Laboratory for Social Entrepreneurship

“Focus your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little life of yourself. Because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.” – Barack Obama

Youth at the award winning nonprofit, Chess Without Borders have certainly hitched their wagon to something larger than themselves. Social entrepreneurship engages lateral thinking, is compelling and self sustaining as the impact of the funds they raise renews their drive at leadership roles. Fostering divergent thinking through youth led social entrepreneurship has become a tradition at Chess Without Borders. Youth feel confidant in their newfound skills and sustain their creativity by becoming involved in more creative projects. Youth are frequently curious and initiating projects. The program is infectious as well. 16 year-old Johnny Dawson has started a Chapter of Chess Without Borders in New York where he will work with his Polish grandfather to raise funds through chess or a charity that is providing shelter for Ukrainian children.

Barrington High School student Anthony Zhu formed a company called " Experiments in Social Entrepreneurship" which on a leadership role at raising funds for an exciting local community project. In collaboration with Salem United Methodist Church in Barrington a Korean Mission trip is planned for 15 volunteers where they will serve the homeless community in Seoul, Korea. 11 year-old Prerith Srivastava formed his own company called "Little Helper", where he has raised funds for a variety of diverse causes. Prerith will join Barrington High Schooler Brennen Moi and Dimitri Diyadagwamage in this effort to raise funds for this project planned for July this year.

This project provides opportunities for mobilizing different skills as youth are exposed to cultural and geographic differences that cross age and ethnic barriers. Fundraising is challenging work and it requires these youth to develop a depth of knowledge about the causes such as homelessness (as in this project) so that they can be better managers for explaining the urgency of the problem they want to solve. Over the years Chess Without Borders has raised over $217,000 to distribute to various local and global charities. More about funds raised at: https://shulmanchess.com/biogr...

An exceptionally unique program that raises and nurtures youth entrepreneurs cannot be successful without its role models and mentors. Chess Without Borders has attracted and engaged outstanding adult volunteers that has contributed generously to supervising and mentoring the youth participants. Children responded enthusiastically to this atmosphere of generosity and team work by excelling in what they achieved. Zein Bertacchi, a noteworthy volunteer is a magnet for youth as she makes volunteering exciting and exhilarating by volunteering alongside her youth volunteers. Then it's never enough and "we always want to know what is the next project" said, 14 year-old Ethan Gagliano after a dinner the team hosted to benefit local flood victims.

“Hunger is the best sauce in the world.”

― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote

At Chess Without Borders the project will be supervised by Zein Bertacchi who was recently recognised nationally for her outstanding commitment to youth volunteerism by The Points of Light Foundation. More here about Zein Bertacchi:

• https://www.pointsoflight.org/inspiration-honor-roll/2022-2/?honoree-anchor=zein-bertacchi

Zein continues to sell her magical spices to benefit this youth led venture which will be the beneficiary of all sales of her product. For curiosity about her product or purchasing her spices email chesswob@gmail.com