Rasean Tolbert plays chess often with his friends. On Wednesday, he sat inside Krieger Elementary School and played the game with his 8-year-old daughter, Loretta.

The third grade student was one of nearly a dozen who took part in a fall chess program held at Krieger. She said she liked the program because she “gets to learn new stuff.” Her father said he likes that she’s excited to play.

“I know chess can be a hard game and a frustrating game,” he said, “but she sticks with it.”

The six-week program concluded Wednesday with a celebration that gave students a chance to play chess with their families while sharing food and fun.

The program is facilitated by Yusuf House of the Hudson Valley and was open to all Krieger students. Pete Markman, a social worker at Highland High School served as the head instructor, assisted by his wife and two sons, who also teach. Each week for the first five weeks around 10 students stayed after school to get to know the game of chess.

“The first few classes were really just instruction, because some of the kids didn’t really know how to play at all,” Markman said. “Now that we’ve had six weeks, the kids kind of know how to play, so we just play.”

On the sixth week families of students were invited to take part in a party with food, desserts, and to see how far the kids have come. Each student was given a certificate, a trophy and a sweatshirt from Yusuf House.

Markman has been teaching chess for 25 years. He said the key is to make sure the kids have fun.

“Chess has been proven to improve academic performance,” he said. “It’s great for making social connections, using critical thinking, executive functioning, handling your emotions, strategy, competition, all kinds of good stuff.”

Omega Alston founded Yusuf House in 2019 in memory of her son. Its mission is “to assist individuals and families in the Hudson Valley impacted by the criminal justice system and our broken communities by teaching positive family dynamics, effective communication and positive solutions that will strengthen the family unit aspirations of each family member,” according to its website.

Yusuf House has various programs teaching subjects like art and music, as well as providing reentry services assisting those who were recently released on parole and probation.

Alston said, “Part of my mission is prevention – I feel that kids who play chess and coping skills. That way they won’t end up incarcerated. They’ll make good decisions, that’s what chess is about.”

The chess program was funded by a City of Poughkeepsie Youth Activities and Opportunities Grant. This was the first time Yusuf House has held the program at Krieger and the second time overall; previously it was held last summer at the Family Partnership Center.

“It fills a need for a chess program. And it’s a good program,” said city Youth Services Director Karen Williams. Alston noted many of the students who took part in the Krieger program are Latino, and she believes it has helped strengthen their learning of the English language. She said she hopes to continue the chess program and perhaps expand it, as long as funding continues.

“It’s pretty rare that you find kids who are really into chess having behavioral problems,” Markman said. “It keeps them out of trouble and they’re learning a tremendous skill.”

Loretta Tolbert said she had played chess when she was “very young” with an uncle, but she’s improved during the six-week program. How long will it be until she can beat her father?

“Probably one more year,” she said.

Her father laughed. “She learns quick.”