High school student organizes chess camps for kids
(Left) An eager learner at Gautam Desai's Kids For Chess summer camp.
High school student Gautam Desai organized summer chess camps for kids at The McGinnis Reserve Clubhouse in Suwanee, GA from June 24 to June 27, 2019 (Session 1) and at Chattahoochee Elementary School in Duluth, GA from July 22 to July 25 (Session 2). He founded his nonprofit Kids for Chess to encourage children not to simply waste their time on video games, but to keep their minds active.
The young chess players had a great experience and learned many new moves and strategies. Students were taught how to play with pawns only, then add bishops, knights, rooks, and so on, so that they would understand the value of each piece. The students continued building on the fundamentals of chess, playing using the large chess board, as well as ‘No-Stress Chess’ (see https://g.co/kgs/akmefR). Many players began playing longer games, taking more time to think in between moves.
Students
• Refined upon their knowledge of the fundamentals of the purpose of each chess piece and its worth
• Practiced more full-length chess games
• Implemented more chess strategies
• Received one on one instruction from experienced chess players who play in competitions
• Viewed instructional videos explaining concepts
• Played through chess puzzles to improve strategy
• Received more group instruction from a large chess bulletin board
• Had even more fun :)
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| The smiles show it: learning chess can be fun! |
Students were encouraged to continue playing at chess.com, where they can create a free account and play against others around the world within their own levels; the chat interface is continuously monitored for safety.
Thanks to McGinnis Reserve and Chattahoochee Elementary for providing the space, and for Principal Jeff Lee for providing the chess sets, too! Thanks to OfficeDepot for printing the flyers, Chick-Fil-A in Suwanee and Duluth for donating nugget trays and sandwiches, Papa Johns in Suwanee and Duluth for providing pizza, UpTick Financial for providing lunch for the kids, Costco (Mall of Georgia), Publix (McGinnis Crossing), and Sprouts (Sugarloaf Parkway - Duluth for providing snacks/refreshments, and for the multiple donations received online from our donors.
All profits are donated to local charities such as RainbowVillage.org (which transforms the lives of homeless families with children by providing a stable community and services that instill initiative, self-development, and accountability for future generations--and which received over $1,000 this year from Gautam) after the camps.
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Showing their medals at high schooler Gautam Desai's Kids for Chess summer camp. |
(Left) An excited boy receives his medal from Kids for Chess founder, Gautam Desai.
Links:
https://kidsforchess.org/about-us
https://kidsforchess.org/registration
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScjQBsWkhhpEyw2mGVEGXHF6ZQwFTcLzOm3J98o3le_pPrfZg/viewform
http://www.khabar.com/magazine/community-newsmakers/georgia-youth-leadership-award-winners
June 2019
http://www.khabar.com/magazine/community-newsmakers/high-schoolers-raise-money-for-charity
July 2018
[The article above is a Website Bonus Feature, appearing only on the website for August 2019, not in the print/digital issues.
Updated August 5, 2019.]
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