Local School’s Future Just Got Brighter! Triton High School Named Winner of Brightspeed’s Bright Future Esports Lab Contest

Local School’s Future Just Got Brighter!

Triton High School Named Winner of Brightspeed’s Bright Future Esports Lab Contest

Harnett County school will receive cutting-edge esports and STEM lab for next-gen learning

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — May 23, 2025 — With more than 4,000 votes cast, Erwin’s Triton High School has been selected as the winner of the Brightspeed Bright Future Esports Lab Contest. Brightspeed, one of the nation’s largest fiber broadband builders, and Stay Plugged In, a leading game organization focused on providing educational and career opportunities to high school students, launched the initiative this year to inspire innovation, spark creativity, and prepare students for future-ready careers through the fusion of esports and STEM.

“What an incredible honor for our school. Winning is the result of being elevated by our community, family, friends, and school,” said Principal, Marshall Jones. “This is an opportunity to bring the future of education to our community for generations to come.”

Today, faculty, staff and representatives from Brightspeed and Stay Plugged In applauded the school as they were surprised with the announcement. Triton’s submissions rose to the top of more than 50 other schools’ proposals. The school’s bold vision for innovation, technology and hands-on learning was evident in their AI Lab submission during the contest. After weeks of public voting, Triton secured the first-place finish.

“Today is about more than just winning a contest. It is about celebrating students, community, and the future,” said Rick Suarez, managing director at Stay Plugged In. “In partnership with Brightspeed, we’re thrilled to help open the doors to opportunity, where technology, education and gaming intersect.”

The Brightspeed Bright Future Esports Lab Contest represents a shared mission to empower the next generation of leaders with access to the skills, tools, and connectivity they need to thrive in today’s digital world. The initiative invited high schools within Brightspeed’s North Carolina service areas, where the company is focused on bridging the digital divide and connecting communities to critical, high-speed internet services.

“We believe access is the gateway to opportunity,” said Sabrina Anderson, local marketing manager (East) at Brightspeed. “We’re proud to support an organization like Stay Plugged In, because its mission is similar to our own: investing in communities, creating opportunities and empowering people with access to critical resources. We are so proud of this program and are excited to see the students’ vision brought to life this summer.”

Construction on the new STEM and esports lab will begin in July, with completion slated just in time for the start of the 2025–26 school year. A formal reveal is planned for August, once students are back on campus.

About Brightspeed
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., and with operations in 20 states, Brightspeed provides broadband and telecommunications services through a network platform capable of reaching more than 7.3 million homes and businesses. With 4,000 employees, Brightspeed is building a future where more communities benefit from high-quality connectivity, deploying a state-of-the-art fiber network and a customer experience that makes staying connected as simple as it should be. Learn more at www.brightspeed.com.

About Stay Plugged In
Stay Plugged In is dedicated to creating educational and career opportunities for high school students through esports, CTE, and STEM programs. Established in 2020, Stay Plugged In has been named the leading esports recruiting platform in the U.S. for three consecutive years, generating more than $40 million in scholarship benefits for its student members. The organization fosters a supportive and inclusive environment for students of all levels—empowering growth, learning, and community through gaming.