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Students, advisor present Bell's School chess club to Washington Township School District
Summary
At a Washington Township School District meeting (date not specified), the Bell's School chess club advisor and students described the program's 21-year history, current membership and recent tournament results, emphasizing teamwork and life lessons.
At a Washington Township School District meeting (date not specified), the Bell's School chess club advisor and students described the program’s history, membership and recent tournament results.
The advisor, identified in the transcript only as the Bell's Chess Club advisor (name not specified), told attendees the club began about 21 years ago after a single student asked the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) to start one. The advisor said he initially sent permission slips for fourth- and fifth-graders and received about 70 responses within a week, which led to the club’s launch. He said the club now serves students in grades two through five and currently has 46 members.
“Since then, Bell's School has offered chess club to second to fifth grade,” the advisor said, adding that he is “proud to call myself the Bell's Chess Club advisor.” He emphasized life lessons the club teaches, saying, “Mistakes are wonderful opportunity to learn.”
Students who attended described competitive results and what they learned from chess. Joseph Seffner, a fifth-grade student, said he has been a member since second grade. Landon Wolf, a fourth-grade student, said Bell’s chess teams compete nationally and that he competed at nationals in Baltimore; a later student, Chris Stiggs, said Bell’s placed 10th among elementary schools at that event. Another student recounted a story about a high-school alum who handed a first‑place trophy to a younger player who had lost all his matches, which the advisor cited as an example of the club’s camaraderie.
No formal actions, votes or requests for district funding were recorded in the provided transcript excerpt. The presentation consisted of remarks by the advisor and short statements by students about participation, teamwork and tournament results.
The advisor said 11 students accompanied him to the meeting to display trophies and share experiences. He characterized the program goal as helping students leave chess club “not just as better chess players, but as better people.”
