April Newsletter - Division of Youth Services

Magic City Chess U Strikes Gold at
2011 Alabama State Scholastic Chess Championship
C
harles A. Smith, Founder and Executive Director
of Magic City Chess U, struck gold last week at
the 2011 Alabama State Scholastic Chess
Championship tournament, held in Daphne, Alabama
on March 25-26, as four of his students – Tyler Anthony,
Zhuowei (Charby) Xu, Logan Mercer, and Samson
Sands – were named State Chess Champions on March
25th. This brings the total number of individual state championships
won by Smith’s students to eleven since 2003.
W. J. Christian School, where he teaches a chess elective,
remained undefeated throughout the team competition on
March 26th to take first place as the State’s Jr. High Team
Champion.
Commenting on his students’ achievements, Smith said, “I
reinvented the way that chess should be taught to today’s
children, grabbing their attention, introducing them to the
art of chess, and giving them the cognitive understanding
to be chess champions.”
⇒ Tyler Anthony, an 8th grader at W. J. Christian
School, tied for 1st place in the Jr. High Section. Tyler
began learning chess two years ago in Smith’s elective
in 6th grade.
⇒ Zhuowei (Charby) Xu, who has been under Smith’s
tutelage since 2006, took home the first place trophy
for the Middle School Section for 2011. He was also
the Alabama State Scholastic Chess Champion for the
Elementary section in 2008, and was one of three who
tied for first place – Elementary in 2009.
⇒ Logan Mercer, who has studied with Smith privately
for approximately four years, earned the Alabama
State Scholastic Chess Champion’s title in the Elementary
section.
⇒ Samson Sands earned the state’s top individual spot
in chess for the Primary school section. He begun receiving
instruction from Smith earlier this year.
Students representing the W. J. Christian chess team at
the tournament were: Sydney Morris, Na’Tan Shipman,
Tyler Anthony, Craig Taylor, Brittany Grady, and Gerardo
Soto.
Magic City Chess U Team
RAIN OR SHINE!
Saturday, April 2, 2011 at Girls Inc.
5130 5th Terrace South, Bham 35212 12pm - 3:00pm
Come join us for our 2nd Annual Crestwood Spring Festival!
We'll have horse rides, bouncy castles, face painting, make your
own bird feeder, mini-golf, and many more activities - including
live music by local musicians. FREE hotdogs, funnel cakes, and
drinks.
Artwork by local artists will be for sale.
Bring a picnic blanket and come hang out with neighbors and
share some good food and good times!