Advertisement Northern Kentucky teens receive full tuition video game scholarships Robert Morris University in Chicago offers scholarships to e-athletes Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Four Ryle High School Seniors are heading to college on video gaming scholarships.Yes, you read that correctly.Robert Morris University in Chicago offered full tuition scholarships to Jake Laumann, Kyle Cousin, Mason Carnes and Henry Kneale to compete as e-athletes.Watch this storyThe four teens compete individually and as a team in the online game Counter Strike, one of the most popular computer-based video games in the rapidly growing gaming industry."It kinda' sucks you in," Cousin, 17, said. "It's a fun hobby that turned into something a lot bigger, being the scholarship."The idea to apply for an e-gaming scholarship was Laumann's. The 18-year-old emailed the athletic director at Robert Morris and started the application process for everyone."When it actually happened, it was like, 'Wow!'" Laumann said. "I was not only relieved for myself but I was actually very happy for everybody else that it entailed."Laumann's parents said they never expected a childhood hobby to turn into a college opportunity including financial assistance."I am one of the ones that was a little bit skeptical," Doug Laumann said. "You grow up and you raise your kids, you want to give them all the tools that are necessary to be successful and do the things that they enjoy doing."Kneale, 17, said video gaming has taught him many things beyond proper hand-eye coordination."If you can't be friendly with people and be able to communicate with them, then things are going to go poorly. The game really helps with building those skills," Kneale said.The teens toured the Robert Morris campus in downtown Chicago last month to get a feel of gaming at the collegiate level."It's so new it's like uncharted territory," Carnes, 18, said. "Receiving a scholarship for playing video games -- it's kinda’ out there."All four students are on the honor roll at Ryle High School and plan to major in computer science and business at Robert Morris.