The Emerald Foundation announced the awarding of a second PAsmart Advancing Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The grant, of $500,000, seeks to expand organizational services in state schools. This grant is a part of Gov. Tom Wolf's $10.8 million initiative aiming to enrich curriculum and after-school programs with additional science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and computer science learning opportunities.
The mission is to help students develop their personal and professional skills through interactive, club-based esports experiences. The PAsmart grant will help empower new school clubs that may benefit from future-forward career exploration and mentorship in STEM and computer science. The Emerald Esports clubs will be established with the assistance of intermediate units in regions throughout Pennsylvania.
Grant funding will support the Emerald Foundation's career readiness activities that emphasize esports as a learning tool for STEM and computer science. The Emerald Foundation, through its key initiative, Emerald Esports, will focus on several goals over the course of the PAsmart grant, including establishing 100 Emerald Esports clubs across Pennsylvania during 2021 and 2022, creating career-exploration opportunities in these clubs linked to Pennsylvania's current and future in-demand occupations, and piloting a career-exploration framework that will help schools promote students' experiential learning and foster collaboration between career counselors, mentors, parents, and businesses.
Emerald Esports has been involved in scholastic and community-based esports since 2018, reaching students across the country with tournaments and personal development opportunities. Over the next few years, the organization aims to further its impact in the area of girls in gaming, esports and autism research, and in engaging youths in underserved communities.
Individuals interested in activating an Emerald Esports club can contact emeraldesports@emeralde.org. To learn more, visit http://www.emeralde.org.
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