Level Up Learning: How eSports Builds Life Skills for Young People
As an eSports Coordinator at the Center for Educational Innovation (CEI) in New York City, Torres uses video games to teach students about leadership, collaboration, and confidence, all while making learning fun.
“When I was younger, I would just think about the story,” Torres says. “I wasn't really thinking about the things outside of it (games) that I was able to apply. Things like teamwork and communication.”
That insight has shaped his approach to teaching. Others, helping students see that gaming can build both confidence and community. Every time he walks into a classroom filled with students ready to play, he sees more than game players – he sees future leaders learning how to connect, strategize, and grow.
Reimagining Learning Through Play
Founded in 1989, CEI has spent over three decades helping schools in underserved communities unlock opportunities for student success. Its esports program brings coaches, equipment, and structured gameplay directly into classrooms, transforming them into arenas of connection, teamwork, and growth.
“The missing piece in education is engagement,” says Jadd Schmeltzer, CEI’s Director of eSports. “Not every student learns the same way. eSports and gaming provide an opportunity for engagement.”
That philosophy is the foundation of CEI’s three-pillar curriculum, combining gaming and strategy, social-emotional learning, and career exploration. It’s a model designed to turn play into purpose. Students don’t just play – they practice teamwork and communication, learn to manage emotions, and discover future career paths that reach far beyond the screen.
The eSports program is based on principles of healthy gaming and digital citizenship. Students are taught to balance play with wellbeing, develop discipline, and respect boundaries. It even provides guidance on branding and online behavior to prepare students for a digital world where safety and reputation matter.
Leveling up Together
eSports is proving to be an innovative and effective way to reach students where they are – in digital spaces that feel natural and exciting. In the process, it’s reshaping how education can look: inclusive, engaging, and future-ready.
As Torres puts it, “The goal is to level everyone up. We learn together, we play together, and we level up together.”
Because when games become a platform for learning and inclusion, everyone wins.
Explore more stories about how games can inspire learning, growth, and connection in communities worldwide.
