June! Heading to Calgary.

As I write this, I’m getting ready to board my flight to Calgary, Canada, where I’ll be attending the Rotary International Convention—an incredible opportunity to share the story of the Novato Chess Club (NCC) with a global community of service-minded leaders.

Representing the NCC at this convention is more than an honor—it’s a chance to spotlight the power of chess as a transformative tool for youth development. In Northern California and beyond, we’ve seen firsthand how chess helps young people build critical thinking, patience, confidence, and resilience. I’m looking forward to telling that story again on an international stage.

At the convention, I’ll be connecting with fellow Rotarians from around the world, many of whom are passionate about education, equity, and creating lasting change for kids. My goal is to forge partnerships that will allow us to expand our programs both locally and globally—to bring chess into more classrooms, libraries, and underserved communities where it can make a real difference.

This week, I’ll be attending panels on youth engagement, meeting with Rotary chapters interested in replicating our work, and hopefully planting the seeds for new collaborations that help kids through the simple, profound game of chess.

I’ll be sharing my experience from the convention in our July newsletter - so stay tuned! Thank you for supporting our mission and being part of a community that believes in making strategic moves that uplift others.

See you in July!

—Chris Major

President, Novato Chess Club