Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Paul Hervey '87
Our school district in Ohio does not have as many opportunities for
extracurricular activities as some others. We have found that cost is a
barrier to many families in giving their children these opportunities.
We decided as a family to start a district chess club last fall and to
make it free. (Other than playing a little chess at DCDS, I have no
experience, but have an interested child.) Expecting perhaps a dozen
students to show up, imagine our surprise when 84 students from all
grades showed up the first night! Eighty percent of these children had
never played a game of chess before, but with organizational work and
volunteering from some other parents, we have been able to put together a
weekly activity for children of all ages at no cost to them. We
donated seed money and conducted fundraisers to keep operations going.
We have 15 students willing to show what they have learned by
participating in regional chess tournaments, including one who won a
recent event. The children learn how to win and lose with class, to
meet students from other buildings and grades, and to have fun learning
the game and teaching it to their family members. It is fulfilling to
know that one can make a positive difference in a family's life in such a
fun way.
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