Based on the book “Samurai Chess,” Rotary and Mr. Ron Pennington teamed up to teach chess (and life lessons) through the Seven Principles of Samurai.
The Ocean City Rotary Club, part of an international organization, dedicates itself to make positive, lasting changes in the communities in which they serve. “The principles of samurai means to give of one’s service. And Rotary is SERVICE ABOVE SELF,” Scheck said. The pair formed the classes to teach children respect, kindness and the principles of samurai through an ancient game that requires a lot of thought, strategy and patience.
Part of the focus of the classes, Pennington said, is to teach the children the principles he was taught growing up in Ocean City in the 1960s. “We’re using chess as this vehicle to teach what is right and what is wrong, and the consequences for what is right and what is wrong,” he said. “It’s all about choices. If you teach choices on this board and you make them aware that you can develop your own criteria as a child of choices for what is right or wrong based on this ancient game, let’s have them make the mistakes here.”
