Support the Chess Team from Brooklyn Castle!

My Students

<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/49483695" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> Imagine a school where the chess champs are the heroes of the entire community! For the past ten years, our school has developed the best scholastic chess program in the entire nation. Seen in the film Brooklyn Castle, our team is struggling to fulfilll our mission to compete at the highest levels.

Our chess team is made up of a range of students who reflect the diversity that makes America great.

Most of the students are the children of hard working immigrants who are successful at school and dedicate themselves to become the best chess players. Our school is a Title I school with over 70% of the students qualifying for free lunch. Despite these challenges, our remarkable chess team won the HIGH SCHOOL championship last year. Our little chess masters, have proved over and over that skin color, income and home language are no match for hard work, talent, dedication and a great school that believes in them. Many of our students travel over an hour each way to participate in our program. Most spend over 12 hours each week at practice, class and tournaments. We hope to inspire each student to believe that greatness is possible.

My Project

Our program has always been based on a simple idea that our students can accomplish amazing things if they work really hard and dedicate themselves to excellence. As documented in Brooklyn Castle, our ability to allow our students to shine at the highest levels has been financially compromised. How can we tell a student who has worked so hard to be the best chess player that we can not find a way to attend the highest competition? That is why we are asking for your help. Your support will allow our program to continue to compete at the highest levels. Your help will allow our needy students the incentive to work hard. One of our best seventh grade players is a recent refugee from the Congo. Despite obstacles that are truly unbelievable, this young man has worked so hard to become a good student and a strong chess player. We have so many students who face daunting challenges in their daily lives, yet through our program they find a challenging place that enriches their lives.

If you have seen Brooklyn Castle, you know that your donation will make a real difference.

Our chess team has players of all strengths, and all we ask of our kids is that they work hard and commit to becoming the best chess player. If they do that, we will somehow get them to nationals to sit across the chessboard from the best players from across the country. We need your help to fulfill that promise.