Elementary and Middle School Chess - Program Overview

SYF offers a one-day per week, after-school chess program for students at participating elementary and middle schools. The goal of our program is to provide a fun learning experience while providing tools for future intellectual development in an environment where children are eager to play the game of chess. The 2010/11 program will consist of two 10 week sessions for Grades 2-8. Classes are held once per week at each school, either before or after school. Each session will include one city-wide tournament on a Saturday and a free t-shirt.

For the 2010/11 school-year, the participating elementary schools are Davenport, KT Murphy, Newfield, Northeast, Rogers, Stark, Springdale and Toquam. Participating middle schools include Rogers, Trailblazers Academy and Scofield. A Saturday AM class is also being offered to K-1 students for 10 weeks at Trailblazers Academy on Lockwood Avenue.

SYF Chess Background

The Stamford Youth Foundation Chess program was conceived in a late-2004 challenge to SYF Directors Lisa Flaig, Greg Dempsey and Marc Lyons to expand their Foundation’s portfolio to include activities that develop brainpower and nurture our youth's ability to focus. Within a year, a team of experienced chess players, teachers, parent volunteers, and high school mentors was assembled to implement the program. All Stamford elementary schools are invited to participate.

The first season of SYF Chess was launched in January 2006 (in five elementary schools -- Davenport Ridge, KT Murphy, Northeast, Rogers, and Stark -- with a Saturday session for students whose schools did not offer the program) and registered 140 students, representing 11 schools.

Training and guidance is provided by SYF Steering Committee member Merritt Nesin. Lessons are usually taught by school faculty members with assistance from community, parent, and corporate volunteers and high school chess mentors.

The SYF Chess program is organized by community volunteers under leadership of Cathy Gawronski and the rest of the SYF Chess Committee. Stamford Youth Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization whose mission is to create and operate quality programs accessible to all Stamford children while seeking to inspire attributes that develop sound character, build a connected community, and motivate youth to achieve their personal best. 

Chess is proven to benefit children’s academic and social development. Learning to play chess improves grades, standardized test results, and essential life skills such as focus, good sportsmanship, and self-discipline at all grade levels and all ability levels.