LAKELAND, Fla. — One Polk County school is inviting the public to a game of chess on Saturday.

What You Need To Know

  • Academy Prep of Lakeland is hosting its annual Chess fest on Saturday at 10 a.m.

  • The event is part of the school’s curriculum as it strives to provide fresh opportunities to area students

  • Student Bentlee Brunelle says the school's chess class has impacted his life for the better

Academy Prep Center of Lakeland is hosting its annual Chess Fest. The event is part of the school’s curriculum as it strives to provide fresh opportunities to area students.

Eighth grader Bentlee Brunelle learned how to play the game better during his sixth-grade year at Academy Prep. Now, he’s the school’s chess champion, applying the skills he gained in and out of class.

“It helps me with taking my time with other things outside of chess, like organization, time management, and just a lot of academic skills,” Brunelle said.

But like life, chess sometimes pushes him to think on his feet.

“It can get nerve-wracking because you don’t always have a lot of time to think ahead, so you have to kind of play what you see at the time,” he said.

Luckily, chess instructor Steve Abrahams is there to look over Brunelle’s shoulder.

“I feel really lucky to be in my position here,” Abrahams said. “Not only are we a close-knit community of young academic scholars who really push themselves to do more beyond what they might have been tracked to do otherwise, but we also pride ourselves here at APL on trying to open doors for students. And one of those doors they can walk through is chess.”

Down the hall, Head of APL Monica Bullock said the school is able to provide unique opportunities with the help of donations and grants.

“The goal is to support disadvantaged families, offering everything from free tuition to a tailored curriculum,” she said. “We try to give families who might not be able to afford an opportunity, such as private school, a chance to bring their kids to a place where they know they’ll be safe, challenged, and have a wonderful learning experience.”

As for Brunelle, he said thanks to the lessons he’s learned, he can navigate through anything.

Academy Prep’s festival will kick off at 10 a.m. Saturday. Guests can choose to play against a national and international chess master or a student. Get additional information on the event.