Checkmating Violence in Chicago
Renaissance Knights, in partnership with Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Police Department, developed the Cops & Kids Chess program. This year-round initiative for 5th-12th grade students engages police officers and students in healthy, positive activities utilizing restorative justice practices to bridge the divide. Programming includes after-school classes, summer programs, tournaments, special events, and more.
The Cops & Kids Chess aims to promote non-violence and foster positive relationships between youth and police officers using chess as the vehicle for engagement.
Programs operate within select police districts in communities across the city in need.
Objectives
- Promote non-violence
- Encourage family and community engagement
- Increase positive relations between youth and police officers
- Provide fun, rewarding, and safe out of school time activities
- Foster ongoing relationships between students and police officers
- Create a safe and welcoming environment
- Develop academic, social and life skills
- Support the Academic Chess programs
- Raise career awareness in law enforcement
After-School Clubs
Our after-school chess clubs operate at select schools in communities across the city in need. Police officers from the local police district visit these clubs weekly to interact with the children, bringing the academic benefits of chess to them while providing positive social groups, goals, and aspirations. These clubs offer a safe environment where disadvantaged children can expand their minds, alleviate social pressures, and develop important life skills through the game of chess.
Tournaments
Our chess tournaments, sponsored by Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Police Department, and the Renaissance Knights Foundation, are open to youth participating in the after-school clubs. These tournaments are team events where students are partnered with police officers or law enforcement personnel to compete and build positive experiences together. The tournaments foster teamwork, strategic thinking, and mutual respect, creating lasting positive interactions between young people and law enforcement.
Summer Programming
Over the summer, we continue our year-round initiative of engaging students and police officers in positive activities. During the summer, police officers participate in our chess camps, facilitating group activities and fostering relationships with the students. This program not only provides a safe and enriching environment for youth during the summer months but also strengthens the bonds between young people and law enforcement through the shared experience of chess.
Community Events
Expanding on our school-based programs, we bring chess into the community through various events across the city. Our students and police officers participate in these events, providing chess activities and demonstrations. These community events create opportunities for positive interactions between youth and law enforcement, promoting non-violence, family engagement, and community cohesion. By taking chess out of the classroom and into the community, we help build stronger, more connected neighborhoods.
