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Video games are no longer just associated with kids wasting their time while they could be outdoors playing. That''s what adults trying to get their sons and daughters away from video games sometimes thought. Today, video games are credited with broadening young people's interest and passion for science and the arts. And esports have created a whole new field of competition for high schools and colleges. The Whitaker Center for the Science and the Arts in Harrisburg has just opened a first-of-its-kind facility that they say "will capitalize on the massive popularity of video games and esports while offering educational, experiential learning in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) to
children eight years and older."
It's called the PNC Innovation Zone and it features a 2,000-square-foot Purposeful Gaming Studio along with
o Capacity for up to 30 gaming stations and 12 gaming consoles
o 10 75-inch, high-definition flat screen televisions
o 12-foot, high-definition projection screen
o Esports tiered seating for spectators. We'll learn about the PNC Innovation Zone on Tuesday's Smart Talk from Ted Black, CEO of Whitaker Center, Jim Hoehn, regional president of PNC Bank, and Amy Rote from Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region.

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