May 10, 2021

MidTown Center secures $5,000 grant to begin video gaming program for students

Posted May 10, 2021 3:23 PM

HUTCHINSON – When Danny Owens and his wife Jenna (HHS class of ’08), decided to move closer to family last year, little did he know that he would be charged with teaching math, starting a gaming program, and coaching an eSports team at MidTown Center. While pioneering this type of virtual sporting, Owens has started implementing nationally accepted curriculum with components like teaching effective anger management and impulse control. As he explains, “Gaming allows the kids to do something they love in a controlled environment and also be able to learn vital soft skills for the future.”

Kevin Stucky, Director of Alternative Education for USD 308, praises the program for encouraging students to think differently. He explains, “In addition to engaging students that might otherwise not love academia, eSports offer a way for students with unique interests to learn invaluable life lessons that can be taught in other contact team sports. Providing students with technical experience in sought-after career fields such as programming, eSports increases employability.”

Owens immediately hit the ground running by securing a $5,000 grant from ONEOK to supply the program with a total of twelve computers. Modeling after the highly successful program at Maize Complete High School, the school has developed a 3-year plan that will allow high school students to mentor middle school gamers, benefitting the older students with work experience and the younger children with positive role models and technology exposure.

MidTown will be relocating to Avenue A next year, where a similar Entrepreneurship Lab will be added to provide hands-on experience for establishing and running small businesses. The goal of MidTown Center is to provide all graduates with a certification that can help them with their post-secondary job search.

For more information on the MidTown Center Video Game Program, contact David Patterson, Principal of MidTown Center, at 620-615-4732, or [email protected].