To celebrate March Madness, Wilsonville High School held a chess tournament in its library the week before Spring Break. A bracket of 16 competitors determined matchups, creating an Elite 8, Final 4, and ultimate championship match. This set up the tournament for success and intrigue.

The tournament took place because the librarian, Ms. Coreson, wanted a fun activity in the spirit of March Madness, and chess worked perfectly, given the high number of students interested in chess at the school.

One thing about chess that causes it to work well in this tournament type is that it is 100% skill-based, meaning this tournament would be a truthful reflection of who the best chess player in the school is. It is also easy to play and set up.

Many people got very invested in the tournament, especially by the end. Many students watched the final few matchups, creating a sense of community in the library, with fans rooting for their favorite chess player and demonstrating sportsmanship. This ultimately led to an increase of studnets being involved in chess.

The success of this tournament led to more library chess tournaments being planned, with new and returning players hoping to win big. Events like these help to make the school feel more connected and lived-in, and give students a good opportunity to socialize with one another.

This video consists of several interviews with contestants in the tournament and its host, Ms. Coreson. It also shows footage of multiple matches that took place, including the finals. This video gives publicity to this tournament and any future chess events that take place.

This tournament was created to provide a fun alternative to March Madness in the school, but it became so much more, and it shows how school wide events can improve all facets of a school.