Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) hosted its annual winter chess tournament on Feb. 25 at Henry E. Lackey High School. The event was open to students from kindergarten through 12th grade and attracted a total of 151 participants.
The tournament consisted of four rounds of grade-level division play, with one champion being named per grade level. Winners were awarded a trophy, and all other participants received medals for their efforts.
Students from various schools in the district competed for the top prize. Shivam Nayak from Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School won the champion award for kindergarten, while Alexander Trout from William B. Wade Elementary School emerged victorious in the first-grade division. Edmund Eze Onodugo from Archbishop Neale was declared the champion in the second-grade division, and Larra Victoria Carino from Indian Head Elementary School won in the third-grade division.
David Trout from Wade Elementary School was named champion in the fourth-grade division, while Carlos Borders from the same school took home the top prize in the fifth-grade division. Mason Kea from Mattawoman Middle School was victorious in the sixth-grade division, and Aundre Dudley, a homeschooled student, won in the seventh-grade division. Destiny Dudley, also a homeschooled student, was named champion in the eighth-grade division.
Giusepee De Lama from Thomas Stone High School emerged victorious in the freshman division, while Alfred Johann Cruz from Westlake High School won in the sophomore division. JaQrai Smith from Westlake High School was named champion in the junior division, and Jackson Bowler from La Plata High School took home the top prize in the senior division.
The tournament was a huge success and showcased the district’s young talents in chess. CCPS plans to continue hosting such events to encourage and foster the love for the game among its students.