POLK SCHOLASTIC CHESS, INC.
WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA

Polk Scholastic Chess is a nonprofit organization offering an extracurricular activity open to all students of Polk County, Florida, enrolled in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade, including home-schooled students. We exist to encourage academic growth through the game of chess. PSC has been committed since over 25 years to “encouraging academic growth through the game of chess”. We offer a tournament setting allowing the students to be as competitive as they want to be and challenged, yet not penalized due to their ability level. School teams, individual students and home schooled students are encouraged to register online at www.polkscholasticchess.com. Additionally, we recognize graduating seniors who have had an extended length of participation with Polk Scholastic Chess and who have made active contributions to their school and community. As part of this encouragement for academic growth we award two scholarships to graduating seniors (more info check the "Scholarship" page). We work with public and private schools throughout Polk County to help start and continue school based chess teams. If you would like to start a new team, need help with a new team, or have a general question about Polk Scholastic Chess, please contact us. We appreciate the support from the Polk County School Board, as well as community leaders like Senator Kelli Stergel, Polk County School Board Member Hazel Sellers, Mayor Trish Pfiffer (Bartow), Dr. Brenda Hardman (Bartow IB School) and Mayor Howard Wiggs (Lakeland). Polk Scholastic Chess Championship Tournament The Polk Scholastic Chess “We conclude our 2017-18 Scholastic Chess Season with a special note of thanks to the wonderful teachers and coaches from Polk County schools, volunteers and parents” said Mr. Malay Shah, President, Polk Scholastic Chess “Without the help of such dedicated chess family members, this non-profit organization could not have sustained its scholastic operations for three decades”. Each year, Polk Scholastic Chess recognizes a person who has contributed exceptionally towards our mission. This year the “ , a former Polk Scholastic Chess board member and Bartow lawyer, for her long service to the board. POLK SCHOLASTIC CHESS COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP awards were announced by Ms. Arlene Gable, Board Member since 2006 and Secretary: We recognize two graduating seniors with scholarships towards their continuing education each year. These students need to have an extended length of participation with Polk Scholastic Chess, win our essay contest and must have made active contributions to their school and community. The PSC board sends out the essays to independent judges so there is no question of favoritism. The judging criteria includes grammar, syntax, vocabulary, extracurricular activities, community service and number of years with Polk Scholastic Chess. This year the 6 scholarship applications from four schools were judged by Mr. Anuj Saran (Assistant Principal of Operations and IB, Lake Wales High School), Carol Borders (Previous Principal Bartow Elementary Academy) and Dr. David Foster (Associate Professor of /computer Engineering, Florida Polytechnic University). The two winners of this year’s Polk Scholastic Chess Scholarship were