Frazier students benefit from chess class

FALLBROOK - “Learning to play chess has really helped me feel great about myself,” said sixth grade student Christian Reel. “I also learned that if you play chess with your dad, you might just win!” For the past four months, students in grades 4 through 6 at William H. Frazier School have participated in a program called Academic Chess. Not only have they learned about the art of playing chess, they have further developed their critical thinking and problem solving skills, improved their concentration and mental discipline, and improved their confidence - all while having fun! Students met once a week for a one hour class. For the first 30 minutes, students were taught chess strategies, chess openings, and how to solve chess diagrams and puzzles. Students were then given 30 minutes to play against each other, using their new strategies and playbooks.

Academic Chess has greatly benefited all who have participated, and William H. Frazier School looks forward to offering it again next school year. Sixth grader Kevin Segerstrom said, “Chess makes me feel smarter about life since it is hard to play and you have to do a lot of thinking.”