The positive impacts of the game of chess are well documented, including boosting mental alertness, promoting problem-solving skills, optimizing memory improvement and enhancing creativity and foresight. Over the years, studies have demonstrated the inherent link between playing the game of chess and the overall academic improvement of students particularly in the areas of reasoning and critical thinking.

Based on this premise, the National Community Foundation have been the champions of chess in schools for the last decade. On July 7th, approximately 70 registered students representing primary and secondary schools across the island, converged at the Castries Town Hall for the Annual Schools Chess Tournament. This one day event is a culmination of the ongoing Chess in Schools programme where students are exposed to the game by either joining a chess club at the secondary school level, or as part of the curriculum at primary schools.

The event was organized by the NCF in collaboration with presenting sponsor EC Global Insurance, a partnership between the two entities which spans 9 out of the last 10 years of the tournament’s existence.

According to Agency & Operations Manager of EC Global, Anne Marie Herman, “This investment for us at EC Global, is a sound one, which continues to have a positive impact on the academic performance and the holistic development of our students. We remain committed to the growth of this programme. This incredible programme has continued to support the development of the critical thinking and reasoning ability of our young people - skills which of course have a direct, positive impact on the academic performance of our students – as evidenced by the remarkable performance of previous tournament participants in the achievement of their educational and career pursuits.”

From the point of view of EC Global, all the students are winners as their avid participation in the games will continue to make a difference in their critical thinking and reasoning abilities. Special thanks were extended to the staff of NCF, teachers, students, facilitators and former students of the programme, who continue to give of themselves towards the development of the chess programme in Saint Lucia.