Collaboration With Chess In The Schools
Chess in the Schools is a non-profit organization based in New York City. It “fosters the intellectual and social development of low-income youth through chess education”. Chess in the Schools has served more than 500,000 of New York City’s most underserved children. Chess for Unity has been collaborating with Chess in the Schools since September 2021. We are very honored to teach weekly free lessons to the students from Chess in the Schools. The following board members of Chess for Unity, FM Vincent Tsay, FM Arthur Xu, IM Jason Wang, IM Liran Zhou, FM Davis Zong, NM Derek Jin, and FM Erick Zhao have taught the lessons.
Chess In the Schools and Its Collaboration with Chess for Unity
An Interview with Will Staso, Chess in The Schools Manager of College Bound
By Derek Jin and Arthur Xu
Feb. 5, 2024
Interview Summary
Since 1986, Chess in the Schools (CIS) has been focused on making chess accessible to underserved youths in New York City. Many of CIS employees have been with the organization since 2000. Ot is wonderful to watch kids grow and build a great chess community.
Chess in the Schools’ chess efforts have five components: in- school program, free scholastic tournaments, the Teacher Training Institute, the College Bound Program, and the Summer Camps.
Over 500,000 students in New York City have taken part in the activities organized by Chess in the Schools. CIS is hoping to further expand its alumni network and help more people to benefit from chess.
Chess in the Schools is seeing a chess boom in New York City, which is consistent with the national trend.
Chess in the Schools highly values the superb quality of lessons offered by Chess for Unity coaches and hopes to continue the collaboration with Chess for Unity.
Read the full interview report here.
FM Arthur Xu is teaching a lesson to Chess in the Schools on Zoom on December 3, 2021.
NM Derek Jin is teaching a lesson to Chess in the Schools on Zoom on March 15, 2024.
Supporting local chess communities
In the fall of 2023, FM Arthur Xu organized bi-weekly meetings to engage young players in learning and practicing chess knowledge and skills in the local libraries. Most of the participant players are at the beginner level. FM Arthur Xu selected and taught tactics to develop the participant players’ fundamental understanding of chess. When the participants played match games, he offered hints and analyses to guide their thinking. Meanwhile, he played individual games with some advanced players and simul games with the rest. The learning activity has attracted nearly thirty young players to attend. In the spring of 2024, FM Arthur Xu is establishing a chess club at a local community center–Xilin Community Center. The center generously provides a large, spacious classroom, which allows Arthur to recruit more students into the learning activity. The new C4U-Xilin Chess Club will offer free weekly lessons to local K-8 students on Saturdays.
FM Erick Zhao also volunteered to teach chess lessons in his local library.
Learning Resources
