PF senior named Scholastic Chess Association champ

To give his opponents a fair shot, Phillip Weyland has been known to play chess blindfolded or give less-experienced players a time advantage – 10 minutes to the 40 seconds he allows himself to make a move.

That’s just when he’s playing for fun. When it comes to tournament play, Weyland is serious.

He spends hours combing his home library of 100 chess books and playing games against his father, keeping notations so he can analyze his mistakes. When he’s at tournaments, he brings along a roll-up board so he can practice between matches, and a laptop so he can study a database full of hundreds of games of chess.

Years of practice and tournament play paid off for the Post Falls High senior. Earlier this month, he was named champion of the Idaho Scholastic Chess Association. The prize includes a trip to the national competition in August and the chance at a full-ride scholarship to the University of Texas at Dallas.

Weyland has been playing chess for 12 years – ever since a snowstorm knocked out the cable when he was 5 years old. To pass the time without TV, Weyland played chess and got hooked.

He said he likes “thinking-type games” and chess is certainly one of those. A lot of strategies are involved, Weyland said.

“You just have to combine them all to have a good game,” he said.

Weyland didn’t hear about the state competition until a day ahead of time. He and his father drove all night to Boise. Weyland took naps between the matches. With 90 minutes of time allowed for each player, Weyland said matches could stretch on for as long as three hours.

He won after six rounds.

“It’s a lot of chess,” he said.

American Legion recognizes teacher

After 18 months in Iraq, Post Falls teacher Chris Sensel has returned home just in time to accept an award as the Post Falls American Legion’s Educator of the Year.

“He gave up his teaching position to go defend his country,” said John Dunlap, commander of the Post Falls American Legion. “That made him a very good candidate.”

Sensel was a history and social studies teacher at New Vision, the district’s alternative school, when he was called to duty. A sergeant with the Idaho Army National Guard’s 81st Armor Brigade, Sensel spent his tour in Iraq doing Humvee security duty.

He will return to work after spring break in a new position. He’s moving from New Vision to Post Falls High, where he will intern, working toward his administrative credentials.

Educator of the Year is one of 15 awards the local Legion Hall awarded March 19. The local winners will be nominated for recognition at the state level.

Post Falls gets grant

The Post Falls School District has been awarded a five-year grant for a preschool summer school program. Students who have completed kindergarten, but could benefit from extra help, can also participate in the KinderPlus program that will begin this summer.

During the school year, the KinderPlus program also will provide extended-day support to kindergartners. Students who need extra support will attend regular kindergarten classes for half of the day and participate in the KinderPlus program in the afternoon.

The 21st Century Learning Community Grant is funded with money from the federal government and will provide the district $123,000 per year.

Activities and training for parents and care providers also will be offered as part of KinderPlus.