When 3rd grade teacher Terry Burchett decided to offer a Chess Club at St. Anthony School in Show Low, AZ, she didn’t anticipate just how big of a hit the club would be with students.
Burchett, who grew up playing chess with family members during cold winters in Iowa, wanted to develop an after-school program at St. Anthony, and figured the game might interest a few students. But 35 kids across multiple grades signed up – many of whom had never played before.
“These kids did awesome,” said Burchett. “We didn’t teach strategies – just let kids play and practice so the kids that never played could understand the dynamics of the game. You know, the pawns go forward, and where everybody moves.”
Many of the students naturally developed their own strategy for playing, and eventually developed the confidence to play against Burchett herself, or other adult volunteers.
“Some of the kids, they schooled me. There’s a couple I lost to and we were all laughing. There are bragging rights – you beat the teacher.’”
Greyson Watson, one of the chess club students, had played chess at home before, but enjoyed using the after-school club as a way to develop his own style of play.
“Bring the Knights out into the center and then the bishops,” he said. “Because when you play in the center, it’s easier to take higher pieces.”
For Burchett and other volunteers and parents, the club helps to develop valuable skills in students aside from strategic thinking.
“Some of the kids, struggle with hyperactivity. Especially when they played me or the other volunteer…to see them want to beat an adult, that was the best focus I’ve ever seen on these kids.”
Students of different grade levels began to develop camaraderie and new friendships, even outside of playing each other in chess. The club culminated in a huge tournament, and Burchett is already considering ways to engage more students and adults next year.
“I’m gonna have the kids pick their favorite teacher and we’re gonna send out an official card for a challenge – ‘This student would like to challenge you to a game of chess’. And then we’re going to do that for Father Dan [Kassis] and the Father [Nathanael] Block, I was just told, played a lot of chess when he was in school,” she said. Fr. Kassis serves as the school chaplain and Fr. Block is the pastor of nearby parish Our Lady of the Snow in Snowflake, AZ.
She also would like to have St. Rita students play against public school students, or perhaps attend a tournament in another city. “Next year, we’ll do the strategies. We’ll teach kids now that they know how to play…strategies and what to look for.”
Cassie Watson, Greyson’s mom, decided to send her kids to St. Rita because of the academic standards and safe environment policies.
“I was raised Mormon, but I don’t really have a preference towards any type of religion. [St. Rita] has stricter education than the public school and I was all for it.”
Both her sons have an opportunity to learn and grow in ways that suit their personalities – Greyson enjoys cerebral activities like the chess club, while her other son loves the sports programs.
Burchett also wants to introduce an after-school program called the “Mileage Club”, where students can earn tokens for every mile they walk or run, and hope to bring in a nurse to teach the kids about healthy eating habits.
“I’m thankful to the good Lord with Catholic school system – I’m just thankful that the Lord opened this door. I mean, it was just two kids asking me, ‘can you start an after-school program?’ And I said, ‘Okay, it’s game on then, let’s go.’ It’s just been a lot of fun.”