LESSON FOR LESSON (L4L)
What is L4L?
For every paid DIG lesson, a child in economic need can attend a DIG lesson for free. DIG has provided over 50000 free lessons since 2016
Brycin (3rd grader at St Ann Academy) finished 3rd place out of 25 kids in the grades 1-4 section of the St Ann Academy Chess Tournament on Dec 3, 2022. This was his first tournament. He decided to play in tournaments outside of St Anns after having some success against his schoolmates. He signed up for the 2023 Fairfield Regional Scholastic grades 2-3 section featuring 32 players. Brycin finished 3rd place, winning 3 of 4 matches and only losing to the player that finished 1st place.
Gianna (3rd grader at St Ann Academy) finished 1st place out of 25 kids in the grades 1-4 section of the St Ann Academy Chess Tournament on Dec 3, 2022. This was her first tournament. She decided to try her luck at the Sacred Heart University DIG Chess Tournament and she finished 6th out of 17 players in the U300 section. Then, she competed in the school-wide (grades 1-8) St Ann Academy Chess Tournament, finishing 1st place out of 36th players, most of which were older than her. After that, she was offered a scholarship to join the DIG Chess Team which features competitive youth chess players from all around Fairfield County. She practices with that team after school weekly and plans on attending regional tournaments along with her normal weekly practices during school at St Anns.
Janneris Rivera (mother of Lionel):
Last school year was the first time ever that my son Lionel started taking chess lessons. He has grasped the game very well; chess has improved Lionel’s ability to think laterally, and helped him become more patient and confident. I also see improvements in his reasoning and thinking ability. I’ve noticed that he thinks through things much more. He has shown a great interest towards chess and looks forward chess lessons weekly at St. Ann Academy. He is so happy with his Chess trophy. Thank you for giving my child this learning opportunity!
Coach Daniel:
As someone who grew up in the inner-city I can personally attest to the impact chess has made on me. I feel as though without chess parts of what make me who I am today wouldn’t have been able to develop to the extent they have. Chess has taught me planning, perseverance, and determination. My experiences at Saint Ann’s has led me to see that we’ve brought that very same thing to tens or even hundreds of kids who have begun to take an interest in chess. From my personal experiences I can see without a doubt the impact chess will have on the children of Saint Ann’s in the future and the many lessons it’ll give them both within and outside of the game itself
Coach Norman Burtness:
I have been the director for the tournaments at St. Ann’s Academy. It is a joy to see so many kids ready and eager to play. What I enjoyed seeing is their development in some of the basic life skills, from learning the discipline of following the rules, to the handshake at the start and end of every game showing good sportsmanship. One of the harder things for a beginner chess player is to manage their clock time well. At first, they will all finish their games in 5-10 minutes, but gradually a few of them catch on and realize the importance and benefits of time management. While the chess progress can be slow, it does take a consistent long-term effort time to get good. As someone who is very involved in the chess community and knows the long-term impact it can have on someone’s life, I enjoy coming to St. Ann’s and seeing the work that is going on there and how excited some of the kids are to be a part of it. It can only do good for those involved. I should also add that it is amazing to see the commitment of the school staff to this program, with teachers taking a whole Saturday to come in and help out with it.
