This post’s headline has been updated as the live event has ended, however, the article has not been modified.
E-sports: could this be the wave of the future? E-sports has been reported as the fastest-growing sport in Wisconsin. JTV Entertainment, a local organization that is all about E-sports, is run by community leader and teacher, Joseph Schurian. Setting healthy examples of staying positive, spreading love, and being a leader in a virtual atmosphere is crucial to this new medium, according to Schurian.
Known as JosephTheVoice online, Schurian has 4.4K followers on Twitch, an interactive live-streaming service for content including gaming, entertainment, sports, music, and more. “I aim to be a family-friendly streamer who enjoys connecting with his community. I love to see new people coming into stream and chatting, joining the Discord*, or playing along during community nights!”
*Discord is an online instant messaging and digital distribution platform originally used mostly by online gaming communities. Users communicate via chat, voice calls, video calls, text messaging, media, and files in private chats or as part of communities called servers.
Teaching E-sports and More
When speaking of the benefits of E-sports, Schurian said “the endless possibilities that go into learning and adapting, we are helping to build us leaders of the future who are technologically advanced and savvy.”
Not to be confused with a “video games club,” E-sports offers highly coordinated and large-scale organized events throughout many arenas including Racine Unified School District.
RUSD hired Schurian to be the 5th- through 8th-grade “Intro to E-sports” Coordinator. Through this outlet, he oversees the program, teaches and has built the foundation for many students to make use of this exciting endeavor.
He wants to continue improving and growing the E-sports scene in Southeastern Wisconsin. Currently, JTV Entertainment works with a total of 34 schools throughout the area to educate students on this medium.
JosephTheVoice also works for Career Coaches of Wisconsin. By helping with project management of game development and utilizing his strengths with student interns, he is able to teach valuable lessons of moderation and administrative work through content creation.
Schurian also teaches special needs students over the summers, teaching them the values of video game development. His loyalty and dedication show in his daily positivity speaking challenges on Facebook.
Providing for Students
“I am always running into situations where my students might be limited with resources available and I want to help fill that void,” says the online influencer.
Koss is currently a sponsor for JTV Entertainment, as well as Epic games. While Schurian has established relationships in the community and with surrounding E-sports organizations, much help is still needed.
This programming is currently available for all 5th-8th grade level students throughout RUSD schools. As of January, Schurian will be starting enrollment for all surrounding private and parochial schools throughout Racine as well, adding much more urgency to the need for funds.
Fundraiser and Donations
As mentioned earlier, this new medium for bringing positive enrichment to students’ lives is costly, and time is of the essence. JTV is selling raffle tickets to raise the funds needed for the expansion of this program. They are $1 for 1 ticket or 6 for $5. Tickets are on sale through December 31.
By offering more than $3,000 in prizes, the raffle aims to benefit as many students as possible through the expansion of the E-sports programming.
Tune in online right now to JosephTheVoice on Twitch for a live stream fundraiser that is set to run up to 25 hours, depending on donations. The more donations he receives, the longer he will broadcast live.
“We are working to create opportunities for students and people of all ages through video game interactions and E-sports,” said Schurian.
Contact JosephTheVoice@gmail.com or use Paypal to donate directly to the fund. As of Dec. 23, he had raised $1,380 of the goal of $5,000.
Prizes
There is a large assortment of prizes, cataloged on this JTV Facebook post. Donors and sponsors have contributed prizes to this effort including a variety of games, sports memorabilia, art and so much more.
Local News
Local business is the backbone of our community. The Racine County Eye is your local news source that serves our diverse communities. Become a paid subscriber to stay up-to-date with local news while supporting local businesses.