Mates check-in at school chess club
By Johnny Jackson
Henry Daily Herald
McDonough, GA
East Lake Elementary School student Alisia Cruz, 9, admits that she has never won a game of chess against her friend Sydney Mastin, 10. Though she tries, Cruz has yet to say those two words (check mate) to her friend during their school’s monthly after-school chess club meetings.
“Chess is my favorite game,” Cruz said. “I like concentrating and challenging my brain.”
They meet with several other fourth- grade chess club members in their school’s media center every second Thursday of the month. Fifth graders meet every fourth Thursday.
“I like to think out of the box,” said Mastin as she gazed over the chess board looking for her next move. “It challenges me more than sitting around watching T.V.”
The school’s principal, Virgil Cole, says he created the fourth and fifth grade chess clubs a few years ago, intending to do just that — challenge his students. “I just think it’s a great analytical game. It’s nice to have an intellectual club for the kids,” he said. “[And] I’m good enough to beat fifth graders.”
The full article can be read here.
Chess is great!