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All About Connections Academy’s Online Chess Club
by Valerie Kirk
5 min to read
“Learning chess helped me think more carefully and think outside of the box.”
- Connections Academy Chess Club member
From TikTok to Instagram to Snapchat, social media is everywhere in our modern society. It’s one of the major ways we communicate with one another, and it can seem like everyone is on at least one of the platforms. But should children join them?
According to recent reports, teens spend an average of nearly five hours a day on social media sites, with YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok among the most popular. Research indicates that too much social media use can negatively impact a child’s habits, emotions, and thoughts. This is why it is important for parents and Learning Coaches to educate themselves about social media safety for kids and help children build healthy social media habits.
What is Chess Club?
The Connections Academy Chess Club provides opportunities for students of any skill level to play chess with other virtual school students entirely online!
To help students meet classmates and make friends, build skills, and explore new activities, Connections Academy offers hundreds of extracurricular, online clubs on topics as diverse as Esports, debate, creative writing, spreading kindness, and chess.
Known as the game of kings, chess originated in India around 600 AD. With the ultimate goal being to trap the opponent’s king, chess was a game favored by nobility, who enjoyed developing winning strategies using game pieces that are assigned different abilities to move across the board.
Today, millions of people around the world play chess, including students at Connections Academy, who can participate in the school’s online Chess Club.
Even students who have never played chess before are welcome to join the over 2,000 Connections Academy students from schools around the country who participate in the Chess Club.
How Does Online Chess Club Work?
The club meets in a LiveLesson session a few times a month, where participants can play chess games together in real timein a special group on the ChessKid.com app, which offers a safe, closed Connections Academy community. The app is free, and students can choose to stay anonymous. They can create their own username (which must be approved by the app) and record their games.
“We schedule tournaments on the app every day at different times to help club members fit chess into their busy schedules,” said Tunya Turner, Connections Academy Student Clubs & Activities Analyst. “At any given time, students can jump on the app to play games with other club members or against the computer. It’s the perfect arrangement for online school students who are used to the flexibility of planning their school day around extracurricular activities and family time.”
What are the Age Groups for Chess Club?
Based on feedback from students and caregivers, the students are placed in groups based on age and/or ability:
- Beginner group grades K – 5
- Beginner group grades 6 – 12
- Advanced group (all ages)
How Do Students Compete in Chess Club?
Students are paired with others close to their abilities in tournaments and can earn badges, improve their score/ranking, and advance based on performance. Kids who compete in at least 15 tournaments in the school year can earn a Chess Club certificate.
“Chess Club allowed me to take a break from my studies and practice a hobby of mine.”
- Connections Academy Chess Club member
Building Life Skills Through Chess
Chess is widely referred to as a mind sport because it requires strategic thinking and problem-solving skills. It also improves critical thinking.
“Playing chess isn’t just about winning each game,” said Turner. “It is about learning strategies that make you better for the next game.”
During the LiveLesson Chess Club sessions, students learn about different strategies either through videos or from the advanced students.
"One of the great things about Chess Club is that our advanced students mentor our younger players. We call them Student Coaches. The coaches show recorded games and talk about the strategies behind different chess moves in the game, helping students understand how and when to build those strategies in their own games.”
The student coaches are gaining valuable leadership and presentation skills, which can help them on their journey after graduation.
Chess also teaches students discipline, helps them focus, and teaches them about how to be more responsible when making choices, all skills they will need later in life.
“Chess Club has made me think there are many different ways to approach a situation and has made me think differently.”
- Connections Academy Chess Club member
Learning from Chess Grandmasters
Chess Club members also learn from chess coaches and chess grandmasters at the University of Maryland, who often attend LiveLesson Chess Club meetings to talk about strategies and analyze student games.
“Getting lessons from a chess grandmaster can be very expensive,” said Turner. “Our Chess Club members have access to these mentors for free.”
Advanced students can earn enough points in ChessKid.com and other tournaments to compete in a virtual tournament with University of Maryland coaches, which is a great opportunity to play the game at a high level.
“Students don’t realize they can play chess in college, earn scholarships for playing chess, and even make money coaching chess. The game offers them another avenue to think about for their future.”
“I was able to learn new strategies while playing chess. I can now use these strategies to outsmart my opponents.”
- Connections Academy Chess Club member
Benefits That Extend Beyond Chess Club
Participating in online clubs like the Chess Club helps students interact with people of all backgrounds in engaging and meaningful ways. They can make like-minded friends and build connections that can form their networks as they go through their school years.
Participating in Chess Club also can look great on college applications or resumes.
“I always tell my students that colleges and employers want to see a well-rounded student, not just one that is academically strong. Being an active participant in Chess Club demonstrates that you are committed to advancing your skills and participating in other opportunities outside of your schoolwork.”
How to Join Chess Club
Once a student is enrolled at a Connections Academy-supported school, the Chess Club is easy to join! Caretakers and Learning Coaches simply need to sign their students up for the club within their student’s online learning portal, and the student will be added to the club message board and invited to the live online meetings. They will also be given access to the ChessKid.com Connections Academy community.
For students who may be hesitant or uncertain about joining an online extracurricular club, they are encouraged to just try it! They can attend a LiveLesson session to see what it’s all about and leave the club if they find it isn’t for them. They can also watch videos to learn more about the game.
All students are welcome!
Learn more about other extracurricular activities students enrolled in a Connections Academy-supported school can enjoy by exploring our full list of Clubs and Activities.
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