I would like to congratulate the Niles North chess team, anchored by Eric Rosen, the nation’s 2011 K-12 Chess Champion, for their fantastic achievements! It is wonderful to see the entire team getting the recognition they surely deserve. It is also amazing to see the popularity of High School team chess in the state of Illinois. This is a perfect example for other states to follow.
Banner Unveiling for Chess Team
It’s been a banner year for the Niles North Chess Team, the 2012 Illinois state champion and Monday, May 7 will be a banner day for the team. The team, which won its third state chess championship in the last six years, will commemorate its remarkable achievements with a banner on the side of the school building at 9800 Lawler Avenue, Skokie, that faces the Edens Expressway. Niles North’s attention-getting banners have caused quite a few motorists to gawk and rubberneck when the first banner debuted in 2007, after District 219 was named the top fine arts program in the nation. Now, commuters along the expressway will take note that Niles North chess champs are the state’s top team. Niles North also won the state championship in 2006 and 2010.
This kind of attention is usually reserved for sports teams, and royalty, but Niles North has always treated its chess team like rock stars. The last two Homecoming Kings have been members of the chess team, and the team always gets rousing cheers and applause at school assemblies. The school community is invited to come out and support the team at the banner unveiling on May 7.
The ceremony will begin at approximately 3:45 p.m. outside of the school’s Black Box Theatre facing the Edens Expressway. Principal Dr. Ryan McTague, Head Coach Harry Kyriazes, and Eric Rosen, the nation’s 2011 K-12 Chess Champion, will make a few brief remarks.
The chess team and coaches will also be honored by the Village of Skokie and the Board of Trustees at a Board meeting later that evening.
Source: http://www.niles-hs.k12.il.us
Eric will become a GM soon. He’s very talented.