With school out for the summer, some El Paso-area school districts are offering programs designed to keep children engaged with fun, educational opportunities, including a chess camp held each year at Reyes Elementary School.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo this is a chess camp that we do every year here at Reyes Elementary,\u201d one organizer said. The camp is aimed at getting kids away from screens while helping them build social and thinking skills. \u201cIt\u2019s just a great camp, gets kids off of their devices, allows kids to meet one another, make friends,\u201d the organizer said. \u201cMost importantly, they\u2019re able to learn some life skills, critical thinking, decision making.\u201d<\/p>\n
Organizers said the camp is about more than learning the rules of the game. \u201cThis camp at Reyes Elementary where kids are not just learning chess, but they\u2019re learning how to work with one another,\u201d the organizer said. \u201cThey\u2019re learning a new skill.\u201d The organizer added that students are also learning persistence. \u201cThey\u2019re learning how to stay involved and determined and pursue their goals until they achieve them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Students at the camp said chess helps them think and focus. \u201cI love chess because it helps my brain and it makes me think a lot and it, I feel like it helps develop my brain a lot and I like that,\u201d one student said.<\/p>\n
Another student said the camp offers a chance to connect in person. \u201cIt gives me like a nice feeling of how in the world of everyone\u2019s other devices, like it\u2019s more connected and there\u2019s a lot of nice people here, so it\u2019s fun to make friends,\u201d the student said.<\/p>\n
Summer break programs keep El Paso students learning, with Reyes Elementary chess camp (credit: KFOX14\/CBS4)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Kids also described enjoying the strategy involved in the game. \u201cI like to try to do strategy, so like I would like to like move one piece to there, to another spot to like try to take out, make checkmate, I like strategy,\u201d a student said. Another student said, \u201cThere are benefits with digital, but hands on gives you like a more face to face experience and lets you, it lets you like interact with your opponent more and figure out who they are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Organizers said that hands-on experience is part of why the camp was created. \u201cThe reason I wanted this camp in the first place is because it gets them out of the house, gets them off the screens and it teaches them a very important lesson of chess, life, strategy, which I appreciate and they\u2019re gonna enjoy this when they grow up,\u201d one organizer said.<\/p>\n
Students said they believe the lessons will carry beyond the summer. \u201cI feel like chess would help me a lot in the later years \u2019cause it helps me, it helps me improve my brain,\u201d one student said. Another added, \u201cChess camp\u2019s been really fun and I\u2019ve learned a lot about it.\u201d The student said chess also builds character: \u201cSo like it teaches me how to be more disciplined and it teaches me about integrity.\u201d<\/p>\n
One organizer said the camp reflects positively on the community. \u201cJust makes me super proud of El Paso,\u201d the organizer said, pointing to \u201cthese kids and the great people who are putting this camp on.\u201d<\/p>\n