North Carolina Elementary School Sparks a STEM Revolution with Robotics and Gaming!

Dive Brief:

• Pupils at North Carolina’s pioneering gaming and robotics elementary institution — believed to be the first of its type. — will gain insights into both fields within their math and science lessons as well as through extracurricular pursuits.
• Foust Gaming and Robotics Elementary School welcomed students and staff on Jan. 6, after three years of renovations as the public institution refurbished its facility and updated its curriculum to support the new programming, funded by a $300 million bond measure that was greenlit in 2020.
• Though Foust is considered the first to emphasize this kind of programming at the elementary level, high schools across the United States have adopted esports in recent times.

Dive Insight:

A Pew Research Center poll discovered that 85% of adolescents engage in video gaming, and while they are evidently a source of amusement, studies indicate they also nurture the essential technical and academic abilities needed for success in STEM professions.

“Learners have grown up in this technology era, so gaming and robotics is something that they’re familiar with. However, it’s about uncovering the layers and demonstrating the critical components that contribute to what creates a video game, and how a robot operates as it does,” stated Foust Elementary Principal Kendrick Alston.

Foust Elementary is part of Guilford County Schools, catering to 173 learners in Pre-K through fifth grade, according to the latest figures provided by the district. Through Legends of Learning, a program that assists educators in developing curriculum via games, students will grasp the fundamental design of gaming. Upon reaching grades 3-5, they will have the opportunity to design and code video games and gain insights into the creative elements such as visual art, narrative writing, and music that are integral to video games.

The institution aims to be deliberate about shaping the experience for students, Alston remarked. The younger grades will receive foundational instruction, such as understanding the basic elements of a video game, allowing them to build on this knowledge as they progress through the higher grades, he said.

The elementary school is collaborating with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, which houses an esports gaming lab, to define the game design curriculum and tailor lessons for the elementary education level.

The collaborative nature of robotics and gaming is a primary skill that Alston envisions students cultivating, along with innovative thinking. Alston mentioned that the school anticipates an increase in student attendance and academic performance, as the new programming may render school more attractive for learners.

“We must determine how to make school more appealing for them, granting them chances to engage in more imaginative activities,” Alston remarked. “This provides us an opportunity to truly recognize aspects of a student that may not be evident in traditional academic settings.” 

Indeed, the enthusiasm for gaming is becoming evident at advanced levels of education. As per the National Federation of State High School Associations, a total of 27,051 students participated in esports during the 2023-24 academic year. Furthermore, over 200 colleges and universities are connected with the National Association of Collegiate Esports, many of which provide scholarships.