Get Equipped for Leadership in the World of Scholastic Esports

Presented by NASEF 

Are you interested in bringing scholastic esports to your classroom or afterschool setting? Join us for a session that dives into how esports can be a thriving community where youth acquire crucial skills for success in both professional and personal life. Whether you’re just getting started or growing an existing program in elementary school, middle school, high school or community-based organization, you’ll see how to blend play and learning for impact. Learn about NASEF’s research-based format, including factors BEYOND gameplay to maximize student engagement and impacts. 

Dates/Times
Saturday, March 1 - 10:00am to 11:00am, 3:45pm to 4:45pm | Atrium Space
Sunday, March 2 - 10:00am to 11:00am, 3:45pm to 4:45pm | Atrium Space 

Value of Esports

Presented by NASEF 

Why is esports beneficial for kids? This workshop will share an overview of NASEF's scholastic approach to esports. You'll see the hard data and real-life examples showing how NASEF intertwines play and learning (in and out of school) for improved grades, attendance, and social emotional skills. See how to incorporate career exploration to prepare participants to work in the fast-growing esports industry. 

Dates/Times
Saturday, March 1 - 11:15am to 12:15pm, 5:00pm to 6:00pm | Atrium Space
Sunday, March 2 - 11:15am to 12:15pm, 5:00pm to 6:00pm | Atrium Space 

Collegiate Esports Panel

Join us for an informative session open to anyone interested in the world of college esports—whether you're a high school student, parent, or coach! Hear from a diverse panel of college directors and coaches as they share insights into their programs, discuss current trends in the collegiate space, and provide an overview of the recruiting process. The event will conclude with a Q&A, giving you the chance to ask the panelists any questions you have about esports at the collegiate level.

Dates/Times
Saturday, March 1 - 2:45pm to 3:30pm | Atrium Space
Sunday, March 2 - 2:45pm to 3:30pm | Atrium Space

How to Build a PC Workshop

Presented by LANFest

Join us for an engaging hands-on workshop where you’ll learn to build your own PC from scratch! Whether you’re a beginner or tech-savvy, this session will guide you through selecting components, assembling hardware, and understanding the inner workings of a custom computer. Walk away with the knowledge and confidence to create your dream setup or tackle future upgrades. All skill levels welcome! 

Dates/Times
Friday, February 28 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm | Atrium Space
Saturday, March 1 - 9:00am to 10:00am, 12:30pm to 2:30pm, 6:15pm to 8:15pm | Atrium Space
Sunday, March 2 - 9:00am to 10:00am, 12:30pm to 2:30pm | Atrium Space 

Minecraft: Beginner Level Workshop

Presented by CS4IL

An introduction to Minecraft, the different versions, and how parents, teachers, and students can access the education version. Basic walkthrough of example modules, including the code editor. 

Dates/Times
Saturday, March 1 - 10:00am to 11:00am | Shaw Room
Sunday, March 2 - 10:00am to 11:00am | Shaw Room

*20 PCs Max Capacity 

Minecraft: A Teacher Workshop

Presented by CS4IL

How to introduce Minecraft into the classroom, whether you are a CS teacher, or another subject area. Minecraft is very versatile and comes with many pre-built modules. You do not need to be a coding expert to work with Minecraft. 

Dates/Times
Saturday, March 1 - 11:30am to 1:00pm | Shaw Room
Sunday, March 2 - 11:30am to 1:00pm | Shaw Room 

*20 PCs Max Capacity

Minecraft: Advanced Level Workshop

Presented by CS4IL 

For participants who are already familiar with Minecraft, we will discuss advanced topics like GameCode, the MakeCode editor, exporting worlds, using third-party tools, and extending Minecraft into robotics, physical computing, and multi-media applications. 

Dates/Times
Saturday, March 1 - 3:30pm to 5:00pm | Shaw Room
Sunday, March 2 - 3:30pm to 5:00pm | Shaw Room 

*20 PCs Max Capacity

Farmcraft Workshop

Presented by NASEF

Farmcraft® is an educational program that uses Minecraft to enhance the understanding of the challenges faced by agricultural producers and distributors around the world. It focuses on land use, food security, and alternative methods of agriculture. In fact, Farmcraft® was highlighted at the UN World Food Forum as a valuable tool to help youth understand and tackle the issues of food security! Attend this workshop for an overview of the Farmcraft challenges, plus play in the custom world to see if you can grow enough crops to feed the world. 

Dates/Times
Saturday, March 1 - 1:15pm to 2:45pm, 5:30pm to 7:00pm (May be available based on demand) | Shaw Room
​Sunday, March 2 - 1:15pm to 2:45pm | Shaw Room

*20 PCs Max Capacity