High Achieving High Schoolers

BHS students Rohan Ahuja and Siddharth Gehlaut started a chess program at the Boys and Girls club of Elgin IL last year. Since then they have regularly taught chess to children there every week. They used the curriculum from the textbook “Chess! lessons from a Grandmaster”. “The children are eager, respectful and excited to have us mentor them” said Siddharth.

The team of Presidential volunteers support each others projects so last Saturday Rohan and Siddharth were joined by Julie Ashley, Vishal Ahuja, Jack Bongiorno and Countryside school student Jane Bradley to raise funds for this club through selling food at the Countryside Chess Tournament. The team along with the generous adult helpers raised $438.75 by selling food to about 150 people at the tournament. Chess Tournaments are academically rigorous environments where chess students compete to test their skills but with the generosity of volunteers tournaments at Chess Without Borders become culturally and artistically engaging. Julie Ashley created unique signs for the food while Jane Bradley played host as the representative from Countryside school.

These funds will support the Boys and Girls club of Elgin whose “mission is to enable youth in need to reach their potential.”

The leadership achieved by youth volunteers has no limits. They transform themselves into artists, social entrepreneurs, marketing and high tech agents as they become passionate to reach their high achieving goals for others.