WJ Blog
What is the Warren Junior Program?
The Warren Program was founded over 30 years ago by former ICA President Helen Warren.
The mission of the Warren Junior Scholar Program is to discover and develop the highest-potential youth chess players in Illinois, in order to be competitive on a national and international stage.
Players chosen for the Warren program have innate talent, and the intensive mentoring provided by the program gives them opportunity and reason to work hard. Through in-depth study and competition in chess, students acquire skills and habits that prepare them to succeed in many fields as adults, including high-level analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, discipline, perseverance, responsible decision-making and the ability to overcome setbacks and learn from mistakes.
In 2015, the Warren Junior Rising Stars platform was added as a talent developmental pool to identify and prepare youth players who with some nuturing may matriculate into the Scholar Program.
The current Warren Junior Program Committee consists of the following individuals:
- Sevan A. Muradian - Program Director
- Carl Dolson - ICA President (Executive Board Liaison)
- Paul Carey
- Charles Craigmile
- IM Florin Felecan
- Kris Harihara
- NM Pete Karagianis
- Badri Mangalam
- Kevin Taylor
- Vito Vitkauskas
Shreya Mangalam Ties for 1st at the SPF Girls Invitational
- Details
- Written by Rose Grandy and Bill Feldman Rose Grandy and Bill Feldman
Illinois' official representative to the 15th Annual Susan Polgar Foundation Girls Invitational did not come home empty handed!
Warren Junior Scholar Shreya Mangalam won the right to attend the prestigious event through the ICA's Youth Invitational this spring.... and she made the most of the opportunity.
Shreya won her four first rounds and drew the last two matches to wind up in a five-way tie for first place.... the only non-titled combatant in the top five (four were WFM's and one was a WIM).
In fact, Shreya drew WIM Than Thuy Nguyen of Arizona in the last round to secure her co-championship.
IL in 4-way tie for 2nd at Denker-Barber-Girls Heading into Round 5
- Details
- Written by Rose Grandy and Bill Feldman Rose Grandy and Bill Feldman
The top high school, K-8 and K-12 girls are gathering in Wisconsin this week for three prestigious and storied competitions. The events are invitation-only with generally one entry per state.
Illinois representatives David Peng (Denker), Dimitar Mardov (Barber) and Marissa Li (Girls), currently have a combined score for the three events of 9/12. That puts defending Champions Illinois currently in a 4-way tie for 2nd place with Michigan, Southern California, and Washington. Virginia is currently in first place with 11 points and perfect 4.0 scores in both the Barber and Denker.
But the tournament is not over – 2 more rounds remain!
Warren Jr Scholars and Rising Stars Shine at the Chicago Class
- Details
- Written by Rose Grandy and Bill Feldman Rose Grandy and Bill Feldman
Recent Warren Junior Scholar Alums -- and current WJS / Rising Stars -- totaled $11,792.78 in prize money from the 2018 Chicago Class, completed July 23 in Wheeling.
2018 IMSA Graduate George Li was the big winner -- claiming $3100 for top honors in the Master section of the event. Despite a fifth-round draw with fellow WJS alum Spencer Lehmann, Li beat out six grandmasters for the tournament victory.
With 4.0/5, Lehmann won $1350, sharing in both the 2nd place overall and 1st place for U2400 prize pools.
Warren Junior Scholars and Rising Stars 2018-19 Class Announced
- Details
- Written by Rose Grandy Rose Grandy
The Illinois Chess Association is proud to announce the 2018-19 class of Warren Junior Scholars and Rising Stars.
The Warren Junior Scholar program was started over 30 years ago by Helen Warren, a past ICA president, to recognize the most accomplished and promising scholastic chess players in the state. In 2015, the Rising Stars program was added to recognize the next tier of up and coming scholastic players. These two programs together recognize the top scholastic chess talent in our state. Invitation to these programs is based on USCF chess ratings and active participation in chess tournaments.
2018-2019 Class of Warren Junior Scholars and Rising Stars to be Announced Soon. New Qualified Players Need to Contact the Director
- Details
- Written by Rose Grandy Rose Grandy
Warren Scholars and Rising Stars are programs aimed at recognizing youth accomplishments in rated chess and providing training and camaraderie-promoting activities.
If you believe your child qualifies, please complete this inquiry form. All Warren Junior Scholars and Rising Stars must be scholastic members of the ICA. There are no additional costs to be included as a Scholar or Star -- although participation in some events will incur a fee. Current participants need not complete the form.
October 1st Deadline Approaching for Warren Junior Scholar and ICA Rising Star Programs; Exciting Year Planned
- Details
- Written by Bill Feldman Bill Feldman
Announcements for the 2017-2018 Warren Junior Scholar class -- and the ICA's Rising Stars for the same academic year -- have gone out weeks ago. Sunday, October 1 is the deadline for parents to return the permission form and memorandum of understanding.
Although well over half of the designees have had their forms returned, there are dozens who have not yet responded.
The exciting programs are getting ready to launch -- so it's essential that all who intend to be included get their paperwork in by the October 1 deadline as requested.
WJS Program Director Rose Grandy has been hard at work developing the greatest possible program given budgetary constraints, but the 2017-2018 year promises to be quite rewarding to participants.
Grandy To Replace Daniels As WJS / Rising Stars Director
- Details
- Written by Bill Feldman Bill Feldman
Pending ICA Executive Board approval, Rose Grandy will succeed Scott Daniels as the Director of Warren Junior Scholars and the ICA's Rising Stars programs.
Mr. Daniels did an amazing job guiding the programs through the 2016-2017 year, bringing vibrancy to a program which had been dormant for over a year.
Ms. Grandy has been an important part of a successful Wheaton-area chess program for the past several years and is the mother of active tournament players Sarah and Abigail Grandy.
Compilation of the 2017-2018 classes has been ongoing for several weeks but the ICA would like to afford potential participants a chance to contact the organization.