The SEEALL Academy

SEEALL Academy Wins Championship Title in Texas ♟️🏆

Twenty-nine students from the SEEALL Academy traveled to Round Rock, TX for the 2026 National Middle School (K-8) Chess Championship, held May 15–17 at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions. Nearly 1,300 players from 30 states competed in one of the biggest middle school chess events in the country.

The SEEALL Academy chess team, led by IM Yury Lapshun and Mr. Bobby Moy, delivered another huge performance on the national stage.

Most impressively, SEEALL Academy is now 5-time National Section Winners, winning 1st Place in a section five straight years in a row. The streak was on the line going into Round 7, and the team responded with an undefeated final round to clinch another national title.

🥇 K-8 Under 1100 — NATIONAL SECTION WINNERS
Competing against 34 teams from around the country, SEEALL Academy captured 1st Place Team in the K-8 Under 1100 section.

Individual Highlights
Elvis Chen — 7th Place out of 221 players
Summer Lin — Tied for 15th Place out of 221 players
Anthony Chen — Tied for 15th Place out of 221 players

🥈 K-8 Under 1700 — 2nd Place Team
SEEALL Academy finished 2nd Place Team in the highly competitive K-8 Under 1700 section, finishing behind only I.S. 318 The Chess School.

🥉 K-8 Under 1400 — 3rd Place Team
In another strong showing, SEEALL Academy earned 3rd Place Team in the K-8 Under 1400 section, finishing behind I.S. 318 and Bold Charter School from the Bronx.

Individual Highlight
Lucas Jiang — Tied for 15th Place out of 191 players

The tournament featured seven long and difficult rounds that tested players mentally and emotionally. Students had to stay focused for hours at a time while competing against some of the strongest middle school players in the nation.

From experienced players chasing medals and trophies to newer students playing in their first Nationals, the team showed toughness, discipline, and resilience throughout the weekend.

And fittingly, after the final round ended and the trophies were presented, rain moved through the area before a rainbow appeared during the team's trophy and group pictures — a pretty special ending to another unforgettable Nationals trip.

Over the last several years, SEEALL Academy has built one of the strongest middle school chess programs in New York City. What started as a small growing team has now become a consistent national contender.

Thank you to all the SEEALL Academy staff, families, alumni, supporters, and Chess in the Schools coaches who continue to support the team and help make these experiences possible for our students. US Chess

Five straight years.
Five national section titles.
And the Owls are still climbing. 🦉♟️

Metros Grade Chess Championships 2026 ♟️🏆

Another strong weekend for the SEEALL chess program as students battled against top players from across New York City.

🦉 Team Highlights
🥈 6th Grade Team — 2nd Place
🥉 8th Grade Team — 3rd Place
🏆 7th Grade Team — 5th Place

⭐ Individual Highlights
🏆 Yunhao X — Grade 6 Class Prize Winner
🏆 Elvis C — Grade 6 Class Prize Winner
♟️ Kingsley Z — 8th Place, Grade 8
♟️ Anthony C — 10th Place, Grade 8

A huge number of SEEALL players are now sitting at ALL-TIME HIGH ratings heading into Nationals season 📈🔥

The hard work is showing:
Puzzle packs. Long games. Slow, solid chess. Discipline.

In a world full of TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and video games fighting for attention, chess teaches students patience, focus, resilience, and how to earn REAL dopamine through hard work and improvement.

This team keeps climbing — up, up, up. ♟️🔥

Onward to Nationals. 🦉🏆

Thank you to all the SEEALL Academy staff, parents, families, Chess in the Schools, CIS coaches, and supporters for continuing to support our students and chess program throughout the season. ♟️🦉

A special thank-you to OfficialChess and Tony Seto for creating and organizing this new format of the City Chess Championships and giving NYC students another exciting opportunity to compete at a high level. 🏆

The SEEALL Academy proudly congratulates Mr. Moy on being recognized by Chess in the Schools as a recipient of the prestigious Andy Lerner Award for Excellence in Chess Education — a national honor recognizing outstanding chess educators and coordinators across the country.

From local city championships to national competitions, the SEEALL chess program continues to grow and compete at the highest levels while representing our school community with pride.

We are incredibly proud of Mr. Moy and thankful to Chess in the Schools for recognizing the impact chess education can have on students and communities. ♟️🦉🏆

Town Hall with new DOE Chancellor on 3/30 at McKinley.

The application to Middle School Arts Audition Boot Camp 2026 is open, but the deadline is quickly approaching on April 3. Again, we are sharing the flyer application in 14 languages below and attached. Middle School Arts Audition Boot Camp is a free, two-week summer arts program for New York City Public Schools students entering grade 8 in September 2026. The program also includes one weekend in the fall for follow-up sessions before high school auditions begin. Free bus transportation is provided in all five boroughs to and from camp. Please find the translated flyers attached and embedded below and kindly share with middle school colleagues, seventh grade students and families.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wZJwsr72RNX4Srd6Vawd-2HFerRV8Vdh/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12a1LYiICOCf3nnGDPWHmzzLI7db_bxB7/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VP9xoT7Wd6hZpMPBwIKoPUd8CY2d7wVN/view

39536_Arts_MSBC_2026_flyer_Chinese-Simplified.pdf

UPDATE: New York City Public Schools will be open for in-person learning on Tuesday, February 24. All programs and activities will take place as scheduled.

Good luck to the two dozen SEEALL Academy alumni competing in the Amateur East Team Chess Tournament this 3-day weekend! ♟️
One of the best things about chess is how it keeps people connected. Seeing students from the Class of 2017 through the Class of 2025 all in one place—still playing, still learning, still supporting one another—reminds us that chess is more than a game. It’s friendships, shared memories, and a community that lasts well beyond middle school.
Huge thank you to Chess in the Schools for keeping this chess family strong, together, and growing.
Good luck to all—enjoy every move!

Reminder !

📢🏫 New York City Public Schools are closed for Midwinter Recess from Monday, February 16, to Friday, February 20. School will be back in session on Monday, February 23.

Find the NYC Public School calendar and more info at on.nyc.gov/PublicSchoolCalendar.