This weekend saw the debut of the first K-12 and collegiate esports combined awards show as the Scholastic Esports Awards took on Columbus, Ohio.
The groundbreaking event was a major success, boasting over 300 attendees across directors, professors, coaches, professionals, and esports athletes of all ages. Combining both a conference and white glove awards ceremony, the event spanned across three days, three floors, and a mile of The Ohio State University campus. Attendees were treated to the LeagueOS High School Combine in tOSU’s own esports facility, 30 panels and workshops, and four networking mixers. Session topics included coaching, bracket running, media, and inclusivity, among other topics.
Popular esports conferences and organizations such as NECC, ECAC, CSMG, and NAECAD also hosted panels, meetings, and networking events.
The Scholastic Esports Awards strove to be more than just an awards ceremony, a uniting event for all esports athletes, regardless of esport, conference, or region.
Three Days of Learning and Leading
While there were plenty of activities during the day to fill a schedule with, the titular awards ceremony occurred Saturday night. The ceremony consisted of 22 categories, honoring 131 nominees.
After the event, and even as it was happening, attendees shared positive stories of the event on social media, including meeting new and old friends and learning about the subject they love. Multiple programs shared valuable insights that attendees could take home and implement into their own programs and schools. With the start of the Spring 2025 semester on the horizon, there was no better time for networking and gaining knowledge to better programs across North America.
“These events go by too fast. Our community is such a blessing. Even as I struggle to juggle names to faces, y’all welcome me with a smile, a handshake and often a hug. Everyone I saw was passionate about their next project, next panel, next year. Let’s make it a great one!” said Joe Navarro, Operations Manager at Playfly College Esports, on X (formerly Twitter).
“Good times at the @ScholasticEA! So much fun to see so many great people!” added Miles Harvey, a middle school esports educator who attended the weekend.
“My time at @ScholasticEA revitalized my passion for what we do,” commented Mathew ‘Septilence’ Corfee II. “I’m grateful beyond words for this opportunity. To see so many people bring such energy and excitement to our industry reminds me why we do what we do. Esports is for everyone. Today. Tomorrow. Forever.”
Award Winners
If you couldn’t make it to the awards, don’t worry! The ceremony on Saturday night was live-streamed on YouTube, so there’s plenty of time to relive your favorite moments and catch up on all the action.
The full list of award recipients can be found below:
4 Year Program of the Year – Shenandoah University, Maryville University
2 Year Program of the Year – St. Clair College
K-12 Program of the Year – Hebron High School
4 Year Collegiate Director of the Year – Josh Sides (Winthrop University), Alyssa Duran (Shenandoah University)
2 Year Collegiate Director of the Year – Shaun Byrne (St. Clair College), Cody Dalton (Catawba Valley Community College)
Collegiate Team of the Year – Maryville University League of Legends
K-12 Coach of the Year – Julius Edward (Palm Beach Lakes High School)
Collegiate Student Leader of the Year – TJ Stephens (University of Georgia)
K-12 Student Leader of the Year – Anna Ni (Garden State Esports)
Student Club of the Year – University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Presidential Legacy Award – Chancellor Howard Gilman (University of California, Irvine), President Mark Lombardi (Maryville University), President David Lassner (University of Hawai’i at Mānoa
Collegiate Coach of the Year – Connor Doyle (Winthrop University)
Collegiate Educator of the Year – Zander Merle-Smith (Shenandoah University)
K-12 Impact Award – Steve Isaacs (Epic Games)
Collegiate Rising Star Award – Avery Pierce (Wichita State Esports)
K-12 Game Changer Award (Phill Alexander Award) – Chris Avilles (Garden State Esports)
Collegiate Game Changer Award (Phill Alexander Award) – Cora Kennedy (Illinois Wesleyan University), Sari Kitelyn (Full Sail University)
K-12 Administrative Ally of the Year – Kammas Kersch (Chester County Intermediate Unit)
K-12 Partner of the Year – Epic Games
Research Excellence Award – Dr. Wil Fisackerly (University of Oklahoma)
Collegiate Production Team of the Year – Full Said University
Collegiate Social Media Excellence – Kylie Welch (University of Central Florida)
K-12 Best Jersey Design – Sleepy Hollow Middle School
