Anguilla News covers Anguilla and the wider
Caribbean.
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Historic
game of Chess being actively promoted by GOA
March 05, 2008: The Education Department (ED) of the
Government of Anguilla (GOA) has announced plans for a Chess
summer workshop for young people on the island, according to
a release on Wednesday. An initiative taken last year,
to introduce the game to schools in the island has
reportedly resulted in an emerging group of playing
youngsters. Specifically, at the Morris Vanterpool Primary
School, a vibrant group has developed under the supervision
of Teacher Leonard Telemaque with the assistance of Mr.
Vijay Sharma and Andy Brown of the ED.
The initiative is being driven by an expectation of
long-term benefits from the cognitive stimulation that
experts purport the game provides. Among several sources
cited in the Department's release, were assertions by David
Berman and Dean J. Ippolito, that Chess enhances creativity,
problem solving, concentration, memory, intellectual
maturity, self esteem, analytical skills and a host of other
desirable traits in children. It also cited the work of
Dr.Robert Ferguson who examined students from seventh to
ninth grade from 1979-1983 as part of the ESEA title IV-C
Explore program. His results indicated a 4.6% annual
increase in critical thinking in students who did not play
chess, while for students who played chess their analytical
skills improved an average of 17.3% annually.
To further their goal, the GOA has had professional Chess
instructors visit schools on the island. During the last
term of 2006-2007 David MacEnulty, a renowned teacher of the
game in New York, visited Anguilla to conduct a workshop
with interested teachers; it was the real life experience of
MacEnulty with inner city youths in the united states of
America, that provided the basis for the movie “Knights of
the South Bronx”.
Also, in December of 2007 Mr. David Berman visited the
island and conducted a brief workshop with the primary
school teachers and students.
It is hoped that tournaments can be developed for the young
and adult population, with the game eventually becoming more
of a norm in society.
