High School Poker
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Statistics and probability weren't my best subjects in school; but if I had learned to play poker, I probably would have been a better student and had fun as well.
Poker as a learning tool has been gaining attention since George Nesson formed the Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society at Harvard, which now has chapters in several other colleges. At George Mason High School in Falls River, Virginia, the after school poker club is one of the school's most popular activities.
The Annenberg Public Policy Foundation found that 15% of boys 14-17 gamble at least once a month on card games, so poker seems a natural for high school kids. The coach at George Mason says that the younger kids play to win and the older kids realize it's about the odds and probability.
While The Washington Post reports that conservative organizations are opposed to gambling, the school has set rules. Real money can't be used.
A growing number of high schools are giving poker a shot hoping to get kids engaged and keep them in school.
Reported By Dr. Marciene Mattleman, KYW Newsradio
