Whitefield Academy hosted the 17th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Chess Tournament on January 15, which drew more than 400 scholastic players from around the state to compete over the chess board as well as to participate in service opportunities in honor of MLK. Players packed backpacks with school supplies for area children in need, assembled hygiene kits to be distributed by a local homeless ministry, and made Valentines cards for seniors who receive Meals on Wheels.
A number of Whitefield students competed in the tournament, with our K-3 team taking the third-place trophy! Third-graders Alex Keck and Jake O’Connor led the team, each with three points out of five. Sixth-grader Efe Aror competed in the Middle School section and entered the last round with a chance at first place. He ended the day tied for 6th place with three and a half points after losing to the top-rated player in the section in the final round.
The tournament, which is a Georgia Chess Association (GCA) event, was supported by many hours of community service from the Whitefield community. Students performed setup and takedown and acted as greeters, score-keepers, runners, and service ambassadors. The Ecuador Mission Team served concessions throughout the day to earn money for their annual trip to Amor y Esperanza.
The GCA would like to thank Whitefield for hosting this wonderful event for another year!