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Public commenter urges GRPS sponsorship of state high-school esports event at DeVos Place
Summary
Dee Jones, adviser to the Michigan High School Esports Federation, asked Grand Rapids Public Schools to consider sponsoring a state esports championship at DeVos Place and described student participation, college involvement and community partnerships.
Dee Jones, adviser for the Michigan High School Esports Federation and founder of Jump Ahead LLC, urged Grand Rapids Public Schools officials Monday to consider sponsoring a statewide high-school esports championship set for DeVos Place.
Jones told the finance committee the event drew roughly 400 student participants from about 70 schools and will crown 15 state champions. He said the federation’s activities provide extracurricular opportunities for students who do not participate in traditional athletics and help level the playing field for students with disabilities or health issues. "Esports levels the playing field," Jones said.
Jones described partnerships with higher-education institutions and industry interest; he said colleges including Central Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Ferris State are engaged, and that he had been invited to participate in an online entrepreneurial platform at Harvard Business School. He offered a sponsorship form to the district and said local companies were interested in donating equipment and support.
The comment was made during the public-comment portion of the committee meeting; the item was not on the purchasing agenda and no formal action on sponsorship was recorded in the transcript.
Ending The district did not announce any immediate follow-up or decision on sponsorship during the meeting.
