What if one program could measurably improve enrollment, attendance, and GPAs — especially for the students your other initiatives aren't reaching?

In this episode of Insight On, host Jillian Viner sits down with Joe McAllister, senior business development manager at Insight and former high school math teacher, to talk about how esports in schools do exactly that.

Joe explains why a small investment — often around $5K — can scale into campus-wide impact, and why esports labs become multipurpose spaces for CAD, VR, graphic design, and more.

You'll hear:

How structured esports programs drive social-emotional learning, communication. and teamwork

Why research shows no link between violent games and violent behavior — and what games schools actually choose to play

How esports create equity for students of all abilities, including those in wheelchairs or with learning differences

Where esports provide opportunities for college scholarships and unexpected career pathways (broadcast, marketing, IT, management)

Practical steps to start small, justify the spend to your board, and grow from a $5K pilot to a campus-wide program Jump right to… 00:00: Welcome and why this topic now 02:10: From gamer to educator to esports leader 04:37: What esports really are in education 05:13: Busting the "isolated gamer" stereotype 06:29: Social-emotional learning in the esports arena 07:41: Health, fitness, and performance in gaming 10:32: Violence in games — what research actually shows 12:53: The most surprising benefit: student equity 16:47: Do esports end after high school? 17:01: Scholarships, college programs, and career paths 22:40: Making the budget case — especially in low-income schools 28:26: The minimum viable esports program (starting around $5K) 33:04: How to launch, measure impact, and scale campus-wide