1. Chess Club at the Mix at
Arbor Place
Zander Levit & Pat Montgomery
2. The Mix at Arbor Place
“The Mix at Arbor Place is a non-denominational faith-based, 501c3 not-for-profit organization located in
Southeast Lancaster City. The Mix at Arbor Place is dedicated to meeting the spiritual, social/emotional,
academic, and physical needs of Lancaster’s inner-city youth.”
After school programs run Monday through Friday - poetry, chess, sports, tutoring
Ages 7 to 15
4 sessions of summer camps and Vacation Bible School
~10 full time staff members
Rotating Volunteers
3. Purpose of our Investigation
- The purpose of our project is to understand the best method of teaching
chess to the students at the Mix.
- Help create more programing at the mix
- Many of the kids at the Mix come from at risk and lower income backgrounds
- Chess gives them an activity that can potentially enhance their intellectual abilities and
create cognitive strategies.
- More options for students at the Mix
4. Why Chess?
Sharp decline in Math scores statewide
40% math efficiency statewide
47% math efficiency for Lancaster County Schools
0% efficiency for Phoenix Academy
9 out of 10 of the lowest performing schools are in the city
Implications hurt school profiles and teacher ratings
5. Past Research: Benefits of Chess
- Chess has been shown to improve cognitive competences in
adolescents who play regularly (Aciego, García & Betancort,
2012)
- Chess can increase IQ, math scores, enhance spatial memory, and
teach both logical thinking and flexibility to children (Dauvergne,
2000; Bart, 2014)
- Longitudinal studies show significant grade increase in special
needs students (Barrett & Fish, 2011)
6. Comparison of two programs
La Academia
● Began September 2015
● Voluntary program
● Ages 10 to 12
● 2 continuous students
● Average class of 3
● All male
The Mix at Arbor Place
● Began January 2016
● Mandatory participation
● Ages 13 to 16
● No continuous students
● Average class size of 5 (3
participants)
● Mixed genders
7. What worked?
La Academia
● 4 way chess
● Learning through
gameplay
● Small prizes
The Mix at Arbor Place
● Incentives - prizes and
competition
● Relating gameplay to sports
● Conversations regarding
best practices and student
interest
8. Challenges at the Mix
Low participant retention
Inability to chose another activity*
Gender**
Race/ethnicity***
*(Fischer, 1979)
**(Maass, D’Ettole & Cadinu, 2008; Blanch, Aluja, Cornadó, 2015)
***(Fordham, 1985)
Low organization
Inconsistency of instructors
Lack of time
Older students
Why was it hard to replicate the success
of La Academia at the Mix at Arbor
place?
9. Recommendations for High School Programs
Give students the power of choice
Provide a clear purpose for the program
Convey the ways that the program positively affects the
students
Be approachable and aware of cultural boundaries
10. Recommendations for the Mix
Start with younger students
Bi-weekly or longer sessions
Full-time staff member as instructor
Consistent incentive system
Solidify knowledge of the pieces before gameplay
Diagrams
Mini games
