IS 318 is a middle school unlike any other. Nestled at the intersection of Williamsburg and Bushwick, it serves many diverse communities and stewards a massive student body. It's also “the chess school.” Not just a school with a chess team. THE chess school. Simply put, our chess team is unparalleled on every metric. The team has won countless championships, was the subject of an award winning documentary, and is the only middle school ever to win the High School Nationals. Whether kids come in as experienced players or new to the game, we give every student a belief in personal excellence. The IS 318 chess program is led by world renowned chess coach Elizabeth Spiegel and built upon the belief that students who commit to working hard to improve their chess skills will see results on and off the chessboard. We teach persistence, commitment, planning, and logical thinking. Our student chess players dominate at the chess board, but are not defined by the chess board. They come from every background and often travel from all over Brooklyn to attend IS 318. Over 95% of the team earns a place on the school’s highest academic honor roll. Team members serve on the student government, step up to the plate as members of the IS 318 baseball team, they perform as part of the IS 318 award winning concert, jazz and marching bands, they compete in robotics competitions, they volunteer in the community, and so much more. The IS 318 Chess Team is proud to have you in our corner and is so grateful to everyone for supporting our team.