Stamford Computer Athlete Charts Path to College

From College For Every Student.

Last spring Jahdavid James, a Stamford student currently in 8th grade, was drafted by Major League Gaming (MLG), a professional competitive e-sports organization. He and his Call of Duty: Ghosts team, HOVA, compete in online and live tournaments that are both broadcast and attended live by spectators. This summer MLG sent him to a weeklong gaming competition in England, where his team went up against 100 other teams and placed fourth overall – winning $1,000 each in the process. In a recent online tournament their team of four won $1,500.

It may sound strange to a generation of parents for whom video games are academic anathema – something that keeps students from learning the skills they need to get to college. “I can see where they’re coming from,” Jahdavid says, “back then you never won money for playing a computer game.” Today, there is not just prize money to be made at tournaments, there are also scholarships to be won. One Chicago college is now awarding athletic scholarships to students who play in collegiate e-sport leagues.

“It is like a sport. It teaches you leadership, discipline, and teamwork,” says Jahdavid. “Together, my team is a unit – if there’s a glitch, we fall apart. I’ve learned how to cooperate and how to work with others’ strengths and weaknesses. I’ve become kinder, and I feel more focused.”

Some college admissions officers are beginning to understand the skills that gamers develop to excel in competition – the ability to strategize, effective communication, adaptability, organization, and experiential learning skills – are also desirable traits in college applicants.

Even though college is years away for Jahdavid, he’s already preparing for that goal. His school, Cloonan Middle, is one of 200 across the nation that participate in College For Every Student (CFES) a program that helps students in underserved schools gain the knowledge and skills they need to get to college and succeed there.

Thanks to a collaboration between CFES and West Point, Jahdavid got involved in a robotics program designed to expose students to STEM fields – science, technology, engineering, and math. Through this program he’s learned that he would like to pursue a degree in computer engineering or computer science at MIT or Georgia Tech. After learning about the many ways to pay for college, he opened a college savings account funded by his tournament winnings.

Also through CFES, Jahdavid has been mentoring 6th grade students to help them transition to middle school. “I’m helping my mentee, Kyle, with his organizational skills,” he says. “I’ll give him a little challenge, like keeping his locker clean for two days, and then I’ll reward him with a treat. Motivation is key.” The practice is reminiscent of video game achievement systems that reward players for meeting certain goals.

Using combined skills and knowledge he’s gained through College For Every Student and competitive gaming, Jahdavid James is well prepared to succeed in achieving his goals on his pathway to college.

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College For Every Student (CFES) is a nonprofit organization based in Essex, NY, that helps underserved students get to and through college, ready to enter the workforce. Currently, CFES works with 200 schools in 24 states and Ireland to help its 20,000 students move toward college success. Over the last six years, 95 percent of CFES grade 12 students have gone on to college. (www.collegefes.org)

Contributed photo: Jahdavid James.