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About Us

Mission Statement

Chess in the Schools fosters the intellectual and social development of low-income youth through chess education.

“Before, I thought chess was for people smarter than me but now I feel smarter than before knowing how to play chess. I also have more patience now. Thank you again for going out of your way to come every Tuesday to teach us to play chess.”

- Chess in the Schools Elementary School Participant

Why Chess?

At Chess in the Schools, we believe in the power of chess as a tool to change lives. To date, we have taught more than 500,000 of New York City’s most underserved children, inspiring them to greater achievement. Each day, we are proud to help kids grow, one move at a time. Our impact can be seen each year from the survey results of our classroom teachers:

96% of teachers reported that chess had a meaningful positive impact on their students.
89% of teachers reported that practicing chess increased students’ self-esteem.
91% of teachers reported that practicing chess enhanced students’ cooperation skills.
89% of teachers reported that chess enriched their students’ social skills.
93% of teachers reported that chess developed their students’ problem solving skills.
92% of teachers reported that learning chess improved students’ analytic and logical reasoning skills.

Photo Credit: Erik Bardin

Featured Event

CIS 30th Anniversary Benefit Celebration

May.08.2017

Our annual Benefit Celebrations, which are always held at New York City’s most sought-after venues, have garnered support from Fortune 500 companies, celebrities, an array of impressive philanthropists, young professionals, and prominent community leaders. A highly-anticipated…

Learn more

Frequently Asked Questions

Q How are School Program schools selected?

New York City Public Schools which have been designated as Title I are eligible to apply for participation in our School Program. If you are interested in participating in our School Program, please click here to send an inquiry.

Q Can any school staff member apply for the School Program?

While any official staff member from a NYC public school can apply, the application process must be approved by and have the full support of the principal.

Q Can my child participate even if their school is not eligible?

Individual students are not eligible to participate in our School Program independent of their school being an official partner. However, NYC students are welcome to register for our tournaments regardless of whether their school participates in our School Program.

Q I live in the NYC Metro Area (NJ, CT, Westchester County), can my school apply for your programs?

Unfortunately, our programs are only available to NYC Public Schools in the 5 boroughs (Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens).

Q In order for my child to be eligible for College Bound, is it a requirement to have been a participant in the School Program?

Yes, we typically allow entrance to the College Bound Program to those who previously participated in the School Program. However, exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis.