Tournaments

Over the past six years, the leaders of the Virgin Islands Institute for Teaching and Learning have organized, taught, conducted tournaments, and exposed many of our students to the valuable lessons and the benefits of this growing sport, with astonishing results.

Presently, over 150 students of all ages in our public and private schools are exposed, every day, to our program and the principles of chess. These students develop better concentration skills, become better critical thinkers, develop logical reasoning skills, perform better academically, meet new friends, improve their social developmental skills, and become more motivated. These students are making a big positive difference.

Brief History

In 1994, the Virgin Islands Institute for Teaching and Learning, Inc. sought to improve the lives of many of the younger students in our territory through education programs that focused on literacy, health awareness, and juvenile delinquency prevention. The institute’s mission focused on providing parents, educators, and students with workshops and programs that supplement educational activities taking place in our schools and at home.  Our in-school chess program grew from the involvement of two pilot schools to now more than eight schools in the St. Thomas/St.John school district.

Each year, students received lessons in chess during, after, and before school hours. The Institute also organized three or more chess competitions each year between students who attend our public and private schools, and at the end of each tournament, trophies and certificates are awarded to winners and participants.

For the past two years, the St. Thomas Rotary II has support our initiative. Over these two years, our organization selected a number of our top chess students to travel to Florida to participate in the Southern Regional Amateur Chess Tournament.

Two years ago, seventeen of our students were selected to participate in this event and they returned home tied for first place as the U.S. Southern Regional Amateur Chess Champions. This past school year (2011), another sixteen students were selected and participated in the Florida event, and again returned home as the sole Champions. They became the U.S. Southern Regional Amateur Chess Champions in February, 2011. This school year (2012) another 17 students were selected to participate in the Southern Regional Tournament.  This event is slated for February 16^th to 21, 2012.

In July 2011, five of our chess scholastic students were selected by Mr. Sinclair Wilkinson, a St. Thomas II Rotarian, to participate in the 39^th Annual World Chess Open in Philadelphia. Top class chess players from various countries throughout the world traveled to Philadelphia, during the week of June 30^th to July 5^th, and engaged in one of our nation’s top class chess tournament.

The five students who participated in this historic event were: Shamiel Vanterpool, a student who attends the Addelita Cancryn School, Arthur Williams Jr. of Charlotte Amalie High School, Nkosi Jones of Gift High on St. John, Jinjoe Canezal of Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School, and Alex Emmerich who attends the Montessori School.

At the end of the tournament, three of the five students emerged with some of the top winners in their respective division and received different size checks at the end of the competition. These checks enabled the students to defray some of their educational obligations for the up-coming school year. Additionally, one of our students, Jinjoe Canezal a seventh grader from the Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School, placed first in the category of those players with a rating of 900 and under.  The second student, Shamiel Vanterpool, an eighth grader from the Addelita Cancryn School, placed fourth in the category of those players with a rating of 1000 and under, and the third student, Arthur Williams Jr., placed ninth in the category of those players with the rating of 1200 and under.

Our players had a unique opportunity to meet, greet, shake hands, get autographs, and play against some of the best emerging players from the United States and other countries. Some had an opportunity to play a simo-game against Ray Robson, the youngest ever grand master from the United States. Ray Robson is now 16 years old.

The students observed and analyzed games that were played by grand masters. They received autograph books, met new friends, emerged with better ratings, and returned home as improved players. The memories from this event would last for a lifetime.

Thank you St. Thomas Rotary II