Today, Find Your Grind (FYG), an organization dedicated to helping kids explore unconventional careers and alternative lifestyles, announces a massive $450,000 annual esports scholarship fund, in collaboration with leading esport infrastructure company ReKTGlobal.

As the largest annual esports lifestyle scholarship program in the U.S., the fund is open not only to highly-skilled esports athletes, but also teens with a passion and interest in esports, regardless of their education level or playing skill.

To provide additional resources to encourage youth to pursue their passion of gaming, FYG’s partnership with ReKTGlobal will bring esports to the organization’s wide range of programs that excite the passion and entrepreneurial spirit of the next generation of youth through experiential learning and events. ReKTGlobal will help FYG connect passionate youth with mentors ‒ from esports pro players and leaders to game developers ‒ and expand upon the current FYG curriculum by connecting young talent with opportunities in the booming esports industry, which is expected to grow to $1 billion in the next year.

Find Your Grind’s mission is to help expose, enlighten and educate students and teachers to the opportunities of tomorrow by connecting them to professionals relevant to their passions, talents and interests. Unconventional careers and alternative lifestyles are paving the roadmap for the 21st Century, and with this partnership, FYG wants to show youth that esports is a viable lifestyle for those passionate about video games. Through the FYG online platform and curriculum, students will have access to written and visual content, virtual mentorship opportunities, scholarships and more.

“As we’ve hosted our live events with high school students around the nation, one topic that always comes up with them is their passion for esports and gaming,” said Nick Gross, Founder of Find Your Grind. “It is such an exciting industry with huge opportunity for growth among youth, so we wanted to create programs that show students that if they are passionate about gaming, they can pursue it as a viable lifestyle.”

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“With the rapid rise of esports, youth interest in the space is increasing, but so is the need for quality talent,” said Amish Shah, Founder of ReKTGlobal. “We wanted to find a way to give opportunities to students to pursue esports and gaming, but also wanted to support the future of esports by providing the talent that will keep pushing the industry forward. Youth involvement is pivotal for the long-term future of esports and FYG is committed to helping kids carve a path and live their passion for esports.”

Find Your Grind Scholarships are all about helping youth find their grind – whatever that may be. Unlike traditional scholarships, the funds do not need to be used toward a college degree. FYG Scholarships may be applied to college tuition, towards obtaining a license or permit, or even for purchasing necessary equipment youth might need to start a new business. For the Esports Scholarship Program, eligibility is not based on esports skill or grades, it’s based on the student’s story and future aspirations. FYG aims to champion their entrepreneurial spirit and provide students with the tools they need to accomplish their dream. Students can nominate themselves or a peer on findyourgrind.com. More specific details on the esports scholarship will be available in the coming weeks.

“FYG scholarships are about stories not scores,” said FYG co-founder Natasha Barritt. “Our esports scholarships are open to non-athletes and players interested in exploring gaming as a lifestyle path.”

As a part of this partnership, Find Your Grind signed ReKTGlobal as their Agency of Record (AOR) for guidance on its esports strategy. ReKTGlobal will assist with FYG’s national event activations, creating mentorship opportunities with esports players and industry leaders, connecting FYG with strategic partners and assisting with content creation for FYG’s curriculum.

Find Your Grind’s Foundation was started by Nick Gross and Natasha Barritt in 2015 to empower youth to find passion and purpose. The Find Your Grind Foundation also partners with innovative nonprofits that use M.A.T. education (Music, Arts, Technology) to enable students to learn, inspire, and become the next entrepreneurs and innovators of the future. FYG is currently on a nationwide tour through April 2018 to inspire students to make positive choices and leave a positive legacy. They’ll meet more than 150,000 students representing 2,000 high schools from over 40 states.

ReKTGlobal is an esports infrastructure company that bridges the gap between the multi-billion-dollar business of traditional sports and the burgeoning business of esports and competitive gaming. The company connects professional sports and entertainment businesses – from teams and venues to brands and media companies – with esports leaders, aiming to bring the esports industry to its full potential.

For more information on Find Your Grind or ReKTGlobal, visit findyourgrind.com or www.rektglobal.com.

About Find Your Grind

Find Your Grind has non-profit roots. Nick Gross and Natasha Barritt started the foundation in 2015 to empower youth to find passion and purpose. In creating Los Angeles-based programs, events, and experiential learning opportunities, FYG saw an incredible need to show youth what was possible. Find Your Grind has now been propelled into the education space: writing curriculum, creating live events, and launching our widely accessible online platform. Media interested in interviews and more information may contact christiancooper@maxborgesagency.com. To learn more about Find Your Grind or the Find Your Grind Foundation, visit findyourgrind.com or fygfoundation.com.

About ReKTGlobal, Inc.

ReKTGlobal, Inc. is an esports infrastructure company headquartered out of New York City that bridges the gap between traditional sports and esports, providing solutions for the entire ecosystem. Media interested in interviews and more information may contact ReKT@maxborgesagency.com. For more information about ReKTGlobal, visit www.rektglobal.com.

Source: Press release