Rialto Students Think Two Moves Ahead: After-School Chess Program Builds Strategy, Focus and Confidence

Rialto Students Think Two Moves Ahead: After-School Chess Program Builds Strategy, Focus and Confidence

Black-and-white chess pieces move with precision as Garcia Elementary School fifth grader Elyza Camargo studies the chessboard, already thinking two steps ahead. During a recent after-school day, a quiet tension filled the room with several matches going at once. Classmates compete head-to-head in what is often called the “Game of Kings.” The students learned the game from teacher Lazaro Serna through the ELOP (Expanded Learning Opportunities Pr…