Mindy Cawthon resigned from the School Board after serving six years.

School superintendent Keith Martin said Cawthon has “been a part of a lot of growth and change.” He praised her contribution.

In an email to board president John Dye and Martin on Sunday, Cawthon said, “After much thought and consideration, I believe it is in the best interest of my family for me to resign from my position on the Pea Ridge School Board effective immediately.”

Cawthon’s son, Gage Cawthon, was approved for employment as a football coach in the Monday meeting.

Explaining the process of filling the seat, Martin reminded board members they had faced the same situation last year when Sarah Saragusa resigned.

“We have a Zone 4 vacancy… we have 30 days to fill the seat,” Martin said, showing board members the timeline of what must be done. “We will need to have board meeting week of Memorial Day so they (appointee) can get ready for June board meeting.”

Taking care of regular business, the board approved a memorandum of understanding with City of Pea Ridge for School Resource Services for 2025-2026 providing 2.5% increase in salary.

“Our community feels very good about it and so do I,” Martin said, referring to the School Resource Officer program. “It allows for a level of safety in our buildings.”

Board members also approved a memorandum of understanding with Sarratt Therapy Services Inc. for 2025-2026, for out-of state trips for boys basketball and for a Chromebook purchase totally $111,932.

In other business, the board:

Approved resignations of certified personnel Chris Brown, Jr. High, girls basketball/PE; Michelle Kimble, second grade; Valerie Hooten, second grade; Britainee Cashmore, math teacher, Middle School; Tanner Gilliaum, head volleyball coach, PRHS; Vander Bowden, football/CCR teacher, PRHS; Kelsie Brodie, counselor, Primary; Heide Donalson, SPED teacher, Primary; Kacie White, occupational therapist, District; Angelia Bassett, Special Education coordinator/LEA, district; Kathya Valadares, math teacher, PRHS; and Crystal Schaefer, first grade, Primary;

Approved resignations of classified personnel Brenda Huston, child nutrition tech, Intermediate; Jacob Reut, eSports only, PRHS; Sondra Gundel, custodian, Intermediate; Ashley Radtke, paraprofessional, Intermediate; Gail Simpkins, registrar, Middle; and Addison Lee, paraprofessional, Jr. High;

Approved hiring certified personnel Shambury Jordan, GT teacher, district; Jeff Canan, girls soccer coach and teacher, PRHS; Christian Cawthon, coach and teacher, PRHS; Abby Butcher, teacher, Intermediate; Jesse “Dave” Carter, volleyball coach and teacher, Jr. High; Kristin Below, teacher, Jr. High; Nicole Wiltgen, teacher, Primary; Dylan Kinney, coach and teacher, Jr. High; Jeanie Wilson, grant coordinator, district; Sherie Cormack, teacher, PRHS; Richard Snyder, coach and teacher, Jr. High; Haley Hatch, special education coordinator, district; Kristen Johnson, teacher, Jr. High; Lindsey Gerdes, teacher, Middle School; Sarah Reed, band, Jr. High; Darren Hotelling, teacher and coach, PRHS; Jessica Woods, principal, Intermediate; Angie Day, assistant SPED coordinator/LEA; and Tony Travis, dean of students, Primary; and

Approved hiring classified personnel Adam Hand, eSports coach.

PrizePicks has significantly expanded its Major League Baseball presence by securing a partnership with the Houston Astros, becoming the official daily fantasy sports (DFS) partner of the 2022 World Series champions. This strategic move strengthens the operator’s foothold in Texas, one of the largest untapped sports betting markets in the country.

The agreement arrives just one month after PrizePicks renewed its longstanding partnership with the Atlanta Braves through 2028, signaling the company’s aggressive pursuit of baseball partnerships across markets where traditional sports betting remains unavailable.

Strategic Visibility in a Key Baseball Market

Under the terms of the agreement, PrizePicks will gain substantial visibility throughout Daikin Park through both static and rotational signage, placing the brand in front of one of baseball’s most dedicated fan bases. The partnership extends beyond physical presence to include prominent placement on the Astros Radio Network, where PrizePicks will sponsor a “More or Less” segment before each game – a natural tie-in to the company’s prediction-based gaming format.

Mike Quigley, PrizePicks Chief Marketing Officer, emphasized the fan-focused nature of the partnership:

“This partnership is all about bringing more fun and bigger rewards to PrizePicks players in Houston. We’re rolling out new promotions and experiences that make following the Astros even more exciting for fans – both at the ballpark and at home.”

These fan experiences include creative promotions tied to specific team moments. Astros fans will have opportunities to win $10,000 free PrizePicks lineups along with tickets to future home games – but only during specific circumstances, namely when the team wears their Nike City Connect uniforms during Monday home games. This distinctive approach creates additional anticipation and engagement points throughout the season.

From the Astros’ perspective, the partnership aligns with their focus on enhancing the fan experience while working with companies committed to responsible practices. Matt Richardson, Astros VP of corporate partnerships, expressed enthusiasm about the arrangement:

“We are thrilled to add PrizePicks as an official Astros partner. PrizePicks continues to invest in Major League Baseball and is committed to engaging fantasy sports fans in both a responsible and fun way.”

Building a Baseball Portfolio in Non-Betting States

The Houston partnership represents the latest chapter in PrizePicks’ strategic focus on baseball partnerships, particularly in states where traditional sports betting has not yet been legalized. Texas and California – where PrizePicks has established partnerships with the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants – represent the two largest U.S. states without legalized sports betting, though both permit daily fantasy sports operations.

This strategy allows PrizePicks to establish brand recognition and customer relationships in major markets ahead of potential regulatory changes. By partnering with popular franchises, the company creates a foundation that could prove valuable should Texas eventually legalize sports betting – a possibility that has gained traction in recent legislative sessions despite failing to cross the finish line.

The timing of the announcement is particularly noteworthy as it coincides with PrizePicks’ increased emphasis on responsible gaming. In April, the company announced plans to invest $50 million in responsible gaming initiatives throughout 2025, underscoring its commitment to sustainable growth as it expands its market presence.

This substantial investment in responsible gaming comes as the daily fantasy sports industry faces increased scrutiny and calls for greater consumer protections. By proactively addressing these concerns, PrizePicks positions itself as a responsible operator ahead of potential regulatory changes.

The Astros partnership continues a pattern of MLB teams embracing fantasy sports partnerships as alternative revenue streams while traditional sports betting remains unavailable in their states. For the Astros, aligning with a fantasy sports operator provides additional engagement opportunities for fans without crossing into restricted betting territory.

Baseball has proven particularly well-suited for daily fantasy contests due to the sport’s statistical nature and 162-game schedule, offering abundant opportunities for player performance predictions. PrizePicks’ format, which focuses on whether players will exceed or fall short of projected statistical benchmarks, aligns naturally with baseball’s quantitative foundation.

For Houston fans, the partnership opens up new ways to engage with the team beyond traditional viewership. The prediction-based format allows fans to test their knowledge of player performance while competing for prizes – creating additional investment in game outcomes and individual player achievements.

As PrizePicks continues to expand its baseball portfolio, industry observers note that these partnerships could position the company advantageously should regulatory frameworks shift. By establishing strong brand recognition and fan relationships in these key markets, PrizePicks builds valuable equity that could translate to customer acquisition advantages if sports betting eventually becomes legal in Texas or California.

With this latest partnership, PrizePicks solidifies its position as a major player in the fantasy sports space while continuing to blur the lines between traditional DFS and sports betting experiences. As the industry evolves and regulations continue to develop state by state, companies with established brand partnerships and responsible gaming credentials appear best positioned to navigate the changing landscape.

For Astros fans, the partnership offers immediate benefits through promotions and engagement opportunities. For the broader sports betting community, it represents another sign of the industry’s continued mainstream acceptance and integration with major sports franchises across the country.

Story Continues

Ben Feldstein, a fourth-year management information systems major and vice president of RIT Esports, worked with the provost to develop the new esports scholarships. Feldstein has also won two national championships as part of RIT’s Counter-Strike 2 team.

“It’s like any other profession or skill, like traditional sports or playing musical instruments,” said Feldstein, who is from Manhattan, N.Y. “There are so many young people who put their blood, sweat, tears, and love into honing their skills to play these titles.”

Feldstein continued. “I think these scholarships are going to help set up students for success after school—whether they make it to the pros or not. We’re proving to everyone that we have great students here and they dream big.”

Apply for the RIT esports scholarship on the RIT website.

Media Contact

Scott Bureau, RIT, 585-475-2481, sbbcom@rit.edu, https://www.rit.edu/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/rit-introduces-esports-scholarships-for-the-worlds-best-video-gamers-302457384.html

SOURCE RIT

High school students are learning from esports, and teachers are starting to notice.

Esports continues to define itself as a legitimate sport through sold out arenas and a thriving community, but the sport is now being looked at as a legitimate career path by Arizona high schools. One high school has invested in an esports arena in the middle of its campus.

New Way Academy and American Leadership Academy Applied Technologies have invested in the sport to better their students in distinct ways — to build community and motivation, while also improving skills that can be applied in future careers.

Devin Howe is the technology program coordinator at American Leadership Academy Applied Technologies. He leads the Esports Club on campus. as well as its curriculum.

“We actually call those Gaming Careers,” Howe said. “They learn about all the different aspects of technology, from the programming to the running the events to the networking to the game designs, creating the games themselves. And so it was a very good hand in hand with what we were already doing here on the campus.”

The American Leadership Academy invested nearly half a million dollars into their esports program, Howe said. He said the arena and the program associated with it is meant to get students interested in esports as a legitimate career path, focusing more on the information technology aspect of the industry.

“We wanted to get the best for our students, and we wanted to show the community for the school that we were very serious about the things that we were doing here and so we were putting our money where our mouth is,” Howe said.

Howe said the goal is to get students ready for internships before they graduate. The programs are new within ALA, but they also plan to continue to explore everything related to gaming — from computer science to cybersecurity.

The revenue in esports is expected to reach $4.8 billion by the end of 2025, according to Statista. The U.S. is also the leading country in revenue for the esports market.

Because of this, scholarships are also an attainability for many students who are interested in professional esports.

According to Scholarships.com, there are “over 250 varsity esports programs in the U.S.”

Students play games on computers in the classroom, but behind the arena is a room made solely for console play. The esports team on campus plays Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and other games using consoles like the Nintendo Switch.

Trey Robinson, a junior, said esports has helped him learn how to improve, especially in regard to his future aspirations of studying business.

“A lot of it is it helps work with teamwork, like understanding,” Robinson said. “When you do need help from others, take advice. And something that does help is being able to adapt.”

William Menos, a junior, says the installation of the arena has helped allow the team to be comfortable in their own space.

“It makes us feel better, makes us feel like there’s something bigger than us here,” Menos said.

ALA’s arena was also home to a memorable moment for another school — New Way Academy’s first ever state championship win.

New Way Academy is a school that assists students who have difficulty learning in a traditional school environment. The academy finished its second season with the Canyon Athletics Association’s esports program in late 2024.

In December, 2024, the esports team won New Way Academy its first state championship for a sports program ever — after students Isaac Schwartz, Jack Schneider and Landon Priest took home a win in a Super Smash Bros Ultimate tournament.

Schwartz is a current senior, and he said the moment was special for him because he played the winning point. He said he was high on adrenaline, but this was partly because of what happened to the team in their last season.

“We made it to the finals and we lost,” Schwartz said. “We kicked ourselves around about it after we lost, and we took a lot of time to practice, and so the fact that all that practice paid off, in the end meant a lot to us in this final.”

Schneider, a current senior, said his experience with the team since its inception has given him the ability to teach others about esports.

“We’re trying to be there to help them out and just listening to the feedback and help them win games,” Schneider said. “Some of them even started coaching each other within their teams. It’s pretty cool.”

For their upcoming season, Lupe Lugo, a junior high teacher and the team’s coach, said he believes they will have 18 players, a 12-person increase from their winning season.

New Way Academy is investing into a new room for their esports as well. Lupe calls it their “media room.”

“We ended up building a TV specifically for our esports team, put it on the wall, having a room dedicated for esports, so you can see the impact it has,” Lugo said.

Lugo also said the past team’s players were “coaches” for last year’s season and hopes to see that behavior in future teams.

“Isaac, Jack and Landon … would give them advice, coach them up, because overall, you want to see them do the best and just support them,” Lugo said.

Mumbai: In a landmark move for India’s digital and gaming entertainment landscape, Banijay Asia, part of Banijay Entertainment, and NODWIN Gaming, a subsidiary of Nazara Technologies, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at reshaping youth engagement through innovative content in esports and gaming.

As part of this collaboration, Banijay Asia will take on production responsibilities for Playground, NODWIN Gaming’s pioneering gaming reality show that merges gaming, influencer culture, and entertainment into a single high-energy format. In addition, both companies will co-develop new intellectual properties (IPs), including scripted and reality formats that blend cutting-edge storytelling with immersive gaming experiences.

Deepak Dhar, Founder & Group CEO – Banijay Asia & Endemol Shine India, commented, “This collaboration with NODWIN Gaming is an exciting extension of our vision to create content that resonates with evolving youth audiences. Gaming is not just a sport; it’s a culture, a lifestyle, and a massive content opportunity. With Playground and our upcoming IPs, we aim to redefine engagement and storytelling in this space.” He further added, “I look forward to the creative collaboration with Akshat Rathee, and Joost Roset who we previously worked with, in bringing iconic global IPs to India. This is an invaluable opportunity to create clutter-breaking formats in the youth and gaming space.”

The move aligns with NODWIN Gaming’s growing dominance in the youth entertainment sector, having successfully launched IPs like BGMI Masters Series (BGMS), Comic Con India, and NH7 Weekender. The partnership is set to build on this momentum by scaling up Playground into an international format and developing 5–10 new shows annually.

Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder & MD, NODWIN Gaming, shared his excitement about the deal, “Youth entertainment is evolving rapidly, and our partnership with Banijay Asia positions us perfectly to lead that change. With Playground, we’ve just begun to explore what’s possible. Backed by Banijay’s global expertise, we’re now set to scale the IP across multiple languages and markets, with the ambition of building an international format.

At the heart of our approach is our philosophy of ‘timeshare of mindshare’. We’re not just creating content, we’re creating cultural moments. The Rusk creative team will stay actively involved as we expand the universe of Playground, aiming to grow from one show to between five and ten each year. This is just the beginning of a bold new chapter in gaming and youth content.”

The partnership also underscores Banijay Entertainment’s global strength in gaming-related content, having delivered successful activations around brands like Peaky Blinders, Black Mirror, Simon’s Cat, and MasterChef via its distribution division, Banijay Rights.

TEMPE, ARIZ — The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) announced its regional award winners. Flagler’s Rod Puebla was named the Southeast Region Coach of the Year while Columbus State’s Nikoline Gullacksen was named the Most Improved Player and North Georgia’s Angelina Linnikova the Senior Player of the Year.

Puebla is the first coach since Walter Shinn (2014) to be selected ITA Southeast Region Coach of the Year. With the season currently still in progress, Puebla has led the Saints to a 21-5 record. For the the season, the Saints have 11 wins against nationally-ranked opponents. The team had a season-high seven match win streak. Their biggest ranked wins of the year came against No. 4 Lynn Universtiy (4-0) and No. 4 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (4-2). Other notable wins came against previously undefeated and No. 6-ranked Catawba College (4-1), No. 7 University of Nebraska at Kearney (6-1), No. 8 Wingate University (4-2), and No. 9 University of North Georgia (4-3).

A junior from Helsingor, Denmark, Gullacksen was a 2025 PBC first-team All-Conference selection in singles and doubles. She went 10-6 overall in dual matches this spring, playing every singles match and all but one doubles match in the #1 spot. She was 3-2 against conference opponents and ranked #10 in the nation in singles by the ITA.

The 2025 PBC Player of the Year, Linnikova is currently ranked as the ITA women’s singles No. 2 player in the country. Her perfect record of 23-0 in 2025 makes her the only undefeated player in the top 10 of the ITA rankings this spring. She has a staggering 61-6 record in singles play in three seasons with the Nighthawks. She is 44-4 in the last two seasons and 31-2 since April 2, 2024. Linnikova is also 10-0 against nationally ranked opponents in the spring. She has tallied wins over the No. 1, No. 2 (twice), No. 8, No. 16 (three times) and No. 25 women’s singles players in the country.

She will take the court again on Wednesday, May 21 when the Nighthawks face 13-seeded and No. 36 Queens (N.Y.) in the opening match of the 2025 NCAA Division II Women’s Tennis Championship. The match takes place at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla.

Southeast Award Winners