North Carolina High School Student’s Journey From Professional Gamer To Graduate
We all remember those high school days. And, some of us remember them more fondly than others. But, hopefully the good times outnumber any bad times. For one Weddington, North Carolina High School student, his journey from professional gamer to graduate is definitely one he won’t forget.
I came across this story on the Union County Public Schools Instagram. My son was once upon a time a student in the school system, and I just never unfollowed the sites. It’s fun keeping up with friends’ children and seeing them launch from school to adulting. But, Jack Brown, a senior at Weddington caught my attention because his story is rather different.
Jack started a professional video game player career at just 13 years old. Of course, lots of kids that age immersed themselves in the gamer life. But, his love of Fortnite took him to new levels. And, Jack went from the best among friends to best in his school and then one of the best players in the state of North Carolina.
So, he took those skills and competed in Fortnite competitions that attracted players from around the world. And, along with it came opportunities for significant prize money and sponsorship deals. The Fortnite World Cup attracted about 35 million participants in a series of competitions over 10 weeks with a prize of $30 million at stake.
And, although Jack didn’t win the big prize he did see financial rewards and lucrative opportunities. There was world travel for gaming paid for by Fortnite and or sponsors. All the while, Jack continued to keep up with his high school studies. He had a successful run and won quite a few tournaments. However, he has decided to to put down the gaming remote and pursue business in college. His plans include Central Piedmont Community College and UNC, Wilmington.
I’m sure it’s an experience he’ll never forget. For more on the story of this North Carolina High School student’s journey from gamer to graduate, check out the UCPS site.
List: Top 25 Best High Schools In North Carolina
Choosing the right school for your child can feel like the most important decision in the world. It’s a factor in where you purchase a home. Should you shell out the big bucks for private school education? How can you set your child up for success? So many parents stress about these decisions for years and years. Good thing Niche.com is here to help with rankings of schools and universities across the country. They recently released their 2023 rankings of schools. This includes K-12 as well as higher education. You can play around with the filters and view the rankings based on a variety of factors. One of the more intriguing, and important levels of schooling is high school. Preparing for college, gaining admission to the best colleges, and even getting credit hours under your belt is so important. So what are the best high schools in North Carolina? Let’s find out.
For this list, we are looking at both public and private schools. The good news the number one spot on this list is a public school. Though it’s a specialized one. The rest of the is mainly private schools (and multiple in Charlotte!) with a couple of public schools mixed in. You also will see two Charlotte area public schools in the Top 25. But where did these rankings come from you may ask? According to Niche:
The 2023 Best High Schools ranking is based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Ranking factors include state test scores, student-teacher ratio, student diversity, teacher quality, grade school ratings, and the overall quality of the school district. Read more on how this ranking was calculated.
If you’re struggling with where to send your child to school hopefully this list will help you narrow it down. These are the 25 best high schools in North Carolina.
Debbie Nance is the afternoon co-host along with her husband on "The Charlie and Debbie Show" at WSOC, Country 1037 in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has been with the station for 18 years. Debbie is a CMA Award winner for Radio Personality of the Year. And, she has worked in radio for 40 years. Before her current afternoon position, Debbie spent more than a decade as co-host on morning shows in several markets across the Southeast. As a content creator for Country 1037, Debbie writes articles about food, new restaurants in the Carolinas and travel experiences.
