A group of 21 student chess players from St. Thomas and St. John is being recognized for a strong showing at the National K-12 Grade Championships, held in Chicago from March 25 to 30.
The students, representing the St. Thomas/St. John Youth Scholastic Chess Club, competed against more than 2,000 players from across the country in the multi-day tournament organized by the United States Chess Federation.
Participants from the Virgin Islands came from a range of schools, including All Saints Cathedral School, Antilles School, Ivanna Eudora Kean High School, Charlotte Amalie High School, V.I. Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy, Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School, and homeschool programs.
Over three days, students competed in seven rounds of play, with top performers in each section earning national recognition.
Among the highlights, Naitik Jhanwar of All Saints Cathedral School delivered one of the strongest performances from the territory, finishing eighth in his section without a loss and earning a medal. He also placed second overall in the National Blitz competition.
Charlotte Amalie High School student Ger’Lanni Straun also earned a medal, placing 18th in his division.
Students from Ivanna Eudora Kean High School — Diego Emile, Leeann Lewis, Peter Phillippe, and Aysia Carty — competed in their first national tournament and, as a team, won more than 60% of their matches.
Antilles School students Dillen Webbe, Ajay Mirpuri, Eli Blondeau, Ethan Ronen, and Roman Overmyer added to the territory’s results, returning home with two trophies from a U.S. Chess Federation-sponsored Blitz competition.
Strong individual performances were also noted across the delegation, including Dejw Wrensford of the homeschool group, as well as Tendaji Davis of the V.I. Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy and Jordan Vanterpool of Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School, both described as rising players in the program.
In addition to the competition, students participated in an educational tour of Chicago, visiting the Museum of Science and Industry, the DuSable Black History Museum, and the University of Chicago.
Organizers extended thanks to community members and organizations who supported the trip, making it possible for the students to compete on the national stage.
