CLEVELAND, OHIO – 625 Peach Belt Conference student-athletes have been named recipients of the Academic Achievement Award by the Division 2 Athletic Directors Association (D2ADA). Lander led the PBC with 172 honorees, Flagler was second in the conference with 154. The Peach Belt Conference saw an increase in nominations by 10.62%.  

For the first time since inception, there were more than 22,000 student-athletes recognized (22,740) from a record 202 institutions for the 2024-25 Academic Achievement Awards. This year’s totals are the highest in the program’s history. 190,151 total student-athletes have been recognized since the inception of the awards program. 

To qualify for this honor, a student-athlete must have:

• a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale
• have attended a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college level work 
• have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year

A school-by-school list of individual winners can be found here.

D2ADA Academic Achievement Awards

Augusta University – 79

Clayton State University – 19

Flagler College – 154

Georgia College & State University – 69

Lander University – 172

University of North Georgia – 59

University of South Carolina Aiken – 73

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The Logansport High School esports team will be gaming in style this school year.

A new gaming space is ready for players to smash, crash and splat their way to victory. Located on the second floor of the high school, the space offers the flair of an NBA locker room with a glowing Felix the Cat emblem on the back wall, 24 PC gaming computer stations on one end of the room and on the other two rows of recliners positioned in front of two large screen televisions.

Everything in the room from the gaming chairs to the carpet matches the red and black of Logansport High School. There’s still more to come, including a display case where team coaches Dave Packard, Bryan Hole and Kevin Servin hope to add more trophies.

The room came together thanks to the vision of former principal Matt Jones, who was an advocate for esports, and a generous donation from Security Federal Savings Bank.

“We really owe (Matt Jones) a lot,” said Hole. “He led the charge.”

Hole said the space legitimizes the team and sport. Packard said it was like having their own gymnasium.

Esports offer the opportunity for high schools (and colleges) to compete in video games against other schools. The sport has grown popular over recent years with professional leagues and even pro players getting their own trading cards.

Hole said esports bring a diverse group of students together who may not find their place in traditional sports or other school activities. It also helps bring out a different side of students. He recalled students in his art classes who never said a word and then he sees them yelling and cheering while gaming with the esports team.

“It gives them a place to connect with other kids, form friendships,” he said. “It gives them a way to feel a part of the school and hopefully find a path to being successful.”

Packard, who teaches TV/Radio Video Production in the Century Career Center, said he had even seen students grow friendships with players from rival teams.

But esports is more than just a social club. The coaches stressed there are expectations such as doing well in school and showing commitment to the team.

“That’s been a bit of a battle with our students,” Hole said. “They love video games but they don’t see it as an actual commitment, a meaningful thing that they are doing.”

“We tell them early as all teachers do what the expectations are but they don’t remember that,” said Packard, adding that students tend to sacrifice e-sports for other commitments when there is a time conflict.

The team plays in leagues such as the Indiana Esports Network and PlayVS, a national program that offers large money bonuses if a team wins its league and also awards players scholarships.

“There are scholarships, there is a lot of recruiting,” said Hole. “It’s shocking how much esports has grown and all the colleges that are building their own (gaming) labs and programs, recruiting for kids.”

Games played over the years have included “Valorant,” “Super Smash Bros,” “Rocket League,” “Mario Kart,” “Madden Football” and “Marvel Rivals.”

“Fortnite,” the popular battle royal game, was once a staple in esports gaming.

“It seems like over the years I’ve lost a lot of players,” said Servin, a member of the school’s technology team. “A lot of students, instead of seeing “Fortnite” as a competitive game now see it as a social game they may hop on every now and again with friends.”

Packard said the new gaming space puts the high school on the cutting edge.

“Parents can come in and see the space and see this isn’t playing games alone in your room with cereal bowls everywhere,” Packard said. “This is a school event. We are competing against other schools.”

There is more to do on the team than just playing games. They also need students to help with tech and streaming—viewers can watch the team compete on the app Twitch, which is used mostly for video games—and managers. Packard would like to add a commentary team to their Twitch broadcasts at some point.

The team has a pretty good mix of both male and female students, the coaches said, though Servin added that the girls tend to be at a higher skill level.

Packard said students can look for a callout announcement to join the team next week, though a specific day for the announcement has not been decided yet.

• Blackwell Regional Library
• Field Teen Center, Parkway Central Library
• Fox Chase Library
• Joseph E. Coleman Regional Library
• Kingsessing Library
• Lillian Marrero Library
• Lovett Memorial Library
• Philadelphia City Institute (Rittenhouse) Library
• South Philadelphia Library
• Tacony Library

SALT LAKE CITY — After more than two decades of providing pathways to education for Utah students, Ken Garff’s Success in Education announced an exciting evolution – a new name and logo to better reflect the organization’s history, mission and vision. The philanthropic organization will now be known as Ken Garff for Good.

“This isn’t just a name change, it’s a recommitment to Ken D. Garff’s belief in the transformative power of an engaging education and lifelong pledge to invest in young people in the state of Utah,” said John Garff, owner, Ken Garff Enterprises. “We’re building on the strong foundation of Success in Education to better reflect the full scope of our mission and honor our family’s legacy.”

Ken Garff for Good is proud to have connected Utah students to over $100 million in scholarships since its inception. The organization’s programs are currently utilized in all 41 school districts across the state, impacting students in more than 365 high schools, 100 middle schools and junior highs, and 16,000 elementary school classrooms.

Since its founding, Ken Garff for Good has empowered more than 400,000 students through programs including:

• Keys to Success: A statewide program that motivates students to aspire to higher education, aimed at improving high school graduation and university enrollment rates.
• Road to Success: An early literacy initiative intended to inspire elementary school students to read daily with a goal to have 90% of Utah children reading at or above grade level.
• Women Who Succeed: A mentoring and leadership program aimed at empowering girls and young women across Utah through mentorship, skill-building workshops, scholarships, networking and more.
• Ken Garff Esports: A high school esports league and enrichment program focused on building skills, community and academic pathways through and beyond competitive gaming.

Ken Garff for Good is made possible thanks to the generous support of community-minded organizations that believe in the power of education and are committed to helping Utah students thrive including Ken Garff Auto, Zions Bank, Mountain America Credit Union, Ally Bank, Celtic Bank, Intermountain Community Care Foundation, GBS Benefits, Capita, Precision Contracting, the LDS Foundation, the Beesly Foundation, OC Tanner and the Kahlert Foundation.

About Ken Garff Enterprises

Headquartered in Salt Lake City since 1932, Ken Garff Enterprises is the parent company of Ken Garff Automotive Group and a growing portfolio of businesses that include commercial real estate, insurance, claims administration, sub-prime lending, family office services and treasury management. Through its philanthropic entities, Ken Garff for Good (a public 501c3) and the Robert H. and Katharine B. Garff Foundation, the company is committed to uplifting communities through education, youth support and meaningful local impact. Learn more at KenGarff.com.