The New Bern Police Department is excited to kick off 2023 with a new session of the New Bern Noble Knights Chess Club. Started in early 2021, the chess club is a biannual youth outreach program created for kids and their parents that teaches them how to play chess. Police department officers, employees, and volunteers also participate.
The New Bern Noble Knights Chess Club is designed to build and maintain strong relationships with our youth community while having fun at the same time. The club offers 11 weeks of coaching, mentoring, and team building alongside police department staff and an internationally certified chess instructor. All skill levels are welcome to join, and parents are encouraged to accompany their kids through the program so they can play chess together at home.
Participants will get to interact with and receive instruction from Nolan Tomboulian, a schoolteacher, licensed chess instructor, and enthusiast. They will also get to play chess against New Bern Police Department staff. There is no cost to join nor is there any expectation that participants have any knowledge of the game. Although the program is ideal for middle school aged kids, we encourage all interested students to sign up and participate.
The first meeting will take place on Monday, January 23, 2023, from 5:30 p.m. — 7:00 p.m. at West New Bern Recreation Center (1225 Pine Tree Drive). Subsequent meetings will take place every Monday at the same time and location. At the end of the 11-week program, we will host a chess tournament where participants will have the opportunity to become nationally ranked based on their skill level.
According to chess.com, playing the game not only brings people together, but it also teaches players sportsmanship, how to realize the consequences of their actions, develops creativity and problem-solving skills, and helps players to learn to remain calm under pressure. Thanks to the success of our program, the New Bern Noble Knights Chess Club was recently recognized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in their FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. Click this link to read the article.
If you are interested in participating in the New Bern Noble Knights Chess Club, visit the Youth Outreach Programs page on our website. There you will find more information, our Code of Conduct, instructional materials, and an application. Completed applications should be submitted in person at the New Bern Police Department located at 601 George Street, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m. All questions can be directed via email to Sergeant K. Brice.
By Lieutenant Donald A. McInnis, Jr.