Introducing Competitive Leagues–For Creativity

Releasing Our Inner Beast--Media LeagueIntroducing Competitive Leagues–For Creativity

Image: Releasing Our Inner Beast, Jaden N., Barrow High School, Alaska. From Game 2 – (We Are) Animals

By John Sobol, Media League Commissioner

The Media League (www.themedialeague.com) is a unique and innovative new educational program – a competitive creativity league for high schools – that is just like a varsity sports league, except that instead of being for the best athletes in school it is for the best artists.

Participation in The Media League is 100% free and already nearly 30 high schools from across North America (and 1 from the UK) have formed media teams and entered the creative fray.

In The Media League, teachers act as coaches and students become players, and together they form teams that compete to produce and share original poems, videos, songs, paintings, animations, drawings and more. Just like a sports league, The Media League features Fans, Games, Scores, Standings, All-Stars, Playoffs and Championships.

21st century students need 21st century extra-curricular opportunities, but in this era of cutbacks and pressure, opportunities are not always easy for teachers to find and use. The Media League meets this challenge and offers the following benefits to students and teachers:

  • Pedagogical innovation

  • Project-based learning platform

  • Increased student engagement

  • Leadership development

  • Digital training and career development for students

As with all varsity sports, The Media League is a great opportunity for students to excel, to gain respect and even to launch professional careers. And it invites each school to celebrate its creativity by encouraging all students to participate in The Media League, either as players or as loyal fans of the school team. And of course it offers teachers a chance to work with the most enthusiastic, talented and creative students in an exciting and rewarding setting.

The Media League channels the popular student obsession with producing, consuming and sharing digital media on social networks into an educational context that is fun, empowering and innovative. In addition, The Media League offers the following benefits to schools:

  • Enhances school spirit

  • Enhances school profile

  • Promotes excellence, intelligence and creative effort online.

  • Creative excellence celebrated and rewarded

We invite all creative high school teachers to explore The Media League and to register as coaches of Media League teams. The time commitment is very modest but the inspiration, excitement and pedagogical power are immense!

Introducing Competitive Leagues–For Creativity; image attribution Media League