Fostering Connection Through Competition: The Launch of the LATAM International School E-Sports League

By Charles Hopkins Middle School Design Technology Teacher, Nido de Aguilas

E-Sports is a topic that has been circulating within international schools for years. Once viewed by some as a digital novelty, competitive gaming has matured into a global phenomenon, driven by influencers, professional streamers, and international competitions—even permeating pop culture, as seen in Linkin Park’s recent collaboration with the League of Legends World Champions.

While the COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst for E-Sports—demonstrating the value of competitive and social events that transcend physical travel—the return to "normalcy" presented a challenge: How do we sustain this momentum? We recognized a continued need for events that promote sportsmanship, strategy, and digital citizenship for a unique segment of our student population.

In the current educational landscape, where there is often hesitation regarding technology in the classroom, it is vital to make decisions that set all our communities up for success by supporting the interests of all students. Just because a student is not active in traditional athletics doesn’t mean they shouldn't benefit from the life skills gained through team sports.

From Screen Time to Screen Use

The turning point for Nido de Aguilas came following the ISTELive 2024 conference in Denver. Our IT department returned inspired by new insights into the educational value of scholastic gaming. They facilitated discussions on how E-Sports provides a platform for non-traditional students to build collaboration and teamwork, highlighting the critical difference between passive "screen time" and active "screen use."

Parents are already seeing this difference in action. As one Nido parent observed regarding their child’s participation:

"He was open to exploring new strategies to make the most of the team’s strengths. He was able to work as part of a team even though it was the first time he played with his teammates, and they managed to make it work in the best way possible."

This inspiration sparked a regional initiative that has now evolved into the LATAM International School E-Sports League.

A Historic Kick-Off

On Saturday, December 6th, we proudly hosted our inaugural LATAM E-Sports event powered by DAIGON E-Sports. The turnout was a testament to the region's appetite for connection: 14 Middle School and High School teams and 4 Elementary School teams represented 8 schools across 6 countries.

We were thrilled to see competitors join us from:

• Nido de Aguilas

• Escuela Bella Vista

• American School of Brasilia (EAB)

• Academia Cotopaxi

• Craighouse School

• Asociacion Escuelas Lincoln

• International School of Curitiba

• Escuela Internacional Sampedrana

Students collaborated and competed in Capture the Flag matches using Minecraft for Education. A key success of this initiative was its inclusivity; the platform allowed schools to participate regardless of their hardware ecosystem—MacBooks, Chromebooks, Windows devices, and iPads were all compatible.

For the students, the experience went far beyond just playing a game. One student competitor shared:

"I was so excited about how incredible it felt to represent Nido! I was energized by the teamwork, the communication, and the sense of unity on the field. It was a completely different experience from playing at home... everyone was focused on the same goal and cheering each other on every step of the way."

Another student noted the shift in mindset required for tournament play:

"It’s different because this time I was competing to win something... This is a chance you get once a year, so it’s special and not something you can do in your daily life."

Looking Ahead: The Road to Malta

Hosted online and powered by DAIGON, the event’s success has secured our region a pathway to the International School E-Sports World Championship in Malta in November 2026. We are now preparing to compete this coming April, where we will determine which schools will win the

spot to represent the LATAM region on the global stage.

We invite all member schools to join this growing movement. If you are interested in having your school represented in the LATAM league, please reach out to Charles Hopkins at Chopkins[at]nido.cl.

See you online—Game ON!

Editing support for this article provided by Gemini AI.