Earlier this month, middle schoolers, Issa, John, and Mac, represented Community School at the 2026 Southwest Virginia Chess Championships held at Fallon Park Elementary School. The team performed exceptionally well, with Issa taking first place in the individual competition and the Community School team earning second place overall. Math teacher Julie Martin, who attended the event, shared that the win was a true team effort, with each player’s scores contributing to the team’s success.
Issa shared, “It’s always fun because with every game there is something new.” He also prepared for the tournament by watching chess videos and playing practice games with his parents. John added, “I like how chess makes you think and is a mental game.”
All three students are members of the Community School Chess Team, which meets weekly on Mondays. During these meetings, students learn more about the game, play practice games and mock tournaments, watch instructional videos, and have fun. Issa played a key role in advocating for the creation of the Chess Team and now serves as its student leader, helping guide meetings with support from Julie. In addition, all three students have participated in previous Chess Friday Groups, a six-week intensive enrichment class devoted to learning and playing chess.
Chess is a great game for developing critical thinking and concentration while also teaching patience and good sportsmanship. We are proud of Issa, John, and Mac for their hard work and were excited to see them succeed at the recent tournament. The Chess Club continues to meet this semester and has plans to participate in future tournaments.