Chess

Chess has always had a place at Upper Room Christian School. Several years ago we even had a formal club that competed throughout Long Island through the United States Chess Federation and all of our players played timed games by the USCF rulebook.

We've played at St. Joseph's, Adelphi and Hoefstra Universities. But it seems that the place we like to play the most is in the lunchroom. During any lunch period you can see boards set up and students playing as they eat their lunch.

Chess is an excellent game as well as an excellent teaching tool. It requires critical thinking and concentration. There is no luck involved at all. Students learn the all important skill of asking "what if" throughout the game. They see cause and effect. They concentrate deeply and are not taught to make a good move but taught to make the best move. That's why it's called, "The Game of Kings".

Lunchtime!

School is not just about learning how to read, write and do math. School is also about learning how to relate to people of different ages, backgrounds, social status, race and cultures. Here at Upper Room Christian School we put an emphasis on building strong relationships between the students and the staff. We are a family and the school has a family atmosphere.

At lunch students bring food from home, order hot lunch from our hot lunch program or just buy something from the vending machines. What's most important is that they relax and relate. The relationships forged here usually go on for years and in some cases, even for life.

Life is about our relationships. Our relationship with God. Our relationship with our family. Our relationship with our friends. And our relationship to our community. School needs to be a place where we can learn to better stregnthen and enrich these relationships because in reality....they are all that really matters!

Grace and Peace,
Ed