Spotlight on the Pennsylvania State Chess Championships

2011 State Scholastic Chess Championships Highlights
The Philadelphia Youth Chess Challenge: 65 Awards and Counting!

Every year, ASAP sponsors the best and most competitive chess players in the Philadelphia Youth Chess Challenge to attend the PA State Scholastic Chess Championships held in Carlisle, PA. Last year’s group of nearly 50 sponsored students returned with 40 trophies and medals, twice the haul of the previous year! This year’s group of 57 students representing 18 Philadelphia public and charter schools brought home nearly 70 trophies and honors! Included among them: High School and Elementary State Chess Champions Masterman School, Under 1300 State High School Chess Champions High School of Engineering and Science, and 3rd Place Middle School Champions Blankenburg School.


7-12 U1300 5th place: Walter D. Palmer Charter High School
7-12 U1300 4th place: George Washington High School

Prep charter Sophomore Mingo Johnson

K-9 U1000 2nd Place School: Blankenburg School
K-6 Open 1st Place School: Masterman
K-8 Open 2nd Place School: Masterman
7-12 U1000 2nd Place School: Engineering and Science HS
K-6 U800 2nd Place School: Blankenburg

7-12 U1300 7th place: Gary Spencer (Walter D. Palmer Charter High School)
7-12 U1300 6th place: Mingo Johnson (Prep Charter High School)
7-12 U1300 3rd place: Cruz Dejesus (Engineering and Science)
7-12 U1000 4th place: Donald Chang (Northeast HS)
7-12 U1000 2nd Place: Chang Zheng (Northeast HS)


Prep Charter Sophomore Mingo Johnson participated in his first states tournament and earned a 6th place trophy. Accompanied by his mother and coach, Adam Gilman, Mingo said he was excited and honored to be there. “Chess is a good mind game,” said Lisa Biddle, Mingo’s mom. “It promotes thinking and patience.” Adam said Mingo is very focused and when he plays he is “in a zone.”

The Walter D. Palmer chess squad poses with the hardware.

Walter D. Palmer School Coach Douglas Cox was elated with the 3 trophies his team brought back this year, compared to returning empty handed after their first states appearance last year. Among the 3 trophies, was a team award for fifth place in the 7-12 Under 1300 section. Cox attributes their improvement to his players competing in ASAP’s free Saturday chess tournaments, which prepared them for states and allowed them to increase their United States Chess Federation ratings by 700 points. Cox said two of his students are juniors who are interested in applying for the chess scholarship awards next year.

Mikyeil El-Mekki (left) poses with some of his players.

Blankenburg School Coach Mikyeil el-Mekki’s team came back with a total of 13 awards, including Third Place Middle School Champions! “None of this would be possible without the unbelievable staff of ASAP,” el-Mekki said. “We are grateful to ASAP for being champions of this cause for our students.”

Chess challenge alum Dan Worthington

Chess Challenge Alumnus Dan Worthington, took First Place in the Collegiate Under 1500 section. Now a junior at St. Joseph’s University studying actuarial science, Dan attributed his first-place win to his hard work and participation in ASAP’s Chess Challenge. “Chess teaches me to not give up,” said the Roxborough High graduate. “I am proud of my accomplishments in chess and school.” Dan exemplifies ASAP’s motto: “What happens after graduation starts with what happens after school!”