West Woodland Chess Champs

Alexis Nast, Peter Osseward, J.P. Osseward and Mikaila Leonardi of West Woodland Elementary School.

Mikaila and four other West Woodland Elementary students recently placed in the top ten out of 136 teams fielding more than 2,000 players in the National Elementary Chess Championships in Dallas, Texas.

J.P. Osseward said, "You don't ever play the same game. Every game is different. It requires very intense concentration. You try to learn something in every game."

Members of the West Woodland Chess team display the trophy they won at the National Elementary Chess Championships. Clockwise from left are Alexis Nast, Peter Osseward, Leo Stefurak, J.P. Ossevard, Lori Ossevard, Tommy Nast and Mikaila Leonardi.

The West Woodland chess program began when parent Lori Osseward applied to Chess Mates Foundation to find a chess master for West Woodland in order to start an after-school program. In 1994 Leo Stefurak, who as a chess master holds the equivalent of a black belt of the chess board, started meeting with students. Today more than 60 children take part in the program. Stefurak, a cognitive neuro-psychologist in his day job, said, "Chess is a model of life without the harsh consequences. And it's a way for children to engage adults on a level playing field. In fact, children are often better than their parents and teachers at chess."

In the tournament, each team member played seven games, some as long as 3-1/2 hours.

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