Worldwide Leaders Will Give and Receive Mentorship as they Build Model Scholastic Esports Programs Around the World

(Atlanta, Georgia – October 12, 2022) – The North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF) has chosen a diverse group of 50+ Scholastic Fellows, Mentors, and Community Leaders from 13 countries for the 2022-2023 cohort. With the program entering its fourth year, the application process is increasingly competitive with exponential growing interest from educational leaders from around the world.

The Scholastic Fellow Program is an elite professional learning community providing mentorship, tools, resources and instructional coaching for educators who are tapping the power of interest-based learning by connecting esports and education. The program provides ongoing support and opportunity to educators in order to benefit students in schools and out-of-school time / community-based organizations across the globe.

Scholastic Fellows who complete their year of fellowship have the opportunity to move on to become a Scholastic Mentor, building on their leadership by supporting other educators in the community. All of the Fellows who complete this pathway are certified "Community Leaders" who become the official NASEF Trainers-of-trainers. They will support the continued capacity building of educators and communities around the world. 

“As we enter our fourth consecutive year of the program, it is incredible to see the diversity of educators and unique intersections of esports in education which continues to elevate the exciting opportunity that scholastic esports can provide for young people. I can’t wait to see the projects and programs that this year’s cohort will create and collaborate on encouraging the growth of a global community,” said Jorrel Batac, NASEF’s chief operating officer and director of the program. 

"Our understanding of the curriculum has progressed, as it is important to localize it for educators and schools in Japan. Jorrel-san is really a big help. He has been through similar experiences and his advice is quite helpful. The community created an environment that allows for connection and communication with educators from around the world," said Yoshiaki Tsuboyama, Scholastic Mentor.

Hearty congratulations are offered to all of these individuals, who will develop capstone projects to broaden and deepen the worldwide use of esports for meaningful education on career and life skills. Read about each of the Fellows, Mentors, and Community Leaders online here. 

Scholastic Fellows for 2022-2023 are:

• Mauricio Aragón, Resource Teacher, Centro Cultural Costarricense-Norteamericano, Alajuela, Costa Rica
• Taylor Belote, Esports Coach/Advisor, John R. Rogers High School, Washington, United States
• Jeffery Bostic, Digital Media Associate, Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County, New York, United States
• Jeanna Dawson, Founder, Eastside Esports League, Georgia, United States
• Melissa Dent, Teacher, Rosedale Public School, Ontario, Canada
• Julius Edwards, Teacher/Esports Coordinator, Palm Beach Lakes High School, Florida, United States
• Monica Erwin, Teacher/Esports Club Sponsor, Upper St Clair School District, Pennsylvania, United States
• Cooper Fiscus-Van Rossum, Adjunct Professor, Georgia Film Academy, Georgia, United States
• Hirotomo Fukushima, Teacher / Chief of Esports section, Clark Memorial International High School, Hokkaido, Japan
• Joey Gawrysiak, Director and Professor of Esports, Shenandoah University, Virginia, United States
• Kamini Gill, CAO, New Horizons Alliance Private Limited, Maharashtra, India
• Enzo Guarini, Esport Course Leader / Pathway Leader, Barnsley College: Higher Education, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom
• Shawn Higgins, 6th-12th Game Making Teacher, ORCA, Oregon, United States
• Matthew Iske, Founder, Unified Esports League, California, United States
• Juniette Kanga, Homeschool teacher and leader, Homeschool Group, California, United States
• Chiae Kitayama, Administrator, Koreatown Pico-Union Community of Schools, California, United States
• Kevin Le, Math Teacher/CTE Esports Instructor/OCCUE Outreach Equity Chair. Lathrop Intermediate/SAUSD/Orange County Computer Using Educators (OCCUE). California, United States
• Jaehyuk (Jake) Lee, Senior Director, Elite Open School, Seoul, South Korea
• Kathrin McGregor MEd, NBCT, Dept of Technology Services R&D / Scholastic Esports Lead, East Baton Rouge Parish Schools-DTS Central Office, Louisiana, United States
• Aba Ngissah, President, Inglewood Teachers Association, Inglewood Unified School District, California, United States
• Akil O'Connor, Director, Scholastic Esports Research Center (SEsport), Maraval, Trinidad and Tobago
• Austin Onwudachi, Computer Science Educator, Igotcoderz, California, United States
• Monique Paes, Special Education/Literacy Teacher, Bronx River High School, New York, United States
• Maggie Robison, CTE Teacher)/ Esports Coach, Rock HIll High School Prosper ISD, Texas, United States
• Mahmud Shehu, Teacher/Vice Principal Academic, Government Girls Day Secondary school, Sokoto, Nigeria
• Shawn Stern, CTE Director/Teacher, Ilwaco High School, Washington, United States
• Bence Tamas, International Affairs, Thirdwave Co. / NASEF Japan, Tokyo, Japan
• LaQuinn Thompson, Founder, The BEAST Initiative, Pennsylvania, United States
• Peter Whitmore, Coordinator -Technology, Innovation, & Assessment, Moreno Valley Unified School District, California, United States
• Nuriddin Yuldashev, Director, American Corner Namangan, Namangan, Uzbekistan

Scholastic Mentors for 2022-2023 are:

• Aidar Abdullin, Teacher / Esports Club Manager, Al-Bayan Bilingual School, Kuwait, Kuwait
• Melissa Burns, Chair/Executive Director/Founder, Esport Canada, Manitoba, Canada
• PK Graff, Instructional Designer / Esports Commissioner, Academies of Creative Education / GSEF, Georgia, United States
• Andrew Gribbin, Director of STEM Education, Reach Cyber Charter School, Pennsylvania, United States
• Amy Harris, Teacher, Davis H. Hart Career Center, Missouri, United States
• JuanPablo Larios, CTE Graphic Design Instructor, Villa Park High | Orange USD, California, United States
• James McKowen, Teacher / Director of CTE, Hopatcong Public Schools / Garden State Esports, New Jersey, United States
• Pamela Moreno, Teacher, Community Health Academy of the Heights, New York, United States
• Happyson Nyamudeza, Mathematics and Science Educator, Pinagare Secondary School, Taung, South Africa
• Mary Phillips, STEM Teacher, North Shore Elementary / South Haven Public Schools, Michigan, United States
• Yoshiaki Tsuboyama, Esports Scholastic Director, NASEF Japan, Tokyo, Japan
• Ignacio Vargas, Coordinador of the Center of innovation and Teaching Excellence, Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología (ULACIT), San Jose, Costa Rica

The following individuals  serve as the official trainers-of-trainers known as the NASEF community leaders:

• David Amaro, Educational Linking Director, Anáhuac Esports / PrepaLeague, Toluca, Mexico
• Chris Aviles, Teacher & Founder, Garden State Esports, New Jersey, United States
• James Fraser-Murison, Director of Learning, Queen Mary’s College, Surrey, United Kingdom
• Angelique Gianas, English Teacher, Helix Charter High School, California, United States
• Alexander Gibson, Director of Secondary School Services, Harrisburg University, Pennsylvania, United States
• Tyler Hahn, Director, Cherokee Public Library, Iowa, United States
• Bradford Harris, Director of Learning / Education Strategist, TEXSEF / SHI, Texas, United States
• Lindy Meiser, Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Esports Texoma, Texas, United States
• Laura Rubi "Rubik" Meneses Adams, UX Game Designer / EdTech Strategist, creadorSTREAM / Biblioteca Benjamin Franklin, México City, Mexico
• Regina Schaffer, EdTech Specialist / Vice President, Middletown Township SD / Garden State Esports, New Jersey, United States 
• Joseph “JD” Williams, Technology Instructional Coach, Laveen School District, Arizona, United States
• James Wood, Math Teacher / Scholastic Tournament Administrator, Achieve Charter School / NASEF, California, United States

The Community Leaders are available to provide professional development, curriculum design, and other support services for educational communities. For more information on applying to the program in the future or collaborating with these leaders now, contact [email protected]. 

About the North America Scholastic Esports Federation

The North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF) is on a mission to provide opportunities for all students to use esports as a platform to acquire STEM/STEAM-based skills and critical communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills needed to thrive in work and in life. NASEF operates under the umbrella of the World Wide Scholastic Esports Foundation (WWSEF). Find NASEF at NASEF.org and on Twitch, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Media Contact: Claire LaBeaux, [email protected]