02/26/2026
BEYOND THE SCREEN
In a classroom inside the science wing at Muscatine High School, the sounds are familiar – the clicking of keyboards, the murmur of strategy and the sudden burst of celebration after a clutch play.
But this isn’t just gaming.
It is teamwork. It is accountability. It is competition.
It is the rapid rise of esports at MHS.
In just two years, Muscatine has brought home a pair of top-three finishes at the state tournament in Rainbow Six Siege.
“It has exceeded what I hoped it would do,” coordinator Joe Vitali said. “I didn’t think it would be this big until like my fourth year. “It has exploded, so I’m not complaining.”
The story touches on:
* How did the program get started?
* Breaking the stigma
* Opportunities beyond high school for esports enthusiasts
* Club funding
* A culture shift
See our full feature on esports: https://www.muscatine.k12.ia.us/news/2026/02/beyond-the-screen/