MS 118 students play a game of chess during the after-school programs called College Town, now in its fourth year.
BY JESS WISLOSKI
Posted Tuesday, June 12th 2007, 4:00 AM
Five Bronx schools are shutting the doors to their after-school programs because federal funds dried up.
“The effect is going to be dramatic,” said David Neering, principal at Middle School 206 in Morris Heights.
His is one of 18 Bronx schools on the list to lose state-distributed funds designated for after-school programming that kept hundreds of elementary and middle-school children in the borough’s poorest neighborhoods from being latchkey kids.
Four other schools announced the certain demise of their programs last week. Citywide, the loss of funds will cripple 118 schools, affecting 20,000 children. Some 62 schools across the city face losing their programs.
“We serve them dinner, there’s tutoring, we run an athletic program, we have an arts program, there’s a chess club,” and video and robotics courses at a nearby college, said Neering. “Studies show … if middle-school age kids are not engaged in something positive, they’re engaged in at-risk behaviors.
“It’s going to be traumatic for the community, and for the school.”
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This is why people like Paul is so important for chess. We can no longer rely on charity. We must make chess viable.
This is also why the Federal government should stay out of the Education Business. It has not worked for decades, and will continue to not work until it is privatized and localized to the state level.
Yes, it is a shame to hear about these after school programs being shut down. We should carefully choose (elect) people to the USCF who will be able to focus on these after school programs and help to keep them running.
When money comes too easy, it is bound to be mismanaged and abused.
Sheesh, it’s embarrassing that these guys can’t run a simple chess club without Federal dollars.
When I was in high school (also in New York State), a chess club was easy. Everyone who was interested met in an empty room after school and played. A chessplaying teacher volunteered to oversea things. A lot of the schools who did this ran their own tournament once a year which players from the other schools would go to. We weren’t dependent on Federal money (which constitutionally, the Feds have no right to give out for things like chess anyway), we just played chess. What’s the problem here?
let me help eric moskow m.d. 954 935 1477 ext 208 i would be happy to meet with them and assist if there is a well manage program
I grew up in the Bronx and it broke my heart to hear of this but an angel has arisen and my heart goes out to Dr. Moskow :o) THANX!
You’re not making sense here, Mayanking. First you tell us it “broke your heart” that people you don’t know lost Federal dollars, then you turn around and act like one guy with a spirit of volunteerism can make things better. Isn’t that an admission that they didn’t really need the money in the first place? They only needed a few chessic minded individuals willing to donate their time?
I think you’re thinking about this emotionally. You don’t seem to know or care if the money is necessary or good public policy, it just represents a kind of certificate of appreciation for chess.
again, I will only give if they have a plan, show results over time ands have a dsirect goal, A call will start it off then a clear reads of mcnultys articles or the great teacher in philly an ivy league guy who returneds to the community, I think his name is el salome but not sure, I know he had great results with inner city youth. There is no question the program works iof applieds correctly, Not to be grandiose, but Im a trifle more equipt to help than some guy??? I am a master ands clearly well capitalized. Have a few connections last time I lookeds. No joking aside, if needsed I woulds love to sponsor something like this, Its positive pr, I love kids and heck it coulds be a feedser program for say bates, vassar or texcas tech, all close to my heart.
I am writing to you to ask for your support. I recently became the head coordinator of the Middle School 118 chess club in the South Bronx. I believe chess is a great educational tool that promotes learning, while developing a student’s spatial reasoning and problem solving skills.
The school team is one of the largest in New York City, and currently consists of more than 40 dedicated students who meet twice a week for two hours after school. We have two instructors that work with the students during these after school sessions. Over half of these students also participate in weekend tournaments held throughout the city.
In 2005, Middle School 118 won the National Scholastic K – 8 Chess tournament, upsetting and beating over 600 private and public schools from around the nation. The following year, the team finished top in the unrated section of players. These tournaments offer students a great reward for their dedication to chess, while offering an incredible opportunity for these students to succeed on a national stage. It is pretty rare in this age for students from the south Bronx to be recognized for their great ability and intelligence. National chess tournaments are held throughout the United States, and unfortunately, we do not have the resources at this school to support this trip.
I am hoping to raise enough support and funds this year to provide 12 students the chance to compete at Nationals this upcoming April in Dallas and lasts four days.
⇒A plane ticket costs $350 (unfortunately we must arrange travel through a Department of Education certified travel agent).
⇒A hotel room at the tournament costs $120 per night.
⇒Providing food for a student for one day costs around $25
Provide a student with a plane ticket or hotel room for the night. Any support you can grant is greatly appreciated. If you are interested, please contact me at rgreenawalt@schools.nyc.gov.
R. Matthew Greenawalt
8th and 7th grade math teacher,
Head Chess Coordinator at M.S. 118