RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Earle STEM Elementary School, located in Chicago's great South Side, is among the top elementary school chess teams in Chicago, in Illinois and in the country today; and,
WHEREAS, In the past three years, the Earle STEM Elementary School Chess Team has garnered a considerable number of team and individual trophies, in its participation in national, state, city and local chess tournaments. Its members have become rated members of the United States Chess Federation, the nation's highest chess authority, thereby enabling them aspire for college scholarships and grants for chess-related activities; and,
WHEREAS, The Earle STEM Elementary School Chess Team was organized only in September 2015 when Coach Joseph M. Ocol joined the Earle STEM faculty; that the chess team has had the all-out support and inspiration given by Network 11 Chief Megan Hougard, the Earle STEM school administration led by Principal Cederall Petties and Assistant Principal Elwanda Butler, and the family of parents in the Local School Council Community headed by Darlene O'Banner; and,
WHEREAS, At its inception, the Earle STEM Elementary School Chess Team members started mentoring one another not just about chess but also in math, and then spread the mentoring program from Grade 8 to the kindergarten program; that the Earle STEM mentoring program has been effective in getting kids to mentor one another and competing against each other, thus providing the least expensive way of mastering skills and yet giving opportunities to kids in becoming productive after school instead of being on the streets; and,
WHEREAS, In June 2016, for the first time in its history, the Earle STEM Elementary School was invited to send its members (who won the 2016 All-Girls National Chess Championship) to the White House and to meet President Obama; and,
WHEREAS, The Earle STEM Elementary School Chess Team continues to perform well, that just this year, the team won four national trophies and i...
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