Clark County Day Treatment Center uses chess to teach lessons in life
By Fred Petke
The Winchester Sun
7:00 p.m. EST, February 22, 2011
Life may be a game to some, but the Clark County Day Treatment Center is taking it a bit further by using chess in the classroom.
Four students took it far enough to place second in a three-state chess tournament earlier this month in northern Kentucky.
Chess has become a teaching tool within the center since Greg Hollon became principal during the summer. A chess player himself, Hollon thought the skills needed to succeed in chess are identical to those needed in life, and a skill the students in the program need.
The day treatment program is designed for at-risk students who have trouble in a regular classroom setting or who exhibit recurring problems at home or in the community. The program accepts up to 30 students for more individual attention and instruction, as well as weekly counseling sessions, according to Clark County Public Schools.
“Our students have to think before they act,” Hollon said. “That’s what chess requires you to do … think before you act. It seemed like a natural fit.”
Hollon said he started with the summer session, and continued once the regular session began in August. “In the beginning, we would officially play twice a week for 45 minutes,” he said. “What happened (was) the kids enjoyed it so much when they finished their work, they would start playing. It turned into every spare moment they’re playing chess.”
Many of the students were wary when they learned of the new chess requirements.
“At first, it was hard,” eighth-grader Patrick Lee said. “When I learned how, I got better and helped others learn to play.”
“I didn’t think I’d like it at all,” junior Palmer Rhea said.
The two, along with sophomore Austin Buckland and freshman Travis Collins, traveled to northern Kentucky with Hollon earlier this month to compete against more than 30 other teams from Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky of sixth-graders to high school seniors. The Day Treatment crew placed in second in the unrated division, Hollon said, where most of the teams competed.
Full article here.
Special thanks to Mr. Frank Walls, leader of the Winchester/Clark County Parks & Rec. Chess Club, for sending us the article.
www.Winchesster.com
Kudos to them.