CHARLOTTE, N.C. — January 23, 2025 — Stay Plugged In, a leading gaming organization focused on providing educational and career opportunities to high school students, together with Brightspeed, one of the nation’s largest fiber broadband builders, today officially launches the Brightspeed Bright Future Esports Lab Contest. This exciting initiative will give one deserving North Carolina high school the opportunity to receive a custom-designed and fully constructed state-of-the-art STEM and Esports Lab to enhance both education and gaming experiences.
“We are thrilled to partner with Brightspeed on this incredible initiative,” said Rick Suarez, managing director of Stay Plugged In. “This contest represents more than just a chance to win a new lab — it’s about creating new pathways for high school students to explore and excel in STEM and esports. By providing schools with access to advanced technology and hands-on learning experiences, we’re helping to prepare the next generation for success in both the classroom and the workforce.”
Through this collaboration, Stay Plugged In and Brightspeed are committed to advancing Career and Technical Education (CTE) and expanding access to STEM career pathways. By providing high-quality resources and cutting-edge technology, the Bright Future contest aims to inspire the next generation of innovators, problem solvers, and esports athletes.
“At Brightspeed, investing in the communities we serve is an important part of our culture and business strategy,” said Tali Kulbeda, head of local marketing at Brightspeed. “We want to make meaningful impacts to help bridge the digital divide and uplift communities. Our support of Stay Plugged In’s mission of creating opportunities for students to earn college scholarships as well as gain skills through technical education helps develop the next generation of engineers, strategists and technicians who can excel in today’s hyper-connected world.”
The Brightspeed Bright Future Esports Lab Contest invites North Carolina high schools within Brightspeed service areas to compete for the chance to win a new, custom-built STEM and Esports Lab. The newly launched esports lab will feature high-powered gaming PCs, the latest gaming consoles, and top-of-the-line gaming peripherals. It also offers dedicated space for broadcast and production, as well as access to STEM learning projects for students. The contest will unfold in three exciting phases:
Phase 1: High schools across North Carolina can register to enter the contest and compete for the opportunity to receive a new Esports Lab buildout.
Phase 2: Participating schools will compete in a series of educational challenges to earn points for their school, driving their chances of making it to the final round.
Phase 3: The top three schools will be announced, and the community — including students, parents, and teachers — will have the chance to vote for the winning school.
The winning school will be announced prior to the end of the 2024-2025 school year, with a grand reveal of the new lab set for Fall 2025. This contest is open to high schools within Brightspeed’s North Carolina service area, running from January 23 to May 2025.
Starting today, high schools can register here brightfuture.staypluggedin.com. For full contest rules and terms and conditions, visit brightfuture.staypluggedin.com.
About Stay Plugged In
Stay Plugged In is dedicated to creating educational and career opportunities for high school students through esports, CTE, and STEM programs. Established in 2020, Stay Plugged In has been named the leading esports recruiting platform in the US for three consecutive years, generating more than $40 million in scholarship benefits for its student members. Stay Plugged In is dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for students of all levels, enabling growth, learning and community through gaming.
Media Contact Public Relations info@staypluggedin.com
About Brightspeed
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C. and with assets and associated operations in 20 states, Brightspeed provides broadband and telecommunications services through a network platform capable of serving more than 6.5 million homes and businesses. Our 4,000 employees are committed to building a future where more communities benefit from a more connected life, deploying a state-of-the-art fiber network and a customer experience that makes being connected as simple as it should be. For more information, please visit www.brightspeed.com.
Media Contact Public Relations pr@brightspeed.com