BHS Chess Team is Runner up at State Again!

The Barrington High School Chess Team took 2nd place to Stevenson High School at the 2022 IHSA Chess State Finals in Peoria held February 11-12th. They played 7 matches. It was a tough battle to the end in the 7th match with a very tight finish! Over 128 schools competed. The Barrington team has been Runners-Up at the State Finals in 2019, 2021 & 2022. This is an exceptional group of students representing the Barrington area chess community.

"It’s been an honor being part of the Barrington Chess Program. The past four years on the Barrington High School chess team have been the highlight of my high school career. I am so proud of all that we have accomplished. It’s been a great ride and I will really miss it next year", said Ethan Gagliano

Top Row:Coach James Hawrysko, Daniel Gawronski, Andrew Roth, Brian Edels, Brian Ionescu, Michael Gwozdz & Coach Jeff Doles.

Bottom Row:Jack Bradley, Carter Whaley, Jimmy Zhang, Shreyas Reddy (Co-Captain) & Ethan Gagliano (Co-Captain).

The Barrington chess program started in 2000 at Grove Avenue Elementary School in District 220 by Grove Avenue student Rishi Sethi and Principal Dr Cynthia Kalogeropoulos. It evolved into the non profit Chess Without Borders. In 2006 the 2008 US Chess Champion GM Yury Shulman took over the program maintaining the mission of the program which was to combine chess education with service and philanthropy. The program has attracted scores of children as well as adults and been successful "beyond my wildest dreams" said the founder Rishi Sethi. It has won many awards for its unique combination of education with philanthropy. Thousands of youth have learned chess some reaching high rankings in the US Chess rating system and competing at the highest levels. Over 100 students received the Presidential Youth Service Award for their outstanding service projects . The program has engaged the community and together with adult mentors and volunteers the program has donated over $200,000 to local and global charities. The impact of this cooperation between students, local businesses and community leaders not only made these donations possible but helped youth develop understanding of humanitarian issues through deep sustained engagement in projects. As a result over the last 5 years (before Covid restrictions) several teenage chess students attended the United Nations Youth Assembly in New York to join other gifted youth volunteers from around the world.

More at www.shulmanchess.com/achievements.

A major factor for the success of the program is because Community Unit School District 220 embraced creativity and diversity in education. In 2000 when the chess program began there was only one student playing chess. But Grove Avenue school still nurtured the spirit of innovation even during times of difficulty. Today hundreds of youth continue to learn chess and volunteer in almost all the District 220 schools and continue sustaining the mission of the program.

"It’s been an honor being part of the Barrington Chess Program. The past four years on the BHS chess team have been the highlight of my high school career. I am so proud of all that we have accomplished. It’s been a great ride and I will really miss it next year", said Ethan Gagliano

A special thanks to Coach Doles and GM Shulman for their support and encouragement.

More information about the program is available at: https://books.apple.com/us/boo...