National Scholastic Chess Foundation Chess School in the News: JH45

Interview

Key:
CS: JH45 chess program coordinator Cesar Solis;
FL: NSCF Chess Coach Felix Lopex;
JS: JH45 Principal Joseph Solanto;
EE: Interviewer Ed Eusebi

EE: Tell us something about the history of the JH45 chess program.

JS: I'm trying to remember what year Mr. Weeramantry (Sunil Weeramantry, Executive Director, NSCF ) and Mr. Johnson (Rob Johnson, President, Board of Directors, NSCF) came to JH45.

CS: It was 1997.

JS: I have to take a step back - I'm trying to bring back some memories here. I think for the NSCF to come in, they had to get a feel for the school, for the bigger environment. I remember the meeting we had. I took them around the whole school, and I think they felt very comfortable in the environment. I think they felt this is an environment where chess can take root and grow. And I give them credit, because they took a risk. I don't know if we were the first Middle School in the Bronx that they came to, I'm not sure.

CS: Yes, we were.

EE: How did that initiative start. Was it you, or...

JS: Someone reached out to them, was it you, Cesar?

CS: Yes, it just so happened that I met Sunil Weeramantry at the Chessathon on the U.S.S. Intrepid, and there we became friends. I talked to him, and he had already met with the board of directors of the NSCF on how to help inner city children. So it just came out at the right time, and the right place, and the right people.

JS: Was that the time when you guys took crowds of kids to the Intrepid?

CS: That was the following year.

JS: I'll never forget that time, it was like an Army movement there. (Laughter)

CS: So then I contacted Mr. Weeramantry during the summer, and I invited him to come to JH45. He told Mr. Johnson. So they came and saw the community involvement in JH45, and all the good principals that we have had. I remember very clearly when I first came to JH45. I had read so much about Angelo Patri, so when I saw a plaque there that said Angelo Patri had been a principal in that school, I was very impressed. Then when I had Mr. Solanto's support for our project, I said "We are going in the same direction."

JS: When did you come in, Felix?

FL: The same year.

JS: Then you're the only coach we've had from the beginning.

FL: Yes.

CS: Mr Weeramantry said, "Cesar, we are going to give JH45 the best coach."

JS: I think, to see it grow, and to see the way the kids have demonstrated - to me, that's the whole thing - they have demonstrated that our children, our kids, from the Bronx, - and I always say this - given the opportunity, they can compete with anybody, anywhere. And I think they have demonstrated this time and again. They keep doing it. Even going up to a higher level, Middle School kids competing against High School kids.

FL: I think it was a great thing that one year we won a High School championship. We may well be the only Middle School to ever win a division in the National High School championship.

JS: Even last year, when you guys finished in the top ten in both High School divisions, this really amazes me.

CS: And the year before, with Trung (Nguyen), we won the National Junior High Championships, both team and individual.

EE: What year was it when you won the National Championships?

FL: Let me think. The first year, 1997, we came in Fourth Place, as a team, in the Junior High Championship. The second year we came in First Place. The third year we came in Second, with Mott Hall, losing First by only half a point. The fourth year we came in first place in the under 1100 division of the High School Championships, and in 2001 we had two teams in different divisions of the High School Championships, and they both came in Ninth Place.

JS: I remember the time with Mott Hall, they got publicity in the Daily News, and we weren't even mentioned. That's a problem we have - our kids should get more recognition for what they've accomplished.

CS: Now, people will know from the NSCF's article on the web, what a great job we have done.

JS: The most important thing is to just demonstrate that Bronx kids can do this. To get the recognition and respect that the kids deserve. It's important to just break that whole image that the world has of our kids.

FL: A lot of times people just have this image. I come from the outside, because I'm not a teacher there, but I come to the school and see you and other people walking around the school, and I see what you are doing. The way I see it, people don't realize what's going on there. How much work it takes to get this going. Like you said, we have an environment that you can learn in. I've taught in other programs in the Bronx, and I'll walk around the school and say "Nobody can learn anything in this school. This school's a madhouse." In JH45, everybody's working together. It's beautiful to see. I don't want to say this when you're here, but the fact that you can do that, when I see the love you have for this school, I always worry about "What if Mr. Solanto retires?" You never know what's going to happen then. Without the leadership there, the school can go down very quickly.

I really love being there. I remember the first time I went for our meeting, I felt it was such a great opportunity for me, because I've always wanted to come back to the Bronx. I've always wanted to prove what we've proved. I always thought if I could get the right program, then I could show what we can do. When I was there, I said, "Oh my goodness, this is it." I remember going to Nationals and nobody thought we could do anything. Then we kept on winning, and we made the top five, and I thought "How many programs can do this in the first year?" So I told myself next year I'm going to work harder and we're going to win. After graduation, almost all the kids in the program were different, and we still came back next year and won.

Everybody just comes together in that school. The teachers work hard together. I hate all the standardized testing. They don't show what people are doing in the schools. If they could come into these schools and see what the children are actually doing, they would know that they are learning. You know, besides just trying to fill out these little punch holes to try to score high enough to graduate. And chess is one of those things. These kids can come from anywhere and pick up the game and compete with anyone in the country.

JS: Everyone of these kids has a story. Many of them come from other countries.

FL: Like Granit (Gjonbalaj), when he came. Couldn't speak a word of English. He became the best player in the school. (Gesturing) This was yes, that was no. I said "Yes good move, no bad move." That was how I had to talk to him.

CS: We continue helping children from JH45 even after they graduate, when they are in High School. This year we even have students who are in college and we continue to invite them to come along. They are going to become professionals and do something good for their community. They always come back.

JS: Let me ask you Ed, what has JH45 demonstrated to you?

EE: Well, one of the things we do is to hold this Grand Prix competition, where the players accumulate points during the year based on their tournament scores. Those who consistently score near the top throughout the year win special awards at the end of the year. You see many JH45 players at the top of the Grand Prix lists. The Championship section Grand Prix Champion was a JH45 player or alumnus for three straight years. Plus Granit would have won if we'd held a competition in 1998-99. So you can see in that how consistently these children perform.

JS: You know what I appreciate too is how people outside of JH45 have been very open to our kids. Everywhere I've gone, in many outlying communities, people have been open to our kids, and we appreciate that. Our kids have been very comfortable.

CS: Even at the beginning there were some parents from private schools who sponsored our kids to go to the Nationals. On top of the help from the school district and the NSCF.

FL: Mr. Solis and I are always looking for a way to squeeze a few more kids into the trips. I reached out to some of the parents and they knew our kids from the tournaments and they said sure, whatever you need.

JS: And all the trophies. Holy mackerel, I have all the trophies in the office, we actually need a place to put them. I mean, I'm running out of space. I've lost count of how many trophies, and some of them are so big!

EE: I'm interested in what you said about the environment in the school when the NSCF first showed up. You said there was already a constructive environment. I'm wondering if you've noticed any further improvements since chess has showed up.

JS: All you have to do is walk the school. I had a former principal walk the school with me, and he said it was even better than when he was there. The main thing I can say in terms of the chess, is that the children are really drawn to it. In fact, it wasn't too long ago when Cesar brought me into the room to say something to the children, but it really was an intrusion on them, because they were so focused on what they were doing. Today, everything is not only test-driven, but it is also deeper-thinking skills they want us to deal with, and chess draws that out in the kids. So to that extent it helps us with the struggle we are all facing to help these kids do better on the tests.

But it is also part of who we are now. Chess has become like a wing of JH45 - I don't know how else to describe it. It's part of our fabric. And I have to give credit to these guys. I mean, Cesar is unbelievable, the time he gives. To come to these tournaments weekend after weekend. And Felix, he has such a nice way with the kids. I've seen him take kids who have no knowledge of chess, and through his methodology of teaching, to really bring them along.

The parents, you have great support from them. I think the greater world has to know what these kids are capable of, but every year you have to work at it to retain this environment in which these kids can get this wonderful opportunity.

CS: Now this is becoming a motivation for all the students. They want to be in JH45, because of chess.

The children can also get involved with children from other schools in the district. Every year, NSCF sponsors the District 10 Chess Championship which is open to all schools in the district. Over fifty percent of the schools in the district are now attending this tournament.

FL: One of the things I try to do is... You know, the way the school is run, it is broken up into mini-schools. They have schools like the Giordano prep school, but they also have schools that are mainly for the borderline kids. Kids who are struggling. I'll see these kids in the hallway all the time, and I'll just go up to them and I'll say, "Hey look, how about you guys, you want to do chess with me?" And these may be some tough kids. I'll say, "Listen, I need your type of attitude on my team." They could be fooling around in the hallway and they'll stop and say "You want me on your team?" I'll say, sure, come to my early morning club, and I'll get them going and I'll change their attitudes a lot of the time. Once I get them in there, once they're hooked, I'll say to them "How do you like this, you want to stay here, how are you doing in your classes?" "I'm not doing so well. " "You gotta change that." Then I'll go to their teachers and say "Let me know how he's doing. Every week I'll talk to you, and if he's not doing well, he'll be out." It changes a lot of kids, because I'll give them that carrot, and they'll want to be there, and once they're in there, they're hooked. If they want to stay, we expect them to behave, and to do the work. You'll be amazed how many kids have changed over the years because of the chess. You'd be surprised how many kids want to be part of it, because they know what's going on and want to be part of winning the trophies and going to the tournaments.

CS: In JH45, we have 1500 students. We have 500 in chess. Out of 500, we have 50 on a rotating basis who we'll take to tournaments. Chess is open to everybody - everybody has the same chance to belong, but you have to make the effort. The teachers support that. We have chess club every single morning, and two days a week after school. And everything thanks to Mr. Solanto. Without the principal's support, we wouldn't be able to have chess.

JS: For me, it's all about the kids. These are great kids, and the world needs to see what they are capable of when given the chance.

EE: Thank you gentlemen. It's an inspiring story.

Interview Photos with Cesar Solis


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