Post date: Aug 02, 2011 1:31:51 PM
ALBUQUERQUE -- Learners Chess Academy has awarded over $5,000 in scholarships to families in need for its chess camps this summer. Learners Chess Academy is a new locally run social profit program with the vision to use the game of chess to improve cognitive development and leadership for students in New Mexico. It is well documented that learning chess can improve a child’s performance in school.
This summer, Learners Chess Academy ran seven week-long chess camps at UNM School of Law. “We know that parents want the best for their kids and kids love to play chess, so we made sure to have a strong scholarship program to assist those families who may not otherwise be able to afford chess camp” said organizer and instructor, Victor Lopez of Albuquerque.
With nationally recognized chess Master, Lior Lapid of Albuquerque, NM, serving as the camp’s head instructor, Learners’ students received quality chess instruction on par with that of the best chess camps in the country. “Victor and I feel privileged to teach chess not only as a game, but as a tool to sharpen children's minds and enrich their lives. We are pleased to have offered scholarships that allowed many more children to discover a beautiful, challenging and stimulating hobby that is likely to stay with them for many years to come” said Lapid.
In addition to helping out those in need, Learners Chess Academy emphasizes leadership development as an important component of its program. Both Lapid and Lopez have taught chess to New Mexico's youth since they were 12 years old. “Lior and I have both taught chess since we were young and we have benefited greatly from those leadership opportunities. We wanted replicate those opportunities for our students, so we made sure to incorporate a leadership development curriculum into some of our group exercises. To ensure our student leaders think of themselves as leaders, we make sure to debrief their experience of leadership after every group exercise they lead.” As a former community organizer and college football and rugby captain at Occidental College, Lopez has developed his own unique curriculum of leadership.
It must be working, because Lopez says he has a handful of now middle school students who will help Learners Chess Academy run after school chess clubs at various elementary schools around the city this fall.
For more information about Learner's Chess Academy, log on to their website at www.learnerschess.com.