En el 18 de Febrero, la clase de Maria Ponce vendieron sus servicios de ajedrez a los estudiantes en los otro clases de la escuela J.O. Ford. Los "clientes" pagaban cinco "dolares" para jugar un juego. Despues de jugar, el cliente recibia un piruli.

Ajedrez fue muy popular. Muchos estudiantes mas viejos vinieron de probar sus habilidades contra la clase famosa de Ponce. A veces, los jovenes ganaron! Todos se diviertieron. Muchas gracias a Maestra Ponce para un evento agradable, y gracias a la fundacion Trio para hacer posible las clases de ajedrez en Ford.

On February 18th, Maria Ponce's first-grade class took part in Ford Elementary's Market Day. Other classes sold chocolate-chip cookies, books, crafts or chinese paper lanterns. Ponce's class sold their chess skills.

The idea was Ponce's. "Selling a skill (rather than a product) is easy to plan, and the kids know how to do it," she said.

"Customers" from other classes would pay five dollars in pretend money to play a game. After each chess game, the client would receive a lollipop. Chess was one of the most popular attractions at Market Day, with long lines of students forming to play Ponce's famous first-graders, who often won against older students. "It was fun to see our first-graders beating fifth-graders," said Ponce.

Ponce's first-graders take chess twice a week with Berkeley Chess School teacher Jorge Barrera. We're pleased to see Ford's kids taking pride in their skills and sharing them with the rest of the school. Thanks to Maria Ponce for dreaming up a great event, and thanks to the Trio Foundation for making chess possible at Ford this year.

Click here to see photos from the event!