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What is the Rasberry Chess Academy?
The Rasberry Chess Academy (RCA) was founded in 2021 by Jonathan Rasberry in Montgomery, Alabama. The RCA is a chess education organization that primarily offers after-school classes at local elementary and middle schools but also hosts camps, directs scholastic tournaments, and teaches online classes and private lessons.
Currently, the RCA teaches eight schools to over 300 kids weekly in new-to-chess and intro-to-competition classes. Advanced students from all over the South are trained through the RCA’s online coaching platform by experienced coaches who have led many of these prodigies to state and national championships.
The RCA believes that chess enhances children’s problem-solving, decision-making, retention of complex concepts, and even socializing skills, among many other tangible benefits. It’s for this reason the RCA partners with the Montgomery City-County Public Library system to bring a free chess club to kids across the city, many of whom don’t have access to a school chess club. The RCA’s mission is to bolster these kids’ confidence and capabilities by training tomorrow’s thinkers, one move at a time.
Meet Coach Rasberry
Jonathan Rasberry is a husband and father who now makes chess teaching his full-time occupation! He has coached chess since 2015, leading multiple students to state scholastic championships. Two of his students have won a national girls’ team championship.
In 2021, Jonathan founded the Rasberry Chess Academy in Montgomery, Alabama. He teaches after-school classes, hosts camps, and directs monthly scholastic chess tournaments. In now just his second school year alone, over 300 kids in eight schools participated in his classes.
Jonathan is a candidate chess master with a peak USCF rating of over 2100 and has won three Alabama state championships. He served as the president of the Alabama Chess Federation for over three years. He helped organize and promote chess across Alabama, resulting in tremendous growth in tournament participation.
Jonathan is also an eagle scout and licensed CPA. When not working in chess, he loves playing with his one-year-old son and spending any extra time (which isn’t much!) reading and playing tennis or golf.
Jonathan has a passion for chess and the benefits it brings to young minds who pursue it. He will continue growing chess locally, especially scholastic chess, with the aim to help train tomorrow’s thinkers, one move at a time.
Let’s Help You Think Two Moves Ahead!
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