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CBS News x HARTs Full Video 12.29.25

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Bay student athletes at a high school in Camry Heights Queens have won both state and national championships without setting foot on a field their sport is competitive video gaming a program growing in schools Nationwide elmic Logan has the story Amari McDonald is a junior at Hearts High School a stem focused Public School in Cambria Heights like right now we're learning triangle congruence and just congruent statements with classes in robotics drones and graphic art there's 1 reason above all he can't wait to get to school each day video games there's a leaderboard see how much things you have like just to see how comfortable you are with your character 40 students make up the Esports program at Hearts High School which swept the 2025 New York state competition coaches say training keeps players sharp well right now we're doing scrimmages we have been practicing Monday through Friday 3 hours a day we have varsity junior varsity clubs so everybody can learn from each other in a new state-of-the-art facility the program incorporates computer science and soft our engineering that's probably my biggest goal to be a single engineer or some type of engineer principal coyote ayata says Esports connect students with scholarships and because students often already game is is a natural fit critics share concerns about too much time taking away from school work Hobbies or just living life offline Educators say balance is key we see an increase in enrollment engagement attendance there is a buzz about what's happening here in Cambria to make sure our soft skills how they communicate how they work as a team and then there's technical skills you know how how they program how they build creatively how they do design you know the engineering cycle are you skeptical at first I was very skeptical at first I'm Maris Sherry Duncan says her mind was changed witnessing her son's personal growth new enthusiasm and tight bonds they are a team they all move together inside and outside of Esports students say their team gives them a reason to hold their heads High have you any change in your life through this experience yes um at first um I was a very quiet person I never used to want to talk to anyone but this year when Eastport started I was speaking to almost everyone it's a basically helping me uplift myself and bring everybody up with me in Queens l m Logan CBS News New York lives in Queens and covers the burrow Forest if you have a story to share you can scan the QR code on your screen next on the CB

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CBS News x HARTs Full Video 12.29.25

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