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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2012)
Smoke Signals 13 FEBRUARY 15, 2012 'Dtt's a dhaDDoirogDifflg) game to Beam CHESS continued from front page on Thursdays and Fridays after school. Chess for Success has given the K-5 program quality boards and pieces, chess instructions and op portunities to play in local and re gional tournaments, says Bucknell, K-5 and Chess Club lead. The Tribal Library also benefits from the program with the gift of seven chess books: "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess," "Simple Check mates," "Chess," "Welcome to the Game of Chess," "Winning Chess Piece by Piece," "Checkmate Activ ity Book for Beginners" and "The Chess Book for Kids." Tribal member Dominik Briant, 8, calls himself "a pure beginner," and says he prefers chess to check ers because he appreciates the added complexity of chess. Later on, across the board from Ross, Tribal member Kaleb Reid, 11, was thinking about the two and four-move checkmates he had learned. "All I need is a rook to win," he adds. Suddenly, it seemed, everybody got up from their boards because it was time to go to Tribal member Halona Butler's dance class down the hall. "I think it's great," says Tiffany Tonso, 18, a Tribal member and high school intern for the program, "starting them this early. I started playing chess in the seventh grade. I kind of stopped and this encouraged me to get back into it and it's fun." She sees improvement in the children who are playing. "I think a lot of time kids are focusing more. They're not as rowdy. There's definitely a couple of changes in a couple of the students." On Feb. 11, three Tribal children from the program Kaleb Reid, Dakota Ross and Audrey Mer cier participated with several hundred others from elementary schools in Yamhill, Polk and Mar ion counties at a regional chess tournament held at Henry Hill Elementary in Independence. In the gym, where most of the I - y z, in" i l l 1 1 il A . I J r 'i games were played, signs posted to basketball backboards gave everybody an idea of what chess is about: "Chess is life," said grandmaster Bobby Fischer. "Chess is everything: art, science and sport," said grandmaster Ana toly Karpov. The Grand Ronde team placed 11th, with Reid tying for sixth and Ross and Mercier tying for eighth during the day. The whole team, many of whom had competing Tribal programs to turn to that Saturday, also includes Tribal members Cohen Haller, Dominik Briant, Nick Colton, Mo ses Mercier, Hattie Mercier, Madi son Ross, Tara Thorsgard, Mason Mercier, Makenzie Aaron, JC Rog ers and Izaiah Fisher, who is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. "It's a challenging game to learn," Tribal member Jacob Holmes, 6, takes one of Cohen Haller's, 6, pawns in a chess game during the Tribe's K-5 Chess Club practice at the Tribe's education facility on Thursday, Feb. 9. Looking over Holmes' shoulder is Matt Bucknell, elementary and chess program lead, and to the left is Tribal member Kaleb Reid, 1 1, who is also in the Chess Club. says Bucknell, "especially the strat egy part, but kids have really grown in this area with critical thinking skills, strategy and planning. "One thing about chess," he says, "is it's 100 percent about your abil ity to play. It doesn't matter wheth er you're a boy or a girl. One of the Tribal member Dominik Briant, 8, makes a move as he plays a game of chess against Tribal member Mason Mercier, 7, during the Tribe's K-5 Chess Club practice at the Tribe's education facility on Thursday, Feb. 9. rewarding things about it is seeing a younger player competing with an older player. It can be a humbling experience and it gives you many opportunities to talk about and display sportsmanship." Won-loss records can deceive, Bucknell says, because wins and losses are rated by how successful the opponent has been in other games. "You may be losing games, but you may be playing tougher oppo nents," Bucknell says. For the summer ahead, Bucknell has already secured a playground sized chess game that has been in storage at Willamina Elementary. The Education Department has plans to paint a chess board on the concrete under the roof behind the Youth Education building. Spirit Mountain Community Fund granted Chess for Success $25,000 in 2011. Low-income stu dents, like many in Grand Ronde, make up almost 75 percent of the 2,400 students in 59 elemen tary and middle schools that the Chess for Success program aims to serve. The program started in 1992 in nine Title I Portland Public schools to teach children high-level think ing and social skills. Powwow dance class set for Wednesdays The Tribe's Cultural Resources Department is offering a powwow dance class from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays in the Adult Education Building. This is a family dance class for all ages that teaches all powwow dance styles. For more information, contact Cultural Education Specialist Brian Krehbiel at brian.krehbielgrandronde.org or 503-879-4639. Graves teaching basket weaving Tribal Elder Connie Graves teaches a basket weaving class, which is open to the public, at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Elders' Activity Center. For more information, contact Tribal Cultural Education Specialist Brian Krehbiel at 503-879-4639 or brian.krehbielgran dronde.org. B Transportation for Tribal members The Portland Office has transportation day to Grand Ronde once a month for medical, dental appointments or enrollment cards. We need a minimum of 3 people to sign up. Please call Lisai; 4 Please call in advance for the scheduled monthly date , ". W'i..ii.iMiim.i.i.iii.uiL.in Jt il f f I ... '.jf n-p p na r-p n rT j you a CTGR Elder or do you quaijfy) undor CTGR housing guidelines for low incomoP Doris Rose CPA will be returning to the PAO on Feb. 15 and 29, 2012 10 A.M. - 2 P.M. To schedule your appointment, call 503-293-4128 , . 1-877-476-0634 or e-mail her at dorisdorisrosecpa.com Ad created by George Valdez Ad created by George Valdez
