CheckMates Chess Program
Empowering Girls Through Chess: The Mission of CheckMates
CheckMates is dedicated to ensuring that every girl in Salinas develops a passion for chess. As these young players thrive, the positive impact extends to other groups, including English learners, at-risk students, and gifted students.
The Benefits of Chess:
Boosts IQ: Chess has been shown to increase intelligence quotient.
Enhances Brain Connectivity: Playing chess fosters inter-brain connectivity, improving cognitive functions.
Stimulates Creativity, Memory, and Foresight: Chess encourages creative thinking, enhances memory, and develops foresight.
Supports Struggling Students: Chess provides a platform for intellectual success for those struggling with literacy and math.
Builds Mental Endurance: Chess helps develop focus and concentration over extended periods.
Promotes Cross-Cultural Communication: Chess brings together students from different backgrounds, promoting silent and respectful interactions.
Why Chess?
There’s a reason why chess has endured for over 1,000 years and has been used to test the capabilities of supercomputers. Its timeless appeal and intellectual challenges make it a powerful tool for education and personal development.
Mr. B’s notes and philosophy on chess as core subject area in public school education.
Students track their progress through a point system. As they accumulate points, they earn the chance to be crowned King, Queen, or Knight.
Throughout the week and at home, kids play chess, but Friday afternoons are dedicated to Chess Club, where 4th-grade classes compete in silence.
Chess puzzles are an excellent way to present brain teasers that stretch depth and abstract thought.