US Chess Opens 2024-2025 Title I School Outreach Program for Affiliates Serving At-Risk Youth 

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US Chess is pleased to launch a program to support Affiliates who bring chess to students attending Title I schools for the 2024-2025 school year. This program is made possible by generous donors who are committed to helping us bring chess to underserved students. 

We believe that chess is transformative for children by improving their focus, aiding in decision making, and teaching that choices have consequences — lifelong skills that can be immediately applied in the classroom. 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 eight sets of boards and pieces for each school’s program.  

US Chess Director of Programs DeVaughn Croxton explains, "With the help of our generous donors we are able to make strides to meet the needs of students who come from underserved communities and expand the positive impacts of chess. This program is a direct reflection of US Chess's mission to empower people, enrich lives and enhance communities through chess. We hope that you join us in this initiative."

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

• Current US Chess Affiliate Membership (any current Affiliate or state chapter directly serving students in Title I schools may apply; become an Affiliate or renew here)
• Each school served by the US Chess Affiliate requires a separate application, up to a total of three schools
• Applying Affiliate must be a 501(c)(3)
• Title I public schools that are US Chess Affiliates are eligible to apply

Applicants must provide the school name, address, and contact information for its principal. The school must currently be Title I-designated on the US Department of Education’s website for the most recent year that data is available.

Apply Today
 

Programs that receive funding will be asked to complete one-to-two surveys during the academic year. This feedback will help us improve the program for future years. 

The application will be closed when we reach the maximum number of programs we can support.

Getting Started: Chess Resources

Chess Life Kids

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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 is included 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

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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  A 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

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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. Visit here to purchase. 

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, click here.

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.