In a refreshing twist on the traditional March Madness bracket challenge, the HHS Library has transformed the competitive spirit into a captivating chess tournament, which is proving to be popular among students.
Librarian Dutcha Lawson, one of the tournament’s coordinators, has created more than just a competition. The tournament has fostered a community of strategic thinkers among students at HHS.
“It’s been wildly popular,” Lawson said. “And people asked for another [chess tournament],” noting this is her third year of March Madness themed events.
This year’s tournament was intense with 24 participants battling each day to progress through the bracket. The competition has become a highlight of the school’s March activities with students showing remarkable sportsmanship.
“When players finish a match, they shake hands and come up and tell me who won,” Lawson said. “It has been incredibly positive.”
The tournament’s final match was eagerly anticipated and senior Palmer Heard emerged as the overall champion.
With the chess boards open to the student body, more people were partaking in the tournament.
“There were always people in here playing, it created a lot of camaraderie,” Lawson said. “I hope to do it every semester.”
In a remarkable display of student initiative, the HHS chess club has expanded to 30 members under the leadership of senior Eric Hernandez. What began as a last-minute club formation has blossomed into a thriving extracurricular activity.
Hernandez and his friends personally invested in chess boards and worked closely with math teacher Beth Matthews to establish the club. This year marked a significant milestone with the club’s first annual chess tournament, which not only showcased student skills but aimed to attract new members.
The club has seen steady growth since its inception, with membership increasing from just a few participants in Eric’s freshman and sophomore years to its current robust size. Hernandez and his team have been instrumental in teaching new members and helping organize tournament brackets.
Looking ahead, the club plans to continue the annual tournament, hoping to further expand their membership and passion for the game of chess.
