Renaissance Middle School’s Esports Team, The Renaissance Rebels is the Garden State Esports (GSE) Middle School State Champion after an undefeated season. Georgian Court University hosted the 2025 GSE Winter Championships in partnership with Garden State Esports bringing together over 1,500 students, families, and educators from middle and high school esports programs across New Jersey for an action-packed day of competitions in Street Fighter 6, Overwatch 2, and Overcooked!, in addition to interactive activities like Smash 2v2 King of the Hill Tournament and GSE’s Chaos Kitchen.
“They crushed it, going all the way to the final round and bringing home the championship belt!” said Principal Maria Francisco. “A massive shoutout to (teacher) Mr. Nahum Prasarn for leading the way and making this team what it is today. The kids love being a part of something special and Mr. P is the reason for all of it.”
The Renaissance Rebels Esports Team is made up of the following students: Brandon DelPino (Gr. 8), Mario Chavez (Gr.8), Hudson Rothberg (Gr. 6), Davin Wolfe (Gr. 8), Vivian Walsh (Gr.6), Miles Archer (Gr. 6), Noah Delgado (Gr. 7), and Samuel Houghton (Gr. 7).
“We are so proud of our students and can’t wait to see what’s next for Renaissance Esports!” added Francisco.
GSE is a nonprofit competitive gaming league founded by educators during the pandemic to help students stay connected. It has since grown into the largest scholastic league in the country and the organizing body for esports in New Jersey. Since its founding, GSE has become the largest scholastic esports league in the country, offering competitions and programming that are inclusive and accessible to all students, regardless of their background or skill level. Its mission is to create high-quality, student-centered experiences through scholastic esports so all students can use esports as a platform to grow socially, emotionally, and academically.