Welcome to Bocas

Bocas Del Toro is an archipelago of nine main islands located next to the northern Caribbean coast of Panama. While most people know Bocas for its surfing and idyllic Carribean beaches, fewer are aware of the infrastructural and academic challenges that Bocatorenos face.

Bocas Del Toro has the highest rates of illiteracy and school drop outs out of every province in Panama. We want to change that.

Our mission is to empower students to pursue their goals and support the future of the Bocas del Toro Community through chess education.

Here at Bocas Chess, we believe that chess is an educational tool that can transform not just individual students’ lives, but also the future of an entire community.

Through chess education, our students develop four essential skills

Collaboration

It’s impossible to learn chess on your own. Students advance through their chess careers by practicing with their peers and working closely with mentors.

Communication

Discussing chess tactics and strategies requires advanced communication skills.

Critical Thinking

Chess is a highly strategic game that requires players to observe, analyze, inference, and problem solve.

Creativity

Students learning to play chess need to think creatively to outmanuever their opponents.

Chess, more than just a game, has evolved into a powerful educational tool in the 21st century. Chess offers the opportunity to build connections between teachers and students, improving the classroom, the school environment and children’s lives . 

CIE Chess in Education

Impact & Goals

Since 2020, we’ve reached over 200 students from 9 public schools around the Bocas archipelago. We’ve also had the pleasure of hosting 16 volunteers from 12 different countries. Several of our students have placed in the top 10 of their categories at national tournaments.

Looking forward, we have three immediate goals:

  • Train local teachers to host independent chess workshops and classes
  • Continue to support the education of current chess players
  • Establish a volunteer network to sustain the tutoring needs of Bocas Chess

We’re just getting started

Interested in helping support our mission? We’re looking for volunteers, sponsors, and partnerships to join us on our journey to empower the youth of Bocas

Learn More