Rainbow to host Back-to-School Chess Camp

Madison City Schools is offering a Back-to-School Chess Camp in two sessions at Rainbow Elementary School on Aug. 8-10.

“We heard rave reviews from those attending the Summer Chess Camp,” parent volunteer Ranae Bartlett said. “Students wanted to learn more.”

Many students who wanted to attend the camp earlier in the summer had scheduling conflicts. “The Back-to-School Chess Camp will provide an additional opportunity for kids to learn more about chess from experienced instructors and get them ready to join school chess clubs when they return from summer break,” Bartlett said.

The beginner camp from 9 a.m. to noon will teach basics, movement of chess pieces, point values and openings. This session is designed for students who want to learn how to play and want to join a chess club.

The intermediate camp from 1 to 4 p.m. will focus on how to set and avoid opening traps, strategy and tournament preparation. These sessions are designed for the player who wants to compete in chess tournaments.

Caesar Lawrence, owner of Caesar Chess in Birmingham, will serve as coach for the camp. Lawrence is a member of the U. S. Chess Federation and certified as a chess coach and tournament director.

“Chess is a fun, competitive sport,” Lawrence said. “I love to teach chess and help children achieve their best.”

Lawrence cited a study, “The Benefits of Chess in Education — A Collection of Studies and Papers on Chess and Education” compiled by Patrick S. McDonald: “Chess makes kids smarter … by teaching skills” such as focusing, visualizing, thinking ahead, weighing options, analyzing concretely, thinking abstractly, planning and juggling multiple considerations simultaneously.

For more camp information, send email to CaesarChess@yahoo.com or visit CaesarChess.com.

Registration forms are available at this website: http://res.madisoncity.k12.al.us/?PageName=LatestNews&Section=LatestNews&ItemID=203729&ISrc=School&Itype=News.

Parents should return the completed form to Rainbow Elementary School, 50 Nance Road, Madison, AL 35758 with a check made payable to Rainbow for $75.