Summer Chess Camp 2010

This was written for the newsletter published through HOC. Details on our lovely chess camp...

Anthony, barely spoke English and shy of the white lady teachers, actually learned more than some of the other advanced students. Here he's learning how to move the bishop.

A week before school resumed for the 2010-2011 school year, and just in time to get young minds working again on math, strategic thinking and problem solving, the Benque House of Culture (HOC) hosted Summer Chess Camp 2010 for the Benque Police Youth Cadets. This camp was made possible by the planning and dedication of Peace Corps Volunteers, Emily White, Terra Lizner, Molly Fillion and Jenna Alterr as well as by HOC staff and the Benque Police Department. The camp was held August 16-20th from 8am to 12noon and twelve kids in total attended. Throughout the week the kids had fun learning facts about the history of chess using the world map mural to locate countries such as India, where chess was invented 1400 years ago; Afganistan, where chess was banned by the Taliban in the past; and Japan, where chess materials were confiscated during World War 2, as the game was suspected to contain hidden codes. The camp participants also learned about the board and the names, movement and value for the different chess pieces.

Each day the Youth Cadets came bright and early and were excited to learn more about the game of chess and of course to play their opponents in friendly matches. In addition to learning the rules of the game the kids were taught some strategy such as opening techniques and piece development. When asked about their interest in being part of a future chess club at House of Culture, every student raised their hand and many also expressed interest in learning to teach alongside with a chess instructor. On the final day a ceremony was held and the parents were invited to attend. The Youth Cadets arrived looking sharp, some of them in pressed uniforms, and were handed certificates of completion and participation. The House of Culture is excited to start up a once weekly after-school chess club for the kids and youth of Benque to attend. The club will be taught by HOC's Peace Corps Volunteer, Emily White, with some of the attendees of this camp being trained to take over the club in the near future. The House of Culture wishes to express its gratitude to the Belize National Youth Chess Foundation for providing resources to make this camp a possibility and a success! 

Anthony again. He provided us teachers with an opportunity to test our Spanish. He'll get it. They got worksheets to better understand piece movement and other concepts of the day...

Ready for the human knot?? Here we go! We sadly didn't get ourselves untangled. I'll have to perfect this eventually...

This is the knight I drew! Jenna and I also drew piece characters for the king, queen, bishop, rook and pawn. Ingrid from HOC helped me in coloring them and pasting them to cardboard. And as a final touch, lots of tape to make them more durable and hopefully reusable for future camps/chess clubs.

This is a slightly frustrated smile. Day 1. I made it though. The kids are making sculptures out of the newly introduced chess pieces.

Nathaniel learning just where exactly each piece belongs on the board...

Miss White... Teacher in Training? I did alright.

The human knot... we didn't get untangled, but Jenna got a great big hug!