TAMPA, FL (MARCH 1, 2021) The Skills Center, a Tampa, FL based nonprofit 501(c)(3) that provides academic and leadership success through the power of sports, High Point Gamer, also a Tampa based esports consulting firm that assists in the implementation of esports programming, along with Stradivarius Consulting, a Miami, FL based sports business development consulting firm, are announcing a partnership designed to support the advancement of educational opportunities around esports. The mission of this partnership is to build skills that create economic empowerment and sustainable career opportunities for young people, through the power of gaming.
After Super Bowl LV which was hosted this year in Tampa, the timing of this announcement is closely connected to a newly formed relationship with the Forever Young Foundation, founded in 1993 by NFL Hall of Famer Steve Young. Forever Young Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization focused on passing on hope and resources for the development, strength, and education of children. One of the development projects for the foundation include 8 to 80 Zones, which provide technology and multimedia labs for those living in underserved communities. The 8 to 80 Zones are a collaboration between Steve Young (#8) and Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (#80), which provide youth living in underserved communities the skills to pursue careers in technology, esports, gaming, and media. 8 to 80 Zones not only allow for artistic expression but also afford students the opportunity to gain training on industry-standard equipment and software in the areas of television, radio, voice recording, graphic design, and game development. The Skills Center was the newest recipient of the 8 to 80 Zone for the Tampa Bay area.
“The opportunity for this initiative to impact the youth of the greater Tampa Bay area is very significant,” said Celeste Roberts, Executive Director of The Skills Center. “We are very excited to use this opportunity to enhance our programming and continue along with our mission of bringing sustainable change to the community we have the honor of serving.”
“We believe Esports promotes economic empowerment, social inclusion, diversity and STEAM interests. This partnership will allow us to enhance not only the lives of the kids that will participate, but also the community as a whole due to its location in an underrepresented community,” said Derek Watford, Founder of High Point Gamer. “The Skills Center has a long standing history of using sports to teach life skills to the youth, this is a great opportunity to combine our expertise and do the same on the digital-sports frontier.”
“This partnership made sense both in strength and shared values. This is really the beginning and just one of the many positive and exciting things we can accomplish together,” said Michael Penfield, Principal and CEO of Stradivarius Consulting. “Through continued collaboration and the pursuit of innovation, we look forward to providing more opportunities for communities for a long time to come.”
About The Skills Center
The Skills Center uses the power of sports to create change through academics, life skills, mentoring and health & fitness for youths ages 3-18. The organization seeks to create positive educational outcomes and economic prospects for our youth. www.theskillscenter.org
About High Point Gamer
High Point Gamer (HPG) assists organizations with the planning and implementation of Esports’ programs that promote economic empowerment, social inclusion and diversity. HPG looks to play an ongoing vital role in the developed Esports’ program, to help ensure the program is successful, authentic and sustainable. www.highpointgamer.com
About Stradivarius Consulting
Stradivarius Consulting is a management consulting firm that concentrates on implementing business development strategy, marketing, and branding initiatives for sports business clients. The firm continues to look to the future, as it guides the vision of like-minded companies, organization & brands, and strives to use the power of collaboration to be an innovative, thought leader in the Sports industry. www.stradivariusconsultng.com