After the final school bell rings, a small afterschool chess club is helping students learn how to think ahead and make smart decisions. This afterschool club is a great way to have students compete and have fun with each other.  Glen Edwards has had this club for a long time now so lets see what the head of this club has to say.

First, the head of this chess club here at Gems is ran by a 7th grade ELA teacher named Mr. Santos. He has been running this chess club for a long time. Some say chess is a sport and others say this is just a hobby, but what is the main goal for this club? Mr. Santos said, “ The main goals for chess students is to learn strategies to be a better player, create a good opening game, middle game, and end game.” 

Also, how often does the club meet and what goes on during the club? “ Chess club meets on Thursdays. We meet right after school from 3 PM to 4 PM. I usually get role, pass out snacks, talk about any goals that we have for the class and students find their partners and chessboards. Sometimes I put on a tournament and students play each other for a competition. Speaking of competition, we went to a chess tournament two weeks ago and students got to play different rounds with other students. It was a great learning experience and one student even got a medal,” explained Mr. Santos. 

Next, some students here at Gems may be interested in joining the chess club but have never played chess before. How do they learn the basics of chess? Mr. Santos replies with, “ With students who are beginners, I have a special chessboard that has where all the pieces are supposed to go labeled on the board. I have cards that indicate what the piece is and how it moves and attacks. I usually put those students with other students who are slightly better than them, so they can learn from the student who is better.”

All in all, the chess club here at Gems is a great way for students to learn, grow and have fun. It helps each student think carefully and solve problems. Whether someone is new to chess or already experienced, the club gives everyone a chance to improve their skills and feel included.