Silver Knights Wins 2025 US Chess Scholastic Service Award

The United States Chess Federation (US Chess) has chosen Silver Knights Chess Academy as this year’s recipient of its prestigious Scholastic Service award, which recognizes individuals who and organizations that have made significant contributions to scholastic chess. Past recipients have included GM Susan Polgar, David MacEnulty, and FM Sunil Weeramantry.

"Silver Knights Chess has been a pillar of the mid-Atlantic chess community for nearly two decades. Their commitment, outreach, and impact are remarkable," said John D. Rockefeller V, US Chess Executive Board member. 

We're grateful to US Chess for recognizing our efforts to spread the joy of chess to students throughout the United States. 

Silver Knights has been a fixture in the scholastic chess community since the company’s inception nearly twenty years ago. In the years that followed those initial few after-school clubs that got the organization off the ground, SKCA has expanded to teach nearly 6,000 students each week through its in-person and online programs, reaching more than 120,000 students in total. In 2025, eleven students won state championships, and three others earned master titles.

Accessibility has been at the heart of SKCA’s work since the very start. Every year, the company gives out tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships to young chess players so students from all backgrounds can participate in clubs and tournaments, and gave out more than $80,000 in scholarships last school year. Silver Knights also hosts dozens of tournaments in the greater D.C. area each year and saw its largest-ever enrollment at the Maryland State Chess Championships in April, where 540 students of all ages showed up to compete. 

Some of the coaches and competitors who represented SKCA at SuperNationals.

Thanks to the continued growth of our online Academy program, which boasts nine class levels and a roster of expert coaches that includes three grandmasters, SKCA had a significant presence at this year's SuperNationals chess tournament. Seventy students from across the country (and even Puerto Rico!) joined our team of coaches in Orlando, Florida for a weekend of games and good company.

As we prepare for the start of the 2025-26 school year, we’re continuing to look for new ways to introduce kids across the world to the joy of chess and help students develop their love for the game. To sign your child up for chess classes, browse our list of upcoming school-based clubs or try a $5 trial class through our online Academy program.