Sellentin is fourth grade chess champion

Sisters Elementary School fourth graders have a chess champion. His name is Halston Sellentin, and he was awarded the honor at an all-school assembly last Friday. Halston's name is currently being engraved on the huge, traveling trophy that each year honors the school champion.

"To my knowledge this (Sisters Elementary School) is the only school in the state of Oregon where every fourth grader knows how to play a full game of chess," said chess instructor Jack Weeks, who volunteers his time and energy to teach the art of chess to Sisters students.

Weeks has been working with students in all four fourth grade classrooms since October, teaching the basic skills of chess.

"We study chess because it helps us to focus; it helps us to concentrate; it helps us learn how to make decisions and solve problems," Weeks said.

Weeks began the year teaching students how the chess pieces move.

"Then they moved into talking about strategy and the beginning game," said fourth grade teacher Clay Warburton.

Next, the students honed their skills by playing with each other. Finally, each classroom held a class championship tournament, after which a playoff was held among the four classroom winners.

Halston, the champion in Warburton's class, played classroom winners Wyatt Avery, Ross Grant and Chance Halley to gain his title. He told The Nugget that he won two games and tied the other.

"It gave me two-and-a-half points, and that was more than anybody else," Halston said.

Warburton said: "Halston is a very patient and dedicated worker. When he plays chess he is patient and thoughtful and creative. That's why he is a champion."

According to Warburton, chess teaches students much more than merely how to play a game.

"Students learn how to respect their opponents and how to be still within themselves and think of their best move, not just any move but what move would help them in their strategy, thinking two steps ahead. That's often what we ask kids to do when we're thinking about math or we're thinking about reading.... We need them thinking and predicting what's going to happen. Chess is good in that it models patience; it models self respect for yourself and for your opponent."

Halston told The Nugget that it is very true that chess teaches patience. He has learned a great deal about being patient while playing with his mom, who he said - with a big smile on his face - he regularly beats.