{"id":55203,"date":"2025-02-11T09:21:18","date_gmt":"2025-02-11T14:21:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=55203"},"modified":"2025-02-11T09:21:19","modified_gmt":"2025-02-11T14:21:19","slug":"ccius-kersch-honored-with-national-esports-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=55203","title":{"rendered":"CCIU’s Kersch honored with national Esports award"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kammas Kersch<\/p><\/div>\n

Kammas Kersch, STEM Services Coordinator at the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU), has been honored with the 2025 National Scholastic Esports Administrative Ally Award, recognizing her exceptional leadership and advocacy in scholastic esports. The award, part of the inaugural National Scholastic Esports Awards, was developed through a collaboration of K-12 and collegiate esports organizations\u00a0to recognize outstanding contributions in the field. This award celebrates individuals making significant contributions to the growth and sustainability of esports programs in K-12 education.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Kersch was not only the winner in the K-12 Administrative Ally category but also a finalist in two categories: the Administrative Ally Award and the Impact Award. She was surprised by the nomination, discovering her finalist status when she went to vote for others. Though unable to attend the ceremony at Ohio State University, she watched the event via livestream.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI was so honored to even be a finalist, and when I saw my name announced as the winner, it was surreal,\u201d said Kersch. \u201cIt\u2019s incredible to see how far scholastic esports has come, and I\u2019m grateful to be part of this growing movement.\u201d<\/div>\n

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Kersch has been with CCIU for nearly five years, starting as an innovation specialist\u00a0before stepping into her current role as STEM coordinator. Her background includes teaching high school chemistry and computer science, serving as a science department chair and technology coach, and leading a video game club at St. Elizabeth High School in Delaware. Since joining CCIU in June 2020, she has spearheaded the growth of scholastic esports, building it from a small initiative into a statewide program that integrates STEM and career readiness.<\/div>\n
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A champion for esports as a tool for student success, Kersch has successfully leveraged PA Smart Grants to secure significant funding for the Pennsylvania Scholastic Esports League (PSEL). Her leadership has\u00a0strengthened partnerships, expanded opportunities for students, and positioned CCIU as an innovative leader in scholastic esports. CCIU was one of the first intermediate units in Pennsylvania to launch an esports program, demonstrating a pioneering commitment to innovation in education. Under her guidance, PSEL has grown to support 455 educators across the state, each serving unique institutions.<\/div>\n
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CCIU STEM Coordinator Matt Swan, who nominated Kersch for the award, praised her dedication and impact. \u201cKammas has worked tirelessly to grow scholastic esports throughout the state of Pennsylvania,\u201d said Swan. \u201cThrough her efforts, esports has expanded to over 250 middle and high schools, and she has built strong partnerships with school districts, community organizations, and industry leaders. Her leadership is truly inspiring, and I couldn\u2019t imagine a more deserving recipient of this award.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe recognition of this award is a testament to CCIU\u2019s commitment to innovation and student success,\u201d said Kersch. \u201cEsports is a powerful avenue for career readiness, STEM engagement, and belonging. Esports also provides a unique opportunity for all students to find adult mentors, build confidence, and discover their passions. I\u2019m excited to continue growing these opportunities for students!\u201d<\/div>\n
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PSEL is actively welcoming new schools and organizations. Educators interested in learning more can visit the website at https:\/\/pselesports.org<\/a><\/u>\u00a0or reach out to esports@cciu.org<\/a>. The next major esports event, the PSEL Esports Expo, is scheduled for June 2, 2025. This event will showcase student talent, provide networking opportunities, and highlight the continued expansion of scholastic esports in Pennsylvania. To learn more about the PSEL Esports Expo, or to register, visit: www.cciu.org\/esports-expo<\/a><\/u>.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kammas Kersch, STEM Services Coordinator at the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU), has been honored with the 2025 National Scholastic Esports Administrative Ally Award, recognizing her exceptional leadership and advocacy in scholastic esports. The award, part of the inaugural National Scholastic Esports Awards, was developed through a collaboration of K-12 and collegiate esports organizations\u00a0to recognize […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":55202,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[495,15286,7426,15954,15955],"class_list":["post-55203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-chester-county-intermediate-unit","tag-esports","tag-featured","tag-kammas-kersch","tag-national-scholastic-esports-administrative-ally-award"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55203","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=55203"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55203\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":55204,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55203\/revisions\/55204"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/55202"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=55203"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=55203"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=55203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}