Press Releases

Vanta, EMSP, Intel foster accessible, inclusive esports community across schools

June 9, 2023

Posted by: Shriya Raban

Vanta, East Metro STEAM Partnership (EMSP), Multnomah Education Service District (MESD), and Intel have joined forces to establish an esports community initiative that emphasizes accessibility for East Multnomah County high schools and middle schools. This collaboration will create a competitive and developmental esports league culminating in an in-person championship event.

“EMSP is excited to partner with Intel, Vanta, and MHCC on our Esports Programme,” says Jarvez Hall, EMSP director. “It is the centerpiece of our work to encourage more computer science in our east county schools and support deeper connections among schools, industry, and higher education in technology to provide opportunities to underrepresented communities.”

As a key partner, Vanta is providing a tailored esports platform for EMSP’s East Metro STEAM’s high school and Middle School esports leagues. Additionally, Vanta offers esports coaches and professional development resources to support East Metro STEAM’s initiatives. The selected game titles for the esports league are Rocket League and League of Legends, engaging students from various schools within the East Metro community.

“Vanta is very excited to partner with ESMP to provide esports coaching, professional development and platform services for their High School and Middle School Leagues,” says Vanta co-founder, Ed Lallier. “With the additional support from Intel, we are creating an accessible and inclusive community that provides a platform for kids to learn meaningful skills that can lead to college scholarships.”

Intel, another prominent partner, is supplying Intel NUCs to the participating schools, ensuring that all East Metro schools involved in the esports program have the necessary technology to actively participate and excel in the digital realm.

“At Intel, we endeavor to provide all communities with the technology access and digital readiness needed to participate in growing technology trends and future career skills, so this opportunity to grow K-12 esports in East Multnomah County, Oregon means a lot to us,” says Corey Frazier, technology partnerships & investments community programmes at Intel. “We’re excited to join the EMSP, MESD, Vanta, and our partners at ByteSpeed to launch the East Metro Esports League and inaugural tournament powered by our Intel NUC Extreme Kits. We look forward to this tournament, and future engagements, being an exposure to the broad career opportunities provided by esports and being a gateway to STEAM through activities like PC assembly and content production.”

The highly anticipated in-person championship event, the East Metro Esports Championships, is set to take place on Saturday, June 3rd, at Mt Hood Community College’s Vista Dining Hall in Gresham, Oregon. Running from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm PT, the event promises a range of activities that will captivate attendees.

The East Metro Esports Championships will feature competitions in League of Legends and Rocket League, where both high school and middle school students will showcase their skills and teamwork. In addition to the intense gameplay, attendees will have the opportunity to attend PC Build Seminars hosted by Free Geek, a College Fair, Speaking Panels, and Gaming Demos, creating an experience that encompasses various aspects of the esports and gaming industry.

For more information about the partnership between Vanta, East Metro STEAM Partnership, Multnomah Education Service District, and Intel, or to inquire about the upcoming East Metro STEAM esports championship event, please contact:

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