Scary Challenge

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEWS RELEASE CONTACT:
Senator Jamie Raskin
or Alice Wilkerson, Legislative Aide

October 27, 2008

Senator Jamie Raskin Accepts “Scary Challenge,” Will Face 15 of Broad Acres Elementary School’s Finest After-School Chess Students in a Simultaneous Tournament to Observe National Chess Day

Silver Spring – On October 30, 2008 Senator Jamie Raskin and fifteen Broad Acres Elementary School students will participate in a classic chess exhibition in observance of National Chess Day. Senator Raskin will serve as the “chess master” and will simultaneously play fifteen students in fifteen different chess games in a classroom before a public audience.

“This is pretty much the scariest challenge I have ever received,” said Senator Raskin, who last won chess tournaments when he was in elementary school himself. “My kids said that if I can’t win all fifteen games, I should try to lose all of them so I can tell people that I wasn’t trying. But I am going to do everything I can to preserve my self-respect as a chess player and win. But these kids are really good.”

When asked about playing Senator Raskin, Jesus De Jesus, a 4th grade student said, “I will be kind of nervous playing against a Senator and a master in chess. I will try very hard to win, but if I do not win it is OK too, Maybe I will win.”

Mr. Henderson, the school Librarian and a chess teacher in the school’s chess program said, “It is great that State Senator Raskin is participating in a critical thinking activity and showing his willingness to take the time to see the State chess grant in action.”

Senator Raskin struck up a relationship with the chess program at Broad Acres, which has one of the finest in the state of Maryland, when he was at the school speaking about public safety last year and bumped into a student carrying a chess set who challenged him to a game.

“Chess is incredibly good for the minds of young people,” said Senator Raskin. “It teaches you about strategic thinking and having both patience and courage. I think all of our kids should be playing chess whenever they can. It makes your mind strong.”

National Chess Day was first declared by President Gerald R. Ford. Broad Acres Elementary School will hold numerous chess activities throughout the week of October 27-31 in honor of National Chess Day and to promote chess as a positive endeavor for young people.

NATION CHESS DAY EVENTS
October 27-31, 2008
BROAD ACRES ES

President Gerald Ford, the nation’s thirty-eighth president, declared National Chess Day on October 9, 1976

· Simultaneous Chess Exhibition October 30, 12:00

State Senator Jamie Raskin will play against 15 students
A Chess simultaneous exhibition is an event where a chess master plays multiple chess games at a time with selected players. The chess master will walk from board to board in a fixed order. The boards are arranged in a large circle or square.

· Playground outside chess set game October 29 12:00

A group of 3rd grade students against the Principal, Mr. Bayewitz