LYNWOOD, CA – Lynwood High School senior Giovanni Morales and Zion Cannon capped an undefeated Fortnite season with a PlayVS Pacific Region championship, adding a third consecutive Fortnite Duos esports championship to a program that is helping students make meaningful connections on campus.

Morales and Cannon competed weekly against high school teams across the region in remote Fortnite matches, finishing the season unbeaten in the PlayVS Pacific Region league. Competitions pit two-student teams, referred to as “Duos,” against opposing schools in a best-of-three format.

Lynwood High competed with a three-student roster, with Ezra Mendez and Morales starting the first match before Cannon joined Morales to finish the round. Lynwood High students practice during the school’s esports class and independently outside of school, often spending hours refining technique.

“Winning this championship means a lot because it shows how much we’ve improved and how much work we’ve put in,” Morales said. “I hope that those trophies in the esports room can inspire future students to want to compete, get better and work toward more championships.”

Morales has participated in esports for four years and has been part of three championship-winning seasons across multiple competitive leagues. Esports students must maintain academic eligibility, and Morales said esports motivates him to work toward something on campus, while providing a competitive outlet. In addition to esports, Morales participated in football throughout high school, serving as Lynwood High’s starting kicker during his junior and senior seasons while balancing Advanced Placement Government and honors coursework.

Esports advisor Eric Castillo said the program has helped students build skills that extend beyond gaming, from communicating under pressure to taking responsibility for team logistics. Each team has a captain who coordinates with opposing teams through the PlayVS platform and leads teams through complex matches, giving students leadership roles similar to those found in athletics.

“About 10 to 20 years ago, playing video games would be perceived as a leisure activity,” Castillo said. “Now I am seeing that students are improving their communication skills with teammates, taking leadership roles and learning how to advocate for themselves. By the end of the year, you see a completely different person.”

Lynwood High’s esports class is offered through the California Advancing Pathways for Students program, a Golden Bell Award-winning career technical education program that gives Lynwood Unified high school students hands-on experience and opportunities to explore future careers through after-school courses in fields such as culinary arts, aviation, stage production, fashion design, health occupations, emergency medical care, law enforcement, forensic science, entrepreneurship, automotive technician, education, graphic design and more.

“Lynwood Unified is proud to provide programs that meet students where they are while helping them build the confidence they need to succeed,” Superintendent Patrick Gittisriboongul, Ed.D., said. “Our esports students are showing that meaningful growth can happen through many pathways, and we are excited to see them represent Lynwood Unified at the highest levels.”

PHOTO CAPTION:

LUSD_ESPORTS_1: Lynwood High School’s esports program celebrates its third consecutive Fortnite Duos championship and fourth overall title since 2022 after completing an undefeated season in the PlayVS Pacific Region.