Oasis Academy College Prep is excited to announce the start of two new programs. Both include exciting pathways to colleges. They are FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics and esports. Here is more on the programs.
FIRST Tech Challenge
The FIRST Tech Challenge builds on the fantastic FIRST Lego Robotics program started by Kathy Keitz. With FIRST Tech Challenge, Oasis Academy is bringing a robust robotics program to our college prep high school that will compete with other Nevada teams and prepare our students for impressive STEAM careers. This is an elective class and competitive team. In the FIRST program OACP students will move from building with Lego parts to using and programming robotic components they will encounter in college and the workforce. As we make this program into a competitive team, we will need expert help from parents and the community. If you have a background in engineering, mechanics, or design, we would love to hear from you so we can turn our robotics program into a college springboard for our students.
In order to qualify for this opportunity, we must offer FIRST Tech Challenge as a class. We are looking for both a teacher for the class as well as an additional coach (the program requires that we have 2 coaches- a teacher and one other person).
Esports!
Video games have rapidly evolved. Competitive gaming has become a billion-dollar business and is projected to grow exponentially. The prevalence of esports in schools is likewise expanding. Only seven colleges and universities had varsity esports programs in 2016. By 2018 there were 63 institutions, and in 2022 over 500 schools. These include major institutions such as Boise State, Texas A&M, and the University of Montana. And the scholarship money is following the trend as well, with over 200 colleges and universities offering $16 million in scholarships in 2019. Epsorts have become a legitimate pathway to college for many students. We need any parents, guardians, relatives, or anyone who has experience playing competitive esports to help us build this into the premier esports program in Nevada.
If you are interested in either opportunity please reach out to mmackedon@oanv.org