As Dallas ISD continues adapting to at-home learning, opportunities for students to once again participate in fun and engaging extracurricular activities are becoming increasingly available online.
For students between grades 3 and 12 participating in chess programs at their local campuses, Dallas ISD has organized three exciting districtwide virtual tournaments taking place from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. on April 18, April 25 and May 2. Using the ChessKid digital platform, players will be able to log in and play against other students of their same grade level with no limit to the number of players allowed.
“Chess is one of our most popular and competitive programs. Accommodating the large number of chess players is one of our biggest challenges, so we always have to limit the number of players schools may bring to the districtwide tournament,” said Sharla Hudspeth, Dallas ISD Director of Student Activities. “The online format alleviates that issue and allows everyone the opportunity to participate.”
Not only is this a way for students to take advantage of their time at home and sharpen their skills while showcasing all they have learned during the school year, but also allows them to continue engaging with students.
“This is such a great opportunity for our students to socialize with other students who share the same interests,” said Lennon Formaggini, chess coach at Walnut Hill Elementary School. “We are very excited that Student Activities was able to make it possible to still compete and demonstrate what we have learned this year.”
After all, echoing the words of chess master Siegbert Tarrasch, “chess, like music, like love, has the power to make everyone happy.”
