American Go E-Journal » Youth

Thanks to a generous donor, the American Go Foundation is able to grant a select number of young players the opportunity to have a series of  professional lessons online.  Yi Lun Yang 7P, Janice Kim 3P, and  Jennie Shen 2P, have generously agreed to support the program.  Applicants must be AGA members, currently in grades K-12, and have never had a professional lesson before.  Applicants will be judged on their demonstrated interest in go, their short essays and any letters of recommendation.   Finalists may be asked to play a game against a strong amateur to confirm their enthusiasm.   Six lessons will be provided to each player selected.  The deadline for applications is January 1 2013. Apply to get stronger today, click here to download the form.   -Report by Keith Arnold, Photo by Paul Barchilon: Yilun Yang teaching kids at the 2010 Go Congress.

Longtime Portland organizer Peter Freedman has been devoting his efforts towards school programs recently, with notable success. “The photo is from the Irvington Elementary School Chess and Go Club,” writes Freedman, “it has 30 students, in 2nd through 5th grades.  The students can, play only chess; play only go; or, switch between chess and go each month.  New students must play a month of go before they decide on their option.  Go is played  on KGS, and a self-pair tournament runs for go each month.”  Freedman has also organized live match-ups with Sunstone Montessori, also in Portland, and has his kids competing online with students as far afield as Detroit and Mexico City.  Read Freedman’s tips on running a successful program for children here.  There are many more helpful links on the AGA’s teaching go page here, and the AGF will provide free equipment for K-12 go programs. -Paul Barchilon, E-J Youth Editor.  Photo by Peter Freedman: Jordan (l) and Aden (r) at the Irvington Club.

A newly acquired set of the Hikaru no Go manga is on prominent display at the entrance to the high school library in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. “The students were fascinated by the go display,” says Capri Stiles (at right in photo), Carlisle High School librarian. “Expanding the knowledge of the students through authentic experiences is always a great way to promote literacy. The display encouraged students to start the series, and ninth graders who started reading them at one of our middle schools were delighted to be able to access the rest of them here. A playing board and a collection of go magazines really increased the interest in the books.” The American Go Foundation makes the popular manga series available to school and public libraries for free, with just a $20 charge for shipping, click here to order a set. The donation to Carlisle High School was arranged by Fred Baldwin (AGA 8k), a member of the Harrisburg Area Go Club. Baldwin, who is also a long-term member of the Carlisle Area School District board, also arranged for two Carlisle middle school libraries and the local public library to receive their own sets. “Several kids at one of our middle schools have developed an interest in go, thanks largely to Hikaru,” Baldwin says, “and two or three of them are regular participants in club play. It’s good to see teenagers learning to love the game and benefit from the mental discipline it requires. I especially appreciate how our school district’s librarians, Ms. Stiles and Stephanie Weimer, have worked with other faculty members to encourage Carlisle students to give go a try.” -Paul Barchilon, E-J Youth Editor. Photo and reporting by Fred Baldwin.

The popular Young Lions tourney, for school aged youth, is back with a new twist.  Based on the tournaments in Hikaru no Go, where the newest professionals take on the top insei, the Young Lions has become one of the premier youth tourneys online.  This year the winners will get a special treat though, 1st and 2nd place in the top bracket will get a chance to play a game with our very first crop of American pros, Andy Liu 1P and Gansheng Shi 1P.  The event is run by the American Go Honor Society (AGHS) and has developed a reputation for picking some of the top young players in the US. “Returning competitors, are you curious how much you have improved?” asks AGHS Promotion Head Junhee Kim, “new go players, are you up for the challenge? Come sign up for fun, experience, and most importantly because of your love for go!”  The tourney will feature brackets for all levels, with prizes and glory for all skill levels. See www.aghs.cc for rules and registration. The tournament will be held on KGS in the AGHS Tournaments Room on November 17th and 18th. E-mail aghsregister@gmail.com for more info. -Paul Barchilon, E-J Youth Editor.

Fox Chapel Elementary School from Germantown, Maryland topped a field of three schools in the First DC Metropolitan Area School Go Tournament on September 29, winning 7 out of 8 games. The DC School Tournament, organized by American Go Honor Society (AGHS) President Justin Teng (back left) and Vice-President Julian Erville (back right), is a youth tournament that promotes strengthening the youth go community between local schools in DC, Virginia, and Maryland. Gary Smith, organizer of the NOVA Go Club, hosted the tournament at George Mason University in Arlington, VA, and provided all of the equipment and pairings that made the tournament possible. Division winners of the tournament were Hank Chen 9k (1st) from Richard Montgomery High School and Ben Withbroe 4k (2nd) from Albert Einstein High School in the upper division, and Eric Zhang 24k (front right) 1^st and Mulan Liu 22k (front left) 2^nd, both from Fox Chapel Elementary School in the lower division. Player’s ages ranged from 8 to 17; Mulan Liu and Eric Zhang are in 3rd and 4th grade respectively, while Hank Chen and Ben Withbroe are in 11th and 12th grade respectively. “Plans are being made for the second DC Metropolitan Area School Go Tournament in spring 2013, so if you’re a student and in the area, get ready!” say organizers Justin Teng and Julian Erville. photo by Gary Smith

Applications are now being accepted for the American Go Foundation college scholarship.  One of last year’s winners, Rachel Daley (at left), writes: “I found that I was better at teaching the game than actually playing. Without even realizing it, I became more confident with strangers. . . . Go also taught me how to be comfortable in a room where I was the only female. I saw [the male players] as my peers and rivals instead of some different entity. This gave me the confidence to never feel intimidated by the male majority in my science and math classes. . . . I realized that this is how society changes – not by a sudden huge wave but by individuals not accepting degrading stereotypes and moving forward despite them.” The AGF Scholarship recognizes high school students who have served as important youth organizers and promoters for the go community . To apply, download and complete the application form here. Applicants should describe their accomplishments and volunteer work in a short essay. Letters of recommendation may also be included. Students whose enthusiasm and ambition have helped spread go in under-served areas will be given special consideration. Strong players who spend much of their time voluntarily teaching will also be considered, although the award focuses on promoters and organizers who have made substantial contributions during their go career. A report on last year’s winners can be found here. – Paul Barchilon, E-J Youth Editor.