This past weekend, 36 Success Academy scholars from seven different schools traveled to Nashville to compete in the National K-12 Grade Chess Championships — and they put in a stellar performance. SA Harlem 4, SA Harlem East, SA Bronx 1, SA Midtown West, SA Union Square, SA Harlem North West, and SA Cobble Hill were all represented among the 1,544 students and 216 teams that participated from across the country.
At Grade Chess Championships, students compete exclusively against others students in the same grade — unlike many competitions where a scholar’s chess rating determines their division.
We’re so proud of our results:
8th Grade: SA Harlem North West took 3rd place out of 14 teams — finishing only a half point behind The Dalton School, which features one of the top chess programs in New York City!
7th Grade: Out of 20 teams, SA Harlem East and SA Bronx 1 tied for 6th place, with SA Bronx 1 finishing 7th on tie breaks.
6th Grade: SA Midtown West tied for 7th place out of 24 teams.
5th Grade: SA Cobble Hill took home 4th place; and SA Midtown West finished in 5th place, out of 26 teams.
4th Grade: SA Union Square tied for 6th place out of 26 teams.
In individual rankings, two scholars finished in the top ten for their grade! In the second grade division, SA Harlem 4’s Brewington Hardaway finished in 5th place out of 158 scholars. Nura Balla ranked 10th out of 163 scholars in the fifth grade division. Congratulations, Nura and Brewington!
When a flight got cancelled, staff got creative — and the results were out of this world!
Bad weather in several cities meant 26 scholars and four coaches were stuck for an extra day in Nashville, and what could have been a dull day at the hotel was transformed into an exciting learning experience.
With the help of the network’s Advisory and Communications teams, new flights were scheduled, an additional day at the hotel was booked, and families were quickly informed. The Scholar Events team pulled together an impromptu trip to Nashville’s Adventure Science Center, where scholars departed planet earth and experienced life in 1/6th gravity through a simulation that had them suspended from harnesses in a mock spaceship. Later, they headed to the center’s planetarium and watched a movie about great white sharks. The next morning scholars and staff safely returned to New York City, none the worse for wear.
Scholars experience 1/6th gravity at Nashville’s Adventure Science Center.
