Walker Students Participate in 2nd Annual Chess Tournament

Thirty six students at the Walker School participated in the 2nd annual Dan Woods Memorial Chess Tournament on November 9th. “The students did an amazing job,” said Mia Klinger-Powell, a learning specialist at Walker.

She and day program coordinator Kevin Vacaro organized the tournament, which is named for Dan Woods, a former Walker child care worker who passed away unexpectedly in 2010. Woods was also the former recipient of the Albert E. Trieschmann award, a national award for excellence in residential child care, given by the American Association for Children’s Residential Centers.

Twenty-four students played in the competitive division, and twelve others played in the learning division, all sitting in complete silence at their boards while teachers and staff marveled at their calm concentration and confidence.

Students who sometimes struggle with the daily challenges of school, social interaction, and behavioral control were able to maintain their focus for four separate matches. A student who didn’t compete instead volunteered to track the tournament standings on a neatly printed chart.

Wearing his medals from last year’s tournament, one student brought along a picture of his birth parents so that they could “watch” him play. Another student, who had recently taught a younger classmate to play, beamed with pride as his protégée won his first match.

“It was a great day for Walker students,” said Klinger-Powell. “Dan would have been very proud.”