esports intentionally creates opportunities for students who have historically been underrepresented or underserved, ensuring more students can experience the friendships, confidence, leadership, and sense of belonging that come from being part of a team.
51%
Attend Title I Schools
Where access to extracurricular opportunities can have an outsized impact.
52%
Students of Color
Building programs that reflect the diversity of New Jersey’s schools.
40%
Multilingual Households
Creating welcoming communities for students from every background.
25%
IEP, 504, or Autism
Expanding opportunities for students often underrepresented in school activities.
Belonging is not a byproduct of our programs. It is something we intentionally design for.
Unified League
Students with disabilities compete alongside general education peers as equal teammates in an asynchronous statewide league designed to maximize participation and belonging.
Valkyrie League
A championship pathway designed to create more opportunities for girls and marginalized genders to compete, lead, and build confidence in scholastic esports.
Every student deserves a trusted adult
Research consistently shows that having a trusted adult at school is one of the strongest protective factors for student well-being and success. Garden State Esports gives students another opportunity to build that relationship. Through practices, competitions, and everyday conversations, coaches become mentors, advocates, and role models.
98%
say their esports advisor is a trusted adult
they would turn to in a crisis
Students can't learn if they're absent
Monmouth University Attendance Study
For many students, school becomes something they have to attend, not somewhere they want to be. A team changes that. Practices, teammates, coaches, and weekly competition create accountability, relationships, and something to look forward to after the last bell. When students feel connected, they show up.
Average Absences Per Student
10.84 before participation
9.10 after participation
Researchers analyzed attendance records for 229 students across three New Jersey high schools participating in Garden State Esports. During the first year of the study, average absences declined from 10.84 to 9.10 days per student, while participating schools regained a total of 259 student-days of instruction.
72%
Students say their team motivates them to come to school.
89%
Students work harder when participation is tied to academics.
259
Instructional days regained in the first-year Monmouth University attendance study.
“Attendance doesn’t improve because students like video games. It improves because students have teammates waiting for them, coaches who notice when they’re missing, and a school community they don’t want to let down.”
-Traci Sellers, Barnegat High School Varsity Coach and Study Participant
Every match is one more reason for a student to come to school tomorrow.
Leadership & Workforce Development
Not every leader holds a controller
Every successful esports program depends on more than the students competing on stage. Behind every match are student leaders planning events, producing broadcasts, troubleshooting technology, creating content, and managing teams. Garden State Esports intentionally creates opportunities for students to discover their strengths, develop real-world skills, and prepare for college and future careers.
College pathways
College opportunities aren't an accident.
Garden State Esports connects students with colleges through campus events, recruiting showcases, scholarships, and the annual College Combine, giving them access to opportunities they may never have discovered on their own. Whether a student's passion is competing, broadcasting, production, or technology, College Pathways helps turn that passion into a pathway toward higher education, scholarships, and future careers.
191
Recruitmet offers
12
Full rides earned
$1M+
Scholarship and merit aid offered
RECOGNITION
Backed by the organizations that run New Jersey schools
Ready to Create These Outcomes at Your School?
Garden State Esports helps New Jersey schools build programs where students find belonging, develop leadership, and prepare for what comes next.