Student Teaches Chess to Classmates
Most Holy Trinity Student Teaches Chess to Classmates While Learning to Master the Violin
Saint Louis, MO. April 29, 2013 – Justin Harris, an eighth grader at Most Holy Trinity School, has a bright future. Not only has he received an academic scholarship to attend St. Louis University High School(SLUHS) next fall, he spends his afternoons teaching chess to classmates while learning to master the violin.
“Most Holy Trinity is a pretty cool place. Right now I am learning about electricity in science, equations in math, and poetry in English. However, the main reason I came here is because they offered a violin class,” said Harris as he proudly tuned his new violin.
“I’ve been taking private lessons too, and I think I play pretty well now. I was able to join “The Ambassador’s, a special violin club at the school,” he added.
Harris also teaches chess to students in first through fifth grades after school Mondays through Thursdays. Â Studies have shown that chess programs and/or clubs in schools have a positive impact on academic achievement. Including a landmark study by Smith and Cage in 2000, which showed that students who receive chess instruction scored significantly higher on all measures of academic achievement, including math, spatial analysis, and non-verbal reasoning ability.
“I’ve been playing since the third grade, and enjoy helping others learn the game. My favorite part is watching them think through different strategies and try new moves. I am definitely learning as much as my classmates,†he laughed.
Harris, when asked about his future, is excited to move on the SLUHS.
“It will be a change, but I am ready. I want to be a success,†he said.
Supported by Access Academies and the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Most Holy Trinity is a Catholic, K-8 school. All students in sixth through eighth grade participate in the St. Louis NativityMiguel model of education, which extends the school day and the school year to ensure that the students are academically and emotionally prepared for their futures. This includes, tutoring, mentoring, service projects, character development, and setting goals that include high school, college and career planning.
For more information regarding this release, please contact Julie Linder, Public Relations for Access Academies, by calling (573) 268-0639.
###