By Leslie Fuentes
Public Communications
On Thursday, January 16, State Board of Education Member (District 8) Dr. Audrey Young visited Humble High School to observe how Esports instructor Bernard Taylor integrates gaming concepts into his curriculum.
Currently, students at Humble High School have the opportunity to take Esports I and II as elective courses. The curriculum for these courses is being piloted in eight high schools across Texas, including both Atascocita and Humble High Schools. The course is also seeking approval through the State Board of Education to be recognized as an Innovative Course until it is formally adopted as a traditional Career and Technical Education (CTE) course.
As Chair of the Committee on Instruction, Dr. Young observed the Esports class to evaluate the curriculum and determine whether it should be approved as an Innovative Course. During her visit, she attended one of Mr. Taylor’s Esports II lessons on intellectual property.
“This is a new idea and a new area of career focus for our students,” Dr. Young said. “This visit gives me the opportunity to see the course in action and ask any questions as it directly relates to the curriculum itself and how it happens in the classroom. The students seemed to be learning some fundamentals while also being given the opportunity to explore what additional careers can come from learning about esports.”
Regardless of whether esports is officially adopted as an Innovative Course, the pilot curriculum will continue to be offered.
Under the current pilot curriculum, Esports I introduces students to the basics of video game design and the history of technology, focusing on the development of tools like the computer CPU and cell phones. The course also emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility when using technology, encouraging students to make ethical decisions both at school and at home.
In Esports II, students explore topics such as intellectual property, learning how to protect their own creations, as well as app development history, algorithms, scriptwriting, and the process of creating game levels. The course also offers lessons on important life skills, including time management, combating procrastination, and preventing burnout.
“When people think of esports, they often focus only on the competitive gaming side, but there’s so much more to it,” Dr. Di Nardo Bazile, Humble High School’s CTE Principal said. “For instance, we want students to understand intellectual property and cybersecurity, which are essential if they decide to pursue careers in gaming. Our goal is to provide them with a comprehensive education about the esports industry, including its foundations—not just the competitive side.”
Humble High School Esports instructor Bernard Taylor speaks with State Board of Education Member (District 8) Dr. Audrey Young during her visit to Humble High School on January 16.
Taylor shared that many of his students are interested in careers in programming, app development, storyboard creation, and storytelling.
“It’s about bringing together storyboarding, character development, algorithms, programming, and the language of technology to create forms of entertainment that make people feel good,” Taylor explained.
Dr. Bazile also pointed out that several universities now offer esports as a bachelor’s degree. The goal of the esports course at Humble High School is to equip students with the foundational knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the growing esports industry.
“It’s something that’s booming,” Dr. Bazile said about the esports industry. “When Mr. Taylor came aboard, student interest in esports grew, and I think it’s going to continue to grow. Hopefully, students who choose to study esports and pursue a degree in the field can gain some of that foundational knowledge here to help set them on the right path.”
Photo Caption: State Board of Education Member Dr. Audrey Young (seated, first row) visited the Humble High School ESports II class to observe its curriculum on Thursday, January 16, 2025. Also pictured (left to right): President of Educational Innovation at Generation Esports Kristy Custer; Humble High School ESports Instructor Bernard Taylor; Humble High School CTE Principal Dr. Di Nardo Bazile; and Humble ISD Chief Technology Officer Chris Cummings.