09/2017 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 23MINESH BACRANIA
What’s your mission? We use
chess to teach kids intellec-
tual, social and leadership
skills in school clubs and
camps. The game is the me-
dium, not the ultimate goal.
The kids learn the rules,
moves and tactics; practice
analytical skills; and play
chess puzzles and mazes.
They practice mindfulness—
sitting and breathing—to
calm down and resume
their decision-making after
they lose a piece or make a
bad move. They learn not to
brag or talk too much while
playing, as well as to re-
spect their opponents.
Many older players be-
come junior leaders and
teach newer players.How did you learn to play
chess? I learned from my
dad when I was 5. In sixth
grade, I joined a chess
club at school. I loved it,
and I noticed that as my
game improved, so did
my grades, and school be-
came easier. I started a
chess club at my sister’s
school and ran it until I
graduated from high school.
I’m a Class B player, mean-
ing I’m in the 90th percen-
tile of U.S. amateur players.Why did you start Learners?
After college, I came home
to start a micro-lending
nonprofit while I went to
business school and worked
as a substitute teacher. One
school asked me to coach its
chess club. I thought, I for-
got how really fun this is!
Teachers told me, “You’re
literally coaching the kids
to think.” So in 2010, I
started a summer camp,
and the next summer I
began pursuing
Learners full-time.How did you launch
it? I borrowed
$2,000 from my
mom to print
f liers, and
I eithercold-called school principals
or took substitute-teaching
jobs to develop relation-
ships. I hired coaches who
play chess, believe in our
mission and are good with
kids. Kids love our program,
so we’ve grown through
strong word of mouth, too.Learners is a nonprofit? I
started it as a sole propri-
etorship. But in 2012, I reg-
istered it with the IRS as
a 501(c)3 nonprofit so
I could gain access
to more venues
and raise more
money for a need-
based scholar-
ship fund. The
club costs $75
to $100 per
semes-ter, and the camps cost
$150 per week of half days
or $250 for full days [https://
learnerschess.org]. We offer
need-based scholarships
for 25% to 95% of the cost.
We reinvest our profit into
programs in low-income
areas. I take a salary.How big is Learners? In the
2016–17 school year, we
reached about 1,700 chil-
dren in chess clubs at 51
schools and chess camps
over 11 weeks. So far, we’ve
taught 7,055 children and
awarded more than $72,000
in scholarships.What’s your greatest challenge?
How we continue to grow
and raise money to give
more scholarships without
losing the heart of who
we are. Right now, we’re
doing exactly what
we want to do with-
out changing to meet,
say, a foundation’s
requirements.What’s your greatest satis-
faction? Seeing kids I
taught become leaders
and coaches. In the
summer of 2016, two of
our high school leaders
spent 10 days teaching
chess to 36 kids in a rural
village in El Salvador. I was
in tears almost every day
watching them teach in
the middle of the jungle.
PATRICIA MERTZ ESSWEINTeaching Skills for the Game of Life
SUCCESS STORYHis nonprofit uses chess to help kids succeed in and out of school.
PROFILE
WHO: Victor Francisco Lopez, 31
WHERE: Albuquerque
WHAT: Founder and executive
director, Learners Chess Academy