The ‘Overseas Friends of Guyana’s Chess from the USA donated a total of five tournament size chess sets to the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) in June, which were subsequently presented to the St Ignatius Primary School, Lethem in Region Nine through the Allied Arts Division, Ministry of Education. The game is being taught to the students by teacher and Peace Corps volunteer Brett Goodman.
The teaching of chess at St Ignatius represents the first time the game was ever introduced to Region Nine. It was facilitated by headmistress Justa Alfred. When the sets were handed over, Goodman made the following remarks: “Chess has been more than a game to these children. When I first came to this school I saw it as a way to meaningfully engage with the children and they were drawn to it immediately. Through chess they are able to learn what it means to teach others in a respectful and productive way; think critically about how different parts of a game work together and plan ahead; promote gender equity by opening up opportunities and encouraging girls to participate; gain a sense of responsibility through the lending programme which allows students to borrow boards and bring chess home to their families.
some of the chess sets
“When we first started chess at St Ignatius there were around ten children in the library during the lunch period trying to get a chance to play. But with the generous donation of five new chess sets from the GCF there are always at least 20 students ready to play. And more students are invited to participate in chess. Chess has always been an academically stimulating way of bringing people together in my experience and St Ignatius Primary is no exception.”
