Children check out afterschool chess program

Oberlin students share game with elementary school children

"If I weren't here, I'd just be watching TV," said Robby Schubert, a fourth-grader in Oberlin's Prospect Elementary School. Instead, Schubert and about 30 of his schoolmates stay after school on Tuesdays to play chess.

Oberlin College students and community members created a chess afterschool program for this public elementary school. Educators, elementary school children and community members have made this program a success and now look to create more afterschool programs in the future.

According to Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Suzanne Gay, the project began with a call from the Oberlin Academic Boosters organization for more afterschool activities, which are "intellectually challenging, not artsy-craftsy."

Gay, who is a parent of a Prospect Elementary student, contacted the Oberlin College Chess Club. At the time no one knew how well chess would catch on with these third, fourth and fifth graders.

Five weeks ago, five Chess Club volunteers and a retiree from Kendal at Oberlin arrived to gauge interest and start the program. When 49 kids arrived, nearly one-fifth of Prospect's student body, the volunteers were relieved and invigorated. Each following week about 30 kids participated.

The program has been called a success by all parties involved. Principal of Prospect Elementary Elaine Carlin said, "The kids love it, they just love it."

Schubert said, "It's cool. I like to play chess. I don't care if I win or lose, I play hard."

The success has been interpreted in a couple different ways. "My reaction to the number of children that we got is that there is a real need for organized activities after school," said Carlin. Other projects pairing college students with community schools include classics majors teaching Latin to junior high students, the Oberlin Music Coalition, and the perennial afterschool ExCo courses.

Senior Elan Rodan organizes the lesson plans and teaches each week. He has a different take on the success of the chess program. Rodan said, "I think a lot of the kids are really interested in chess." He admits, "some of them are here because it's an afterschool program."

Students are not the only ones who learn from the program. Hugh McCorkle, a retired doctor now living in Kendall said, "I forgot how much energy third graders have. It's really exciting."

Rodan agrees. "They are learning right in front of your eyes. I think that's the most exciting part of it."

Working with kids also has its perils, according to Carlin. "I have no discipline problems, except sometimes they get a little loud," Carlin said.

Rodan finds a different problem. He said, "The hardest thing I've come across is that their attention span runs low at the end of the hour."

To overcome boredom, the volunteers focus on active learning. The children are given chess sets and boards at the beginning of class. The volunteers teach the kids in small groups and leave plenty of time for the kids to play.

After teaching a chess ExCo to college students, Rodan puts the problem in perspective. "The funny thing is that I think sometimes the attention span of the ExCo students is just as short as that of the elementary students," he said.

Since the program is a steady success, the Academic Boosters and school officials are looking to the future. Carlin posed other ideas of afterschool programs involving electronics or science. Gay said she wants to see the chess program expand. "I'd like to see a chess program following the kids through high school," Gay said.