Mega Chess Set

June 2022:

Perkiomen Valley School District Foundation awarded the Chess Club with a Mega Chess Set in March of 2022. This mega chess was given to the Perkiomen Valley High School Chess Club which meets weekly who also participates in the Lower Bucks County Scholastic Chess League, which has representation from 24 schools in Bucks and Montgomery County.

The Chess Club hopes to encourage chess participation in the district, and promote the growth of learning skills of students in the process. Studies have shown that students who play chess increase their academic ability to think spatially, think critically, think creatively, and increase problem-solving abilities. When the Foundation presented the Chess Club with the mega chess set, students began using it immediately and noted, “I’m not used to looking at a board this way, it’s so different than the typical birds-eye-view that I’m used to”. The mega chess set also proved to be somewhat of an obstacle course as the game continued, with students stepping over and around the pieces to move them.

Look out for the Chess Club at future District events where they hope to bring the mega chess set along with them. Some events might include Post Prom, the Art Department Food Truck Festival, High School Orientation nights, Chess team events, and more.

November 2023:

The Foundation checked in with the Chess Club to see how things were going. The Mega Chess Set sits visibly on Mr. Rudolph’s shelves, and there are a lot of requests to set it up. Once in a while, if the class is good, Mr. Rudolph obliges and sets it up. Since returning from the pandemic, Chess Club membership has seen a resurgence, and the chess team is doing well. Students of all abilities have joined in and learned about chess. Mr. Rudolph commented how it was great to see both more involvement in the club and the improvement of all players.