ASAP/After School Activities Partnerships was created in 2002 at the request of city leaders to bring public awareness to the dangers of the afternoon hours for unsupervised youth in Philadelphia. ASAP’s mission is to develop and support high-quality after school activities and resources to empower youth and strengthen communities in Philadelphia.
ASAP Chess helps more than 2,000 youth in Philadelphia (grades K-12) develop critical problem solving and strategic thinking skills by coordinating more than 170 out-of-school time chess clubs and organizing dozens of after school and weekend competitions each year. Students in ASAP Chess clubs learn that every move has potential value and consequences. Students are instructed to carefully evaluate their different options in pursuit of the best possible solution. By practicing these tactics in club meetings and learning from their mistakes at competitions, students spend hours outside the school day honing critical mathematical skills.
The Chess Coordinator will works alongside the Director of Chess Programs to support the expansion of ASAP Chess and provide more opportunities for young leaders to be engaged and challenged in a competitive and supportive environment. This includes building new school partnerships, recruiting and training adult chess club leaders, and fostering a sense of community among student chess players.
Summary of Duties:
– Work in partnership with the School District of Philadelphia and the City of Philadelphia’s out-of-school time network to promote ASAP Chess to priority schools and communities.
– Recruit and support training for new ASAP Chess coaches.
– Assist with the planning and leadership of after school and weekend chess tournaments, including the Philadelphia Scholastic Chess League, monthly Saturday chess tournaments, and regional after school scrimmage competitions.
– Provide support for ASAP Chess coaches through phone calls and emails, a weekly e-newsletter, and periodic site visits.
– Manage special projects, including the high school chess mentor program, matching high school chess players with middle school ASAP Chess clubs.
– Promote the Philly Girls Play Chess Initiative, organizing an all-girls tournament and recruiting youth to attend the annual ASAP Girls Summer Chess Camp.
– Collect and analyze student- and club-level data to measure the program’s impact and look for opportunities for continuous quality improvement.
– Contribute to overall organizational goals through participation on ASAP’s internal staff committees.