TAMPA, Fla. — Sligh Magnet Middle School in Tampa unveiled a new esports and broadcasting arena this week that Hillsborough County Public Schools leaders say will support regular classroom instruction while introducing students to skills used in a multi-billion-dollar industry.
The arena is a first-of-its-kind facility in Florida, according to school leaders. It includes dozens of gaming areas, a 22-foot by 8-foot wall of screens and broadcasting equipment designed to give students hands-on experience in front of and behind the camera.
For seventh grader Logan Johnson, the new arena connects to interests he already has. Johnson said the arena also gives students a break from the demands of school…