UIL 2018...

Last Monday, both Remi and Roen spent the day at the UIL competition for our school. Roen was an alternate for the 2nd Grade team so he didn't actually get to compete, but I was proud that he was part of the team! Little Roen looks up to his brother in so many ways and I'd be lying if I said Remi trying out wasn't the only reason he tried out for the chess team as well. Roen plays with Remi often and has even beat him a time a or two. He says next year he wants to be able to compete, so 3rd Grade may be his year!

For Remi this was huge. Remi began his love for chess back in 2nd Grade. He asked for a chess board for Christmas because this was the year he was going to try out for the UIL Chess Team. Although, he considered trying out last year, it wasn't something I encouraged because he was so far behind in reading. Not knowing yet that he had Dyslexia, I wanted to get him caught up before putting more on his plate.

Fast forward to this year, and I was still on the fence. Many people do not know, but UIL chess is harder than just sitting down and playing a game against an opponent. You are actually given a test with questions. Questions that have a picture of a chess board, pieces represented with letters, plays represented with symbols, and questions that ask you to think many moves ahead, creating moves in your head, predicting strategy and knowing every chess rule there is to be able to answer a question correctly.

And it is timed. This is hard.

Give it to a boy who struggles with letters, numbers, black & white text, ask him to read it quickly and accurately, well folks, it seems absolutely impossible to me. This is the reason I almost didn't encourage Remi to try out for the chess team.

Last minute, I thought, why not. I will be upfront with him about the possibility of not making the team in hopes of his little self esteam not suffering more than it already does, and will let our best be good enough. Well, week after week, Remi and Roen went to practices until finally they brought home a little paper saying they have made the teams.

To say I was proud is an understatement. I already knew Remi was good enough to be on the team- he is a chess whiz, but being able to comprehend it in written format- well, that's another animal all together. So for me, making the team meant he had already won.

Now, fast forward to last Monday. We woke up, ate a big breakfast and sent the boys off to compete at 9:30 that morning. Neither boy was nervous and honestly, I was more excited for them than anything else. Getting to miss a whole day of school with some of their best friends was just icing on the cake!

When I found out Remi won 2nd place, tears filled my eyes. This was no small feat. For him, this was like racing up a mountain, knowing exactly what equipment he needed to get to the top and how to use it all precisely- but not being fully equipped with it. He had to get up that mountain his own way- and how he did that, I am not quite sure.

Remi, keep chasing those dreams, let your shortcomings make you learn to work harder and bolder than those around you, and one day you will look around and realize that very things you thought held you back were actually the things that taught you how to fly.


Ready for school and UIL

Between time keeping and reading a prompt I went to peek at the boys in the gym and I found them playing chess. I thought it was pretty sweet...




Waiting to find out if they placed

These next pictures are of the UIL Awards Ceremony. Our little school won first place- by more than double the 2nd place school. I am pretty proud of the way our school sets high expectations of it's students.


2nd Grade Chess Team


2nd & 3rd Grade Chess Teams


K-6 Chess Teams- there is just something about the 'Davenport Brothers' being crammed right in the middle of everyone that makes me smile


3rd Grade UIL Participants


2nd Grade UIL Participants