Edison High School in Northeast Philadelphia has opened a new gaming room for its students, writes Mike Denardo for KYW Newsradio.

The room includes flat screens, arcade games, furniture, and a colorful mural with a comic book vibe.

Last year, Lillian Izzard, the school’s principal, was awarded the Lindback Award.

The decision to open the new e-sports room was made after a talk with her students.

“When I was awarded the $20,000, this would have been the best thing for them – to have a place for them to be able to gather,” said Izzard.

Students can earn game time by having good attendance, performing well academically, and staying out of trouble.

Damyan Santiago, a senior at Edison, said the game room provided a welcome bond with his friends.

“I’m often, like, trudging away on my senior project,” he said. “Coming into a nice place to release some steam is really great.”

Students are also rewarded with time in the game room by scoring points through the school’s Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support system.

While the eSports room is purely for fun now, Izzard hopes to eventually incorporate computer science education into the game room.

Read more about the new eSports room at Edison High School and the early reaction from students in KYW Newsradio.

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