Detective Cookie’s Urban Youth Chess Club announces its upcoming Cops vs. Kids Chess Tournament, Tuesday, May 22, 2018, 9:00am-11:00 a.m. 10 Seattle Police Officers, and 10 great, student chess players will battle it out on the chessboard. Both have said they will have no mercy on each other and are playing to win the first place title. (This is the last big chess event before the end of school.)
The tournament will take place at Van Asselt Elementary School room 213, 8311 Beacon Ave South, located on the 2nd floor. Approx. 20 will battle it out on the chess boards.
This is the 2nd year the Detective Cookie Chess Club’s will present its second annual “Kids vs. Cops Chess Rumble”.
For additional information contact: Det. Cookie, 206-650-3621, denise.bouldin@seattle.gov
The announcement of who won the big chess Rumble will be made at 11 a.m., shortly after the tournament.
The creation of the Urban Youth Chess Club stemmed from Det. Cookie many opportunities to speak with youth in the community while observing their needs, as well as the needs of their families. The youth made it apparent to me that they desired something other than just basketball…they requested they wanted Chess. Det. Cookie had no idea chess would become so popular and warrant the need for it to continue past the original two months. Based on the popularity and the need for the Urban Youth Chess Club, Det. Cookie with the support of the Seattle Police Department and many others who have assisted with this dream, the Urban Youth Chess Club has made its 11th year anniversary.
The Chess Club teaches a variety of lifelong skills to young people which serves as a model for developing a stronger sense of self, personal responsibility, a sense of community responsibility and develops positive relationships between the youth and the police officers. Most importantly, the chess club has given these inter-city youth a safe place to gather off the streets, and be involved in a positive activity with other youth who have similar goals and desires. Chess is catching on! The “cool” kids or the kids you wouldn’t expect to be involved are dropping by and/or asking questions as to how they can get involved and learn to play chess.
Detective Cookie’s enthusiasm and commitment of using the chess board to teach youth anti-violence, consequences of their actions, to develop critical thinking, problem solving and life skills that will enable them to succeed on and off the chess board.
Detective Cookie teaches chess to approx. 220 elementary school students weekly. Neighborhood children, teens, and adults meet weekly on Tuesdays 3:30-5:00 p.m. at the Rainier Beach Library and Saturdays 12noon-2:00 p.m. at the Rainier Beach Community Center, ages range from 7-years-old to adult.