A squat concrete building on an inner-city block, Intermediate School 318 in Brooklyn, New York may not impress from the outside, but inside Ms. Vicary's classroom, something special is happening. Here, hundreds of students have learned to play chess, one of the world's oldest and most complex games. I.S. 318 boasts the best junior high chess program in the nation, despite a high percentage of student poverty. This year, chess team members learn that being the best isn't easy, especially when state and city-wide budget cuts threaten their beloved afterschool program.
