By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

education and gaming

Red Deer Public Schools Esports Academy gets new name and look

Feb 1, 2024 | 11:44 AM

The Red Deer Public Schools Esports Academy team is leveling up with a new look and name.

The academy’s team, which competes in the High School Esports League (HSEL) is now called the Leviathans.

The program itself got started in 2017, but launched as a full academy earlier this school year at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School, led by students’ growing understanding of marketing and journalism, the academy says in a press release crafted by the students as part of an assignment.

Students compete in a wide array of games, from Super Smash Bros to Mario Kart 8, Rocket League, Valorant and Minecraft, to name a few, all while competing against schools from around North America.

“This student-led initiative [of a new name and logo] is a testament to the Academy’s commitment to fostering a dynamic and inclusive community, where students are not just participants but active contributors to the evolving culture of Esports education,” the students say.

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“The Leviathans was one of 18 possible names the students identified and experimented with in determining the direction and brand of the program. ‘The Leviathans’ was quickly identified as one of the top three options available and the students began the work of developing the logo and identifying the core values of the program.”

The Leviathans value respect for fellow peers, education through gaming and creating a positive attitude towards school. It can also prepare students for future opportunities in gaming, IT, marketing, journalism, and Esports.

“Almost 200 different logo iterations were developed, considered and explored in the process of creating the final team logo. The logo’s bright colours speak to our modern perspective as we strive to grow and improve as a program and as students, while also calling back to the digital norm of our members’ daily lives,” they explain.

“The green was chosen as a reflection of the original green font from the Apple 2e computers that helped mark the birth of early competitive gaming and coding. The headphones speak to modern advances that have been made in the industry as it continues to grow and change. The Lovecraft inspired mascot speaks to the things we have yet to learn and to the ancient and universal appeal of gaming over time while also connecting to the English Language Arts and writing requirements of the program.”

The logo process also included volunteers from Epic Games, Bungie Studios, Bioware Games, Satchi & Satchi Advertising Co., Red Deer Public Schools Community Relations department, and Seaspan Consulting Services Ltd.

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