Abington Heights student nominated for esports award

Anna Ni likes video games, particularly ones where she plays with other people, such as Valorant and Overwatch 2.

"I like how it's team based so everyone on the team uses communication to do stuff," the Abington Heights High School senior from Clarks Summit said.

The communication needed in multiplayer games has been useful for Anna as a member of the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf/Comets esports team. Anna's leadership on the team of students from Abington Heights and the Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children was recognized on the national level, as she was named a finalist for the Student Leader of the Year award in the national Scholastic Esports Awards.

Anna, 17, whose team plays in the Garden State Esports league, initially joined her sophomore year at the suggestion of her friend, Trinity Carpenter. She said it was something to do when the she isn't participating on the Abington Heights color guard team.

"I thought why not try it and I loved it," said Anna, who is also in the health occupations patient care technician program at the Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County.

She plays first-person shooter games on a team of deaf and hearing students, working together to score the most points. For the second year, she has served as a student captain in the league, an appointed position that allows her to mentor younger students.

Participating on the team has allowed her to form relationships with her teammates. She likes being able to create a community through the games.

"We have great bonding," Anna said. "I've made so many friends over the years because of esports."

She likes being able to teach techniques and game concepts to middle school students on the team from the Scranton School for the Deaf. While she's proud to receive the nomination, she said it's not something she ever expected to receive.

"I wouldn't imagine myself getting nominated," Anna said. "I didn't think much of it when I joined two years ago, I thought it was just a random club I could join."

Her cooperative education teacher and principal are happy about her accomplishment.

"We are so proud of Anna and the collaboration we have had with the Scranton State School for the Deaf with our esports program," Abington Heights Principal Lee Ann Theony said. "As a student here at Abington Heights High School, Anna is a thoughtful classmate and always gives her best."

Bonnie Baker, cooperative education coordinator at the CTC, isn't surprised Anna was named a finalist.

"I feel like Anna is a leader in what she does and whatever she wants to learn she puts her mind to it and is successful," she said. "It's a fantastic way for her to show her leadership and her skills in a video game group that she enjoys."

Anna said esports is more than people sitting in front of a screen playing games, as it involves teamwork and building relationships.

"It's like a second family if you build that relationship," she said.

Anna will learn if she received the award next month.