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Schools in Norway are now offering eSports instead of gym class

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Jean-Paul Pelissier/Reuters

Education is designed to prepare kids for the future.

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So what could be better than teaching kids the ways of the global phenomenon of eSports? They are the digital revolution's answer to large-scale sporting events.

Later this August, Norway's Garnes High School will begin offering gaming classes as an alternative to traditional gym class.

The move follows the lead of other schools in the region that have started offering eSport classes — including one at a nearby Norwegian boarding school and another at a school in Sweden.

ESports have become an entire industry.

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The most hardcore players routinely earn six figures through tournaments, becoming role models for kids in the same way Michael Jordan and Derek Jeter once were. By 2018, the industry is expected to be worth nearly $2 billion.

Once the 2016-2017 school year begins, students at Garnes High will be able to take the eSports course only if they've filled out the school's application and gotten accepted. In addition, the pilot course is only open to approximately 30 students in Norway's VG1 track (the equivalent of a high school junior in the US). If it's a success, the school says it plans to expand the course to all students.

But don't think that just because kids are gaming that they'll be sitting down the whole time. 

According to The Memo, teachers at Garnes will help train the budding eSports pros bodies as well as their minds. Along with developing in-game strategy and learning to work together as a team, students will also perform exercises to sharpen their reflexes, strengthen their focus, and build endurance for long tournament-style sessions. 

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Students will be able to choose between several popular titles: "Starcraft II," "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive," "Dota 2," and "League of Legends." The school will then create separate classes for the two most popular games.

With forward-thinking programs like this in the works, it's no wonder Norway was recently named the happiest country in the world.

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