2012 -- S 2590

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LC00347

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING FEBRUARY 26TH THROUGH MARCH 3RD, 2012, TO BE "CHESS

AWARENESS WEEK" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

     

     

     Introduced By: Senators Lanzi, Metts, Sheehan, Felag, and Pichardo

     Date Introduced: February 29, 2012

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

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     WHEREAS, Invented over fifteen hundred years ago in India, chess is a classic game of

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strategy. It is said that the ruler of India wanted a way to teach children of the royal family to

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become better thinkers and better generals on the battlefield. Chess was the result; and

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     WHEREAS, Since its inception, chess has spread to almost every country in the world.

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Approximately thirty nations have chess currently incorporated into their education curricula, and

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in countries where it is offered as part of the curriculum, students exhibit a heightened ability to

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recognize complex patterns and, consequently, tend to excel in math and science; and

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     WHEREAS, In the United States, chess has received endorsements by many educators,

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both past and present, ranging from Benjamin Franklin to former United States Secretary of

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Education, Terrel H. Bell. Currently, western Pennsylvania offers chess programs in more than 70

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schools, with thousands of students participating each year; and

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     WHEREAS, The myriad benefits chess confers on learning development include focus,

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visualization, thinking ahead, weighing options, analytical decision-making, thinking abstractly,

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planning and juggling multiple considerations simultaneously, understanding the consequences of

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actions, and planning for future possibilities; and

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     WHEREAS, The beauty of chess as a teaching tool is that it stimulates children’s minds

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and helps them to build these skills while they enjoy themselves. As a result, children become

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more critical thinkers, better problem solvers, and more independent decision-makers; now,

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therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

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hereby proclaims February 26th through March 3rd, 2012, to be “Chess Awareness Week” in the

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State of Rhode Island; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby respectfully requests the Commissioner of

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Elementary and Secondary Education to support the development of programs to offer instruction

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in chess and encourage school districts to offer students in Rhode Island’s public schools

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opportunities to participate in chess programs; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Rhode Island Commissioner of Elementary

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and Secondary Education.

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LC00347

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S2590