Spring Hour Of Chess Week: February 22-26, 2021

Looking for a great way to kick off your school's chess club this spring? The Eighth "Hour of Chess Week" is back! Whether your school is meeting in person or virtually (or a combination), "Hour of Chess Week" is a fun way to connect your students with each other and to enjoy the benefits of chess!

This spring edition still gives you a chance to win 500 gold memberships for your entire school, which is valued at $5000 USD!

Once again, we will dedicate one full week to encouraging chess in schools (in every school) for at least one hour. We're borrowing from the KhanAcademy playbook (a website and organization whose efforts we greatly admire). This edition will be February 22-26, 2021. 

(Signup is at the bottom of this article!)

Last Fall we had more than 200 schools participate and this time we are aiming for 300!

"We want this February's 'Hour of Chess' to be your school's launching pad to chess education," ChessKid CEO Carey Fan said. "We are seeking school and teacher partners everywhere to help make chess education as common and as accepted as math, music, and art!

"ChessKid takes the mystery out of teaching chess so that any classroom or special area teacher can be confident to give the gift of chess!"

What Is Hour of Chess Week?

The Hour of Chess Week is a week dedicated to playing chess with everyone, anywhere in the world, for at least one hour! But specifically, ChessKid will be working with its major programs, largest and most active school districts, as well as promoting the efforts to as many worldwide schools to "try chess club at your school for one hour this week" and see if your kids love to play chess. We think they will! 

The project is open to existing ChessKid users or new users and there is NO COST!

When: Pick any hour 8 a.m.-5 p.m. your local time during the week of February 22-26. 2021.

Where: Your school (in person or virtual). Kids can use any device -- including their own smartphone or tablet if approved by the school for that hour -- to play Fast Chess or Solve Puzzles, (teacher or coach's decision which one) for one hour. Existing ChessKid users can now also choose to host a live tournament in their online club!

If meeting virtually, use your favorite meeting platform and set a time to meet for one hour. Your students can join the meeting, login to ChessKid, and play Fast Chess or Solve Puzzles together.

Teachers, remember that we are integrated with Clever, so this makes it quick & easy for you to get ChessKid up and running with your school.

How: To get approval from your school's principal and/or district leaders, we recommend you contact them immediately. Any schools needing official documentation of the event can contact ChessKid staff at [email protected] with the email title "Hour of Chess Week." Reading this article and telling your school leaders how much you love the idea of chess in your school might be enough! 

Remember, there's no cost and there's some great prizes!

Who Can Participate?

Everyone! In fact, one of our most active school districts, Madison City Schools in Alabama, has already committed all seven schools in the district. They get more than 2000 students from grades 1st-6th to participate in "Hour of Chess"! 

Just look at those stats from Madison City Schools Hour of Chess Week!

How Do I Participate?

Hour of Chess Week can be organized in person or virtually (or a combination).

Dayna Faultersack coordinated Hour of Chess Week for both in person and virtual students in Washington's Kennewick School District.

Hour of Chess fell on the first week of in-person instruction for our K-5th students. It was great to encourage the students to play chess with each other for the hour of class. ChessKid.com also made it possible for students at the school to play chess with students still learning from home. The students really enjoyed the hour playing each other. I was even able to analyze a game to find out how it ended when two students were confused. They did not realize the white player had Stalemate. I'm excited to encourage more students to participate in the next Hour of Chess.

Why An Hour Of Chess?

Chess is recognized universally as one of the most effective ways to bring fun into the classroom, yet still do something that encourages critical thinking skills, increases focus and otherwise helps with the cognitive development of students.

Simply put: We believe every school should have and would benefit from having a regular chess club.

Why is ChessKid doing this?

We want to help you grow chess in your area! In fact, we're giving away prizes to prove it! All schools that sign up with their planned time of participation during the week of February 22-26, 2021, will be registered in a drawing to win one year free of ChessKid Gold Membership access for every kid in their school. (Up to 500 Gold Memberships -- a $5000 USD value). Only one school will win.

In addition, ChessKid will give away three more prize packages of 20 gold memberships (a $700 USD value) chosen from among all programs (school or homeschool) who share a photo of their chess class (in person or virtual) and tag ChessKidcom on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! Make sure to use the hashtag #HourOfChessWeek. We will share and promote the best photos and announce the three winners (subjectively chosen as our three favorite photos) to receive a prize package of 20 gold memberships!

Sign up today!

Thank you for helping to grow chess in your school and district! Questions on the process? Email [email protected] with the subject line: Hour of Chess Week!