Chess in Schools
Eighty-five percent of our students are designated as socioeconomically disadvantaged; without Mechanics’, they would never have access to high quality chess instruction. We’ve seen big improvements in our players’ attentiveness and in their capacity for thinking ahead. Thanks to Mechanics’ Institute on-site over the last 15 years, chess has become an integral part of our school culture." Judy Viertel, Teacher and Librarian at Marshall Elementary School
Frequently asked questions
My child is in an after-school program. What should I know?
Each school is different, but our after-school programs have some universal rules and policies:
- Respect each other: students should be kind and show good sporting behavior towards other students in the class
- Respect the pieces: we can't have chess if the pieces are broken or missing
- Respect the coaches: students should be engaged with the lesson and follow directions when
- No Nuts! Do not pack snacks or meals that have peanuts or tree nuts
- Late pick-up fee: Please be on time to pick up your child. Parents who are routinely or excessively late will be charged an additional fee
How can our school partner with Mechanics' Institute Scholastic Chess Program?
Our after school programs are strongest when there is a school community of families and school staff interested in chess. Start by talking with other families and school administrators about what you want your students to get out of the program and what days and times might work best. Feel free to share this page!
Interested groups can reach out to Scholastic Chess Program Manager, Christian Brickhouse, at cbrickhouse@milibrary.org for more information.
Are there scholarships for students and families?
We want to make chess education accessible to as many students as possible, and our after school programs have a limited number of spots held for students eligible for free or reduced cost lunches. Some PTAs also pay for additional scholarship spots.
If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, send an email to chessroom@milibrary.org with the name of your school and student so that we can provide more information on the process.
If you are interested in giving a gift to support scholarships for students, reach out to Tina Ahn, Sr. Director of Advancement, at tahn@milibrary.org.
What to expect from our after-school classes
In our classes you can expect your children to
- Improve their chess fundamentals by practicing basic checkmate patterns, tactics like forks, pins, and skewers, and looking over games to learn from their mistakes
- Develop social and emotional skills such as critical thinking, navigating social situations, making and following-through on plans, and emotional regulation
- Build friendships through one of the oldest games
Class structure is flexible based on the school community, and typically
- Lasts 1 hour long broken into a 20 minute lesson and 40 minutes of free play
- Maintains a 12:1 student-teacher ratio
- Held after school with professional and talented coaching staff
Why Chess?
Students learn more than just how to win at chess! The skills students learn in chess class will benefit them for their whole life.
- Research shows that chess education improves math skills, reading comprehension, and problem-solving skills (Nicotera and Stuit 2014)
- Students learn a universal "language" and pastime that they can play and make connections with people all over the world!
- Young players learn how to engage with adults in fair competition and build self-confidence. This is a rare opportunity for kids and soon enough they could be beating you!