Chess, Mate?
Close readers of The Homeschool Issue will have begun to see a theme of outside the box thinking about education and life in general. We’ve spoken to parents who haven’t pushed college on their kids, and students who have decided to pursue their passion and “Avoid the crowd. Do your own thinking independently. Be the chess player, not the chess piece.” (Ralph Charell).
Selah Williams of Chess Alchemy Academy is no exception. “I chose to pursue building Chess Alchemy Academy instead of attending college, which has been an incredible experience and has taught me so much.” Selah and her siblings homeschooled all the way through from K-12. Taught by their dad at a very early age, Selah’s curiosity quickly turned to a love of chess’s strategy, creativity and mental challenge. “I was drawn to how every position tells a story and how improvement is directly connected to effort and study.”
Selah went on to become a highly ranked competitor in her state, something that she
says requires consistent study, tournament play, and learning from losses. “I became
serious about competing at 10 years old, and from that point on, I regularly played in
rated tournaments, carefully analyzed my games, and sought out stronger competition whenever possible.”
Once again, it was homeschooling that gave her the time to travel to tournaments and to dedicate focused time to improve, something that she says played a significant role in her progress. However, homeschooling was not without its challenges. Like many, she says there were times when it was difficult to connect. Chess, for her, opened many doors to meet people and build meaningful connections and Selah wants to give other homeschoolers this same opportunity of being introduced to chess while also providing guidance and connection.
Selah and her family started a local chess club where they hosted tournaments, taught classes, and helped new players enter the chess world. “Teaching developed naturally out of competing, I enjoyed breaking down complex positions and helping others gain confidence. Eventually, that grew into structured lessons, coaching, and working with homeschool families.” Ironically, it was COVID that gave her the opportunity to build this tool for connection. “What started as a setback actually became the push we needed to begin teaching online.” Chess Alchemy Academy offers classes for beginners, group classes, teen classes and even classes for adults. All of these classes are available online.
For Selah, Chess has also allowed her to travel to different states to compete in
tournaments, meet incredible mentors and students, and build a career around
something she genuinely loves. “I’m especially passionate about helping homeschool
students see that they can pursue excellence in specialized areas while still receiving a rich, well-rounded education.” If you are interested in getting your student connected with a former homeschooler who understands that making connections can be difficult but has worked hard to develop her expertise, then visit
-Joni Harrison
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