LEARNERS CHESS News:
Learners Chess, a local non-profit featured in 2016 by the White House, is moving its in-person program to an online format. This move allows Learners Chess to broaden its offerings to children from all corners of New Mexico.
“Chess has been shown to improve the academic development of children,” says founder and director Victor Lopez. “As the current state of education in New Mexico is hurting from state at home restrictions due to covid-19, we are offering a great supplemental and enriching educational opportunity for kids and in this format we will expand beyond our normal 40 schools to invite all New Mexico youth to learn chess with us this Fall.”
Learners Chess has taught in-person chess clubs and camps in Albuquerque since 2010. They typically offer clubs in 40 to 50 schools in the Albuquerque metro area.
Lopez adds, “In person chess is a fairly intimate game, so we really cannot continue to play over the board until the pandemic is no longer a threat to our public health. But we are launching a program this fall, Learners Chess Online Clubs, that will be one of the most innovative in the country in terms of engaging beginning chess learners and also teaching more experienced chess playing students.” Students will learn and play with each other in skill-based groups from around the state. Each group will have a dedicated coach and team tournaments will be heald with winning schools receiving chess trophies in the mail.
Learners Chess has started to reach out to school leaders across New Mexico for help in letting parents know about this opportunity.
Parents interested in enrolling their children can sign up at learnerschess.org.
The registration deadline for this Fall’s online program is Thursday, Sept. 10. And need-based scholarship applications are due Monday, Sept. 7.
Learners Chess has provided over $100,0000 in scholarship support for it’s program in the last 10 years. Donations to support Learners Chess may be made at learnerschess.org
Learners Chess has been previously featured:
- In the Albuquerque Journal for our innovative use of Mindfulness in our curriculum (https://www.abqjournal.com/731488/right.html) and as a Spirit of New Mexico (https://www.abqjournal.com/901312/recognizing-2.html).
- As a 2016 Obama White House Champion of Change (https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/champions)
- As a Queen of Katwe contest winner from Disney (https://www.facebook.com/learnerschessacademy/posts/1428753470487516)
- On KOAT for our unique program (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEmSU598o-M) and for our Chess Service Trips (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI7rOGh26C8)
On KOB Channel 4 for our unique program: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFjMVqH_tLU)