The Ulla F. Muller Elementary School Chess Club will be the recipient of a giant chess set with pieces up to two feet tall through a generous grant from the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands’ (CFVI) Anderson Family Fund, according to Adam Kloper, chess coach at the school.
The school will unveil the giant chess set in a ceremony scheduled for 9:d30 a.m., Monday, Dec. 21, in the school’s courtyard. Officials from CFVI and the Virgin Islands Institute for Teaching and Learning Inc., a non-profit organization that started the chess club at Muller school over seven (7) years ago, will attend the unveiling.
In addition to the giant chess set, Muller School received chess clocks and books for a chess library to help students study and improve their chess skills. Students will get the opportunity to play with the giant chess set and to express their feelings on the donation during the ceremony.
Over 30 students participate in the chess club at Muller school. Those in grades 3 to 6 learn the basics of chess as well as advanced chess activities such as timing games and writing out chess moves. Many students have learned to love chess through the program. Some have traveled off island to compete in chess tournaments. Muller student Tommy Wise will travel to Florida in February 2010 to compete in a scholastic chess tournament, along with 14 other students from schools in the district.
“This new, oversized chess board should inspire many new students to learn the game of chess, and we hope people will get to know more of the exciting things that are happening at Muller School,” Kloper said. “In addition, we hope the community will be motivated to assist in getting our talented chess students to Florida in February to compete and represent the Virgin Islands.”
For more information, contact Adam Kloper at 344–9432.
