Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis and Monsanto Fund Set to Expand Scholastic Chess in Rural Areas

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For Immediate Release

Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis and Monsanto Fund Set to Expand Scholastic Chess in Rural Areas

ST. LOUIS, June 2, 2016 – Monsanto Fund has renewed its partnership with the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis to sustain chess as a tool to enhance math and science education in rural communities surrounding St. Louis. This unique program, now entering its second year, will continue to utilize the resources available from the world-renowned Chess Club to train teachers from rural communities to help establish sustainable chess programs in schools throughout the area.

The essence of the program is to create a well-established chess culture in each community. During the inaugural year, the program provided training for 14 instructors from rural schools outside of the St. Louis area and reached over 300 students.

Last year, the Rural Chess Program introduced chess to students from Chillicothe, Cape Girardeau, Ste. Genevieve, Westphalia, Winfield, and even extended into rural communities in Illinois including Smithton and Freeburg.

Studies show that chess improves student performance in reasoning, long-term planning, decision-making, memory and judgment, all of which correlate to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills. “STEM skills are essential for today’s young people, who in the near future will be the generation driving innovation and overcoming challenges through big ideas,” said Michelle Insco, Monsanto Fund program officer. “Monsanto Fund is proud to renew the partnership with the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis to bring its programs to young people in rural communities.”

This fall, an additional 17 teachers from rural schools in Illinois and Missouri will receive training at the Chess Club, which is located in the Central West End. After completing a training program that is similar to what is currently utilized by the Chess Club for certification of its own instructors, the teachers will return to their schools with all of the necessary equipment: teaching materials, books, chess boards and sets, to start a chess program at their school. The goal of the program is to give teachers in rural areas the expertise necessary to teach the fundamentals of chess while also promoting critical thinking, planning, and sportsmanship skills.

A Monsanto Fund grant of $24,990 will cover the cost of this program.

“We are grateful for the opportunity Monsanto Fund created last year to connect us to the outlying communities,” said Tony Rich, executive director of the Chess Club. “This year we look forward to expanding this foundation and spreading chess education to an additional 17 communities.”

This continued partnership between the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis and Monsanto Fund is designed to build an outreach program that’s sustainable in each community while allowing it to grow. All the participating schools this fall will keep all the equipment and instructional materials from the program.

About The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis

The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.

Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Chess Club and Scholastic Center is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.

About the Monsanto Fund

The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of Monsanto Company, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the communities where farmers and Monsanto Company employees live and work. Visit the Monsanto Fund at www.monsantofund.org.

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