Community Success
South Shores Elementary Chess Team

Placing in the top 25 at nationals, South Shores Elementary Chess Team consists of mostly low-income Decatur Public School students. They were awarded $10,000 from the Impact100 Grant to help them continue to compete in national competitions.


“I love traveling with my chess team and representing Decatur at national tournaments. Without your help, we wouldn't be able to travel to the best tournaments.”

10-year-old Cayden Peters, nicknamed "The Gifted One" by South Shores Elementary Superstars Chess Team coach Joshua Fazekas

The purpose of the chess team is to challenge the minds of students, build character, increase academic proficiency, and widen the horizons and cultural experiences of the students.

The South Shores Elementary Chess Team program teaches children to engage mentally and react calmly and strategically to all situations. Most of the students involved are considered to be from low income families and attend one of three Decatur Public Schools. The program measures academic growth in math and reading while also increasing the frequency and strength of the team's tournament competitiveness. The group's ambition is to compete at four U.S. Chess Federation national competitions plus competitions hosted by the Continental Chess Organization.

Last year, the group placed in the Top 25 High School Nationals and also placed 12th at the IESA Chess State Finals. The program hopes to expand on this success and achieve even greater heights of performance. The impact100 award will assist in funding tournament registration, entry fees, transportation and travel accommodations for national competitions.

Impact100 Award Amount: $10,000
Program Sponsor:
Joshua Fazekas