US Chess Announces New Outreach Program for Affiliates Serving At-Risk Youth

NOTE: Our 2022/2023 program information is located here: https://new.uschess.org/news/us-chess-opens-2022-2023-title-i-school-outreach-program-affiliates-serving-risk-youth

US Chess is excited to announce a new US Chess program that supports affiliates who bring chess to students attending Title I schools. This is due to the generosity of an anonymous donor and the subsequent generous contributions through our recent GoFundMe campaign.

We believe that chess is transformative for children by improving focus, aiding decision making, and teaching that choices have consequences — lifelong skills that can be immediately applied in the classroom. This program will bring over 4,000 students into the US Chess community and support our affiliates who provide chess to them during the 2021-2022 academic year.

We are seeking partnerships with US Chess affiliates that offer chess programs to Title I schools either as part of the school day or as an afterschool activity. We recognize that there are many expenses related to offering a chess program and we want to smooth the path for your students. US Chess will provide 16 free memberships for students and 8 boards and pieces for each school’s program.

US Chess Executive Director Carol Meyer explains, “This program reflects US Chess goals and delivers on our mission to empower people, enrich lives and enhance communities through chess as we bring chess to students who might not be able to access the game without this support. Our donors’ generosity underscores the chess community’s commitment to meeting the needs of students who come from underserved communities.”

Eligibility Criteria

Current US Chess Affiliate Membership (any affiliate or state chapter directly serving students in Title I schools may apply; Become or renew an affiliate )
501(c)(3) status of Affiliate
School name, address, contact information for principal

school must currently be Title I-designated on the US Department of Education’s website for the most recent year that data is available
each school served by the affiliate requires a separate application, up to 3 total schools

Apply today at https://forms.gle/RJT7ndfoQCSkn37J6. The application will be closed when we reach the maximum number of programs we can support.

Getting Started: Chess Resources

Chess Life Kids

Chess Life Kids is the US Chess award-winning magazine that offers young players (12 and under) tips on improving their game while featuring stories about other chess-loving kids from across the country. Chess Life Kids comes with US Chess youth memberships in digital formats; print copies are available by paying an opt-in fee. All memberships come with access to the digital subscription.

Guide to a Successful Chess Club

This basic guide helps you become familiar with the terms, attributes and areas of focus when getting started with your new chess club. Download your free copy of the Guide today.

In the document there is a link to the Guide to Scholastic Chess, a traditional piece for getting your school program involved with US Chess-rated tournaments.

Online Learning and Playing Platforms

ChessKid.com

ICC’s Learning Center

Lichess.org

Learn To Read & Write Chess, By Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield

This short guidebook promotes chess literacy for those wanting to take their game to the next level. Through reading, doing and playing, Learn to Read & Write Chess is a concise primer on learning chess notation. As chess notation is required for many chess tournaments, learning it as part of the game from the very beginning promotes a sense of accomplishment for new players in their first tournament game. You can now download the pdf from a choice of English and seven other languages by clicking on this link.

Printed copies of the guide are also available for purchase from the World Chess Hall of Fame’s Q Boutique. To purchase, visit https://www.qboutiquestl.com/

Find A Tournament Near You

US Chess and its members regularly offer tournaments throughout the year. Some tournaments are a few hours long, others last a whole weekend and even longer. You can find rated events near you by visiting the US Chess website and following the "Play" menu at the top of the page. To see a list of current tournaments happening in your state, please visit http://www.uschess.org/tlas/upcoming.php.

This set of resources represents only a small number of the many worthwhile ones freely available. Reach out to your local chess club or state chess federation for pointers to local professionals and chess education content.