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Renaissance Knights Chess Foundationhelping children make all the right movesANNUAL REPORT - YEAR ENDING JUNE 2009Chess is an excellent tool to teach kids how to make good decisionsFrom the Executive DirectorSheila HeiserThe past year has been another successful one and we are looking forward to thecoming year. I am constantly reminded of the value of Renaissance Knights and howimportant our work is for the children we serve. Many of the students in RenaissanceKnights schools have been pegged for failure - yet they succeed in ways no one couldhave imagined. Your investment in our work has made their success possible. Thankyou. Our partnership is helping children in need find success in school and life.Renaissance Knights PO Box 1074 Northbrook, IL 60065847-526-9025 renknights@aol.com www.renaissanceknight.orgOur mission is to help children develop skills necessary for success in school and life
From the PresidentDavid HeiserIt has been another great year of chess: weoffered 45 clubs in 9 school districts inChicago and the suburbs. More than 1300students had the opportunity to learn the skillsthey will need to be successful now and in thefuture. The state of the economy challengedus, but we remained focused on our goals andbecause of that focus we were able tocontinue fulfilling our mission every day.Renaissance KnightsStatement of Financial Position2008 – 2009ASSETSCurrent assetsCash and cash equivalentsAccounts receivable30,104Total Current AssetsFixed assetsFurniture and fixturesMachinery and equipmentRenaissance Knights has seen some changesthis year, the sorts of changes that will helpthe organization continue to evolve and deliveron its mission of motivating, challenging andinspiring underprivileged school children.A big change was our partnership with GalileoSchool to implement a pilot Chess-in-theClassroom Program in Mrs. Lassis’s 5th gradeclass. This pilot program led to grant from thenew President of Chicago Public Schools,Michael Scott, to train and equip a group ofCPS teachers to expand the program.TOTAL ASSETSWe continued to provide chess activities atChicago community events to include TheTaste of Chicago, African Festival of the Arts,Chicago Toy and Game Fair and MayorDaley’s Holiday Sports Festival.LIABILITIESCurrent liabilitiesAccounts payableCredit card payableDue to Wright CollegePayroll liabilitiesOur staff, coaches, instructors, volunteers andboard are all committed to meeting the needsof the students in the schools we serve as wellas putting the pieces in place to continue togrow. On behave of everyone involved withRenaissance Knight, thank you for yourcommitment this past year to helping studentsmake all the right moves to succeed. 22,2227,8822,2887,4949.782(5,691)Less: accumulated depreciationTotal Fixed Assets4,091Intangible assetsOrganizational CostsLess: Accumulatedamortization500(483)17Total Intangible Assets 34,212684,1683,7501,0379,023Total Current Liabilities25,189UNRESTRICTED NET ASSETS 34,212TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NETASSETSRenaissance Knights BoardFoundersDavid & Sheila HeiserPrevention is better than detentionBoard of DirectorsDavid Heiser, PresidentSheila Heiser, Vice President /Executive DirectorGM Sam PalatnikAnnual Statement 2008 – 2009
Participating SchoolsAgassiz*AlphonsusBetter BoysBelding*Boys & Girls ClubBurley*Canty*Chicago LightsFenghuaDiamond LakeEdison*EmersonGift HomeschoolGreenbriarHenry Clay*Henry PufferHunting RidgeIsaac FoxJane AddamsJahn World Language*Kimball HillMarion JordanMay WhitneyMeadowbrookMontessori MusicAcademyMurphy*Niles WestNorthbrook Junior HighNorthside CatholicAcademyOnahan*Pershing West*PlatoQuentinSolomon*Spencer LoomisSt CatherineSt JulianaSt Margaret MarySt NorbertThomas JeffersonThorp*WashingtonWestmoorWiildwood** Denotes CPS SchoolsAll of Renaissance Knights programs are made possible bythe extraordinary generosity of individuals, foundations,corporations, and government funders. RenaissanceKnights is grateful for their contributions and continuingbelief in our mission.Renaissance Knights MissionRenaissance Knights is a nonprofit educational organizationthat engages and empowers atat-riskrisk youth by utilizing themany educational benefits of chess to develop skillsnecessary for success in school and life among inner-cityinnerpublic school children.Renaissance Knights HistoryRenaissance Knights was founded in 20055 by David &Sheila Heiser to bring the many benefits of chess toChicago’s underserved students. For the past five yearswe have taught, inspire and empowered thousands ofstudents in Chicago Public Schools and surroundingsurrocommunities. We utilize chess as an educational tool topromote learning and help young people improve theiracademic abilities, intellectual performance, and socialskills.African Festival of the ArtsCanty Summer CampCPS K-8 ChampionshipWe teach kids to strategically think about their future one move at a timeAnnual Statement 2008 – 2009
The School ProgramThe Renaissance Knights School Program is a vital initiative that brings chess with itsacademic benefits into the classroom and provides afterafter-schoolschool chess clubs forstudents. The chess clubs provide training and lessons in chess in a safe settingparticularly in schools and neighborhoods where few good afterafter-schoolschool alternatives areavailable. Participants enhance their mathematical and logical thinking skills, build selfselfesteem and develop discipline, good sportsmanship and character plus empoweringempoweri thechildren to succeed while having a great time in the process!School Program Goals:1. teach students to play chess2. teach students the skills associated with chess that can lead to success in schooland lifeDuring the 2008-20092009 school year (Sept(Septemberember through June), there were 45 schools inthe School Program. That means 2,000 students learned to play chess in this programlast year.Thanks to generous supporters, many of our schools and students are not charged forthe program. If funding can be procured this year, Renaissance Knights will again serve45 schools through the School Program during the 2002009-2010 school year.Chess -in-the-Classroom:Renaissance Knights implemented a pilot chess program in a 5thgrade classroom at CPS Galileo Math and Science Academy - a Title Ischool. This program provided regularly scheduled chess lessonsduring the school day and incorporated chess into the core curriculumfor the 31 students in the classroom. We provided alall the chessequipment and materials needed for the students to learn and playchess. Several of the students went on to win trophies at local chesstournaments.Teacher’s Training WorkshopWith the success of the pilotprogram, we received a grant toexpand the program from MichaelScott, CPS President.Renaissance Knightshts held a 6-hrworkshop lead by the author,FIDE Senior Trainer MichaelKhordarkovsky, and included asegment by Mrs. Catherin Lasisi,the Galileo 5th grade teacherwhose classroom hostedhost the pilotprogram. The work shop wasattended by 15 CPS Teachers, 1Assistant Principal, 1 LiteracyCoach and 4 RenaissanceKnights Teachers.Annual Statement 2008 – 2009
Instruction:Using the highlyy respected Teaching Chess Step by Step curriculum, aRenaissance Knights instructor teaches chess to students one day aweek with each class lasting approximately one hour. The curriculumteaches students advanced strategic and critical thinking.Summer Camps:Through our summer programs we operated multi-day chess camps throughoutoughout theChicagoland area during school breaks. Summer Camps offer students the opportunityto learn in-depthdepth with other campers at the same level while having a fun time. Inpartnership with Chicago Public Schools ccampsamps were held at Coles, Canty and StewartSchools. We also held camps at Wright College and at the beautiful Lake Zurich Chalet.Summer Camp at Canty SchoolWorking together to solve problemsChess Tournaments:We organized and directed 21 chess tournaments that range from novice tournamentsto the highly competitive Knights Quest series and included the Regional Playoffs andK-88 Championship tournaments for Chicago Public SchoolsSchools. These competitive chesstournaments are held on the weekend or school holiday and draws between 70 and 450players from kindergarten through high scschool. Renaissance Knights organizes anddirects these exciting events ensuring that students are challenged and encouragedthroughout the tournament.Chess Tournament at Henry Clay SchoolAnnual Statement 2008 – 2009
Tournament Program Goals:1. engage students in chess on the weekends2. provide students the opportunity to demonstrate the skills they have learnedwhile building their confidence3. develop students focus and concentration, deal with winning and losing in a safeenvironment, and experience the dynamics of teamwork4. help students form lasting bonds with fellow students and chess coachesDuring the 2008-2009 school year, Renaissance Knights presented 21 chesstournaments at various venues throughout Chicagoland. We hope to present the samenumber of events during the 2002009-2010 school year.Community Chess ProgramThe Community Chess Program focuseson promoting the academic and life skillsgained through learning and playingchess by sponsoring chess at communityevents in Chicago. RenaissanceKnights sponsored chess pavilions atThe Taste of Chicago, Kennedy KinKingCollege Back to School Festival, TheAfrican Festival of the Arts Festival,Mayor Daley’s Holiday Sports Festivaland the National Teen Test Day at theSouth Shore Cultural Center. Over 5000children, adults and seniors participatedin chess activities at these events.Six Corners CornucopiaMayor Daley’s Holiday Sports FestivalEvery move countsThe greatest gift we can give our children is the ability to make good decisionsRenaissance Knights PO Box 1074 Northbrook, IL 60065847-526-90259025 renknights@aol.com www.renaissanceknight.orgThank you for supporting Renaissance Knights!Annual Statement 2008 – 2009
A big change was our partnership with Galileo School to implement a pilot Chess-in-the-Classroom Program in Mrs. Lassis’s 5 th grade class. This pilot program led to grant from the new President of Chicago Public Schools, Michael Scott, to train and equip a group of CPS teachers to expand the program. We continued to provide chess activities at
