A house RESOLUTION

to recognize and honor the members of the Charles Pinckney Elementary School chess team and to congratulate them for winning the 2023 South Carolina State Scholastic Championship title.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are pleased to learn that the chess team of Charles Pinckney Elementary School of Mount Pleasant won its thirteenth statewide chess trophy at the State Scholastic Championship held in Greenville on March 4, 2023; and

Whereas, adding to its legacy in chess, the Charles Pinckney Elementary School Pirates won its third consecutive state title in the kindergarten through fifth grade (K-5) division.  The third-grade team also captured a second-place trophy in the K-3 division; and

Whereas, a total of two hundred fifty students in four divisions of K-3, K-5, K-8, and K-12 participated in the event sponsored by the Greenville Chess Club; and

Whereas, Aaron Wang led Pinckney Elementary with four wins and a draw to earn a three-way tie for first-place overall.  He finished third in the State after computer tiebreaks.  Nico Stamos led the third-grade team with four wins and one loss, tying for second overall in the State and finishing fourth on tiebreaks.  In the third-grade division, Theodore Constantino tied for tenth place with three wins, finishing seventeenth in the State after tiebreaks; and

Whereas, Stuart Chagrin, who serves on the United States Chess Trust Board and is the former president of the Marshall Chess Club, coaches the Pinckney chess team.  The team is organized by a teacher in the gifted-and-talented program, E. C. Setser, who has been involved with this team since 2010; and

Whereas, the school, part of the Charleston County School District, now has nine titles in the K-5 Division and four championships at the K-3 level, all since 2010; and

Whereas, the team also included Liam Blonshine, Ramy Borey, Silas Dewey, Declan Flannery, Katie George, Garrett Hamm, Graeme Kearney, Parker Leong, Finley Martin, Tanner Patterson, Owen Patterson, Carter Piazza, Barrett Thoren, Amelia Wallace, and Claire Wang; and

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives appreciates the pride and recognition that the Pinckney Elementary chess players have brought to their school and to their community, and the members look forward to following their continued achievements in the days ahead.  Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor the members of the Charles Pinckney Elementary School chess team and congratulate them for winning the 2023 South Carolina State Scholastic Championship title.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Stuart Chagrin and E. C. Setser.

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