Pictured, from left, are Sawyer Schlemmer, Liam Allen, Asher Reneker, Anastasia DeRuntz, and James Whitehead. Photos provided by Warsaw Community Schools.

Press Release

WARSAW — Madison Elementary School’s chess team emerged as the national champion in the third-grade unrated section at the National Elementary Chess Championship held in Columbus, Ohio.

The team was composed of Anastasia DeRuntz, Asher Reneker, Liam Allen, James Whitehead, and Sawyer Schlemmer.

“Pursuing dreams is one of the pillars of Warsaw Community Schools’ mission statement,” said Jay Bolduc, Madison and Washington STEM Academy’s chess sponsor. “Sometimes a dream can come true when one is not even looking for one. Two months ago, competing at nationals wasn’t even on our radar. Now, we’re national champs. Interest, hard work, perseverance, a little luck, and a lot of fun can go a long way.”

In addition to the team’s victory, several students also earned individual awards. Reneker placed sixth, Allen placed ninth, and Whitehead placed 10th. DeRuntz and Schlemmer also performed commendably, securing 14th and 18th places.

Furthermore, at the Scholastic Chess of Indiana Girl’s Championships in Jeffersonville, Washington’s Ezra and Maryam Anwar showcased their talents. Azra tied for first but took second due to rating technicalities, and Maryam secured fourth place.

Pictured, from left, are Azra and Maryam Anwar.