"My grandmother taught me to play when I was in the third grade. 318 middle school in Brooklyn, 65 percent of students live below the federal poverty level.

View Rochelle Ballantyne’s profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. ", Before you play, what do you do to calm your nerves? However, when her grandmother passed, she was even more committed to this dream. It's a bittersweet feeling to be a girl and one of the top players. At the I.S. Rochelle’s grandmother introduced her to chess when she was in the third grade.

This documentary examined how Rochelle, along with a few select students from IS 318 in Brooklyn, excelled at chess. Visit the state elections site.

Polling hours on Election Day: Varies by state/locality. The movie tells the stories of five members of the chess team at a below-the-poverty-line inner city junior high school that has won more national championships than any other in America. It helps me in school, and it can really help in the college applications. Part of HuffPost News. Rochelle has 17 jobs listed on their profile. Search Google for Rochelle Ballantyne Rochelle's the only girl featured in Brooklyn Castle, and she has her sights set on becoming the first African-American female master in the history of chess. We also congratulate her mother On this accomplishment. "Chess is emotionally burdening, but when I win, it makes me feel a whole lot better about myself. We're living proof of that. But I don't want to reach the mark of becoming the first female African-American chess master for other people; I want to reach it for my grandmother and me. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited. "I'm really happy that my story is being told because it's inspirational. How awesome is Rochelle's story? Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Visit your state election office website to find out if you can vote by mail. When asked how she stays focused, she admitted that there were times when this goal seemed elusive to her. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members. The boys that I play with don't understand. I am even more proud of the fact that she was raised in Brooklyn by a single mother from Trinidad. ", How does it feel to have your story broadcasted to the public through the release of this documentary? We have to pave the way so that other kids can achieve what we've achieved.". (BROOKLYN CASTLE) Rochelle Ballantyne is getting ready to the chess world in check. There are so many things, and people, competing for your attention. A new documentary takes a close look at how a few select students, including Rochelle Ballantyne, excelled at the game. When people watch the movie, I want them to see how important the school is to all of us, and how it molded our lives. As we know, the road to success is not easy at any age; particularly when you are young. Yet despite the odds, the school has the highest ranked junior high chess team in the country and holds almost 30 national championships—more than any other school in the nation. This forum is for this specific player only. "I usually listen to music. It is always a pleasure to celebrate the achievements of dynamic, young women like Rochelle Ballanytne; the child prodigy whose story was prominently featured in the documentary Brooklyn Castle. It motivates me and makes me push myself harder. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Your vote is your voice! She was also greatly influenced by her grandmother who was a teacher. ", You're about to graduate high school. After these two impressive victories, she began to see herself excelling as a chess player. Join Facebook to connect with Rochelle Ballantyne and others you may know. "With the documentary coming out, the pressure is going to increase. I have to reach that goal for her. On November 8, 2012, Huffington Post Teen recapped an interview Rochelle granted to Teen Vogue. She never pushed me, and she always respected me for who I was.

Jan. 30, 2013 article by Nicholas Kristof, “Meet The Champs,” New York Times (1988). Today is National Voter Registration Day! Rochelle gives full credit to her grandmother for planting the seed in her mind. Tap here to turn on desktop notifications to get the news sent straight to you. Here is the link to the interview. What motivated you to start playing chess? If you already have a username,

Do you have plans to attend college next year? Rochelle’s the only girl featured in Brooklyn Castle, and she has her sights set on becoming the first African-American female master in the history of chess. "I would say no because I like the idea of being the only girl! ", What's driving you to become the first African-American female master in the history of chess? The girls who play chess and go to national tournaments with me are my support system. All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration. What do you want audiences to know? 318 is facing budget cuts, and the chess program is in jeopardy. Each state has its own rules for mail-in absentee voting. Rochelle Ballantyne, from Brooklyn, New York, was featured in the 2012 chess documentary, Brooklyn Castle. do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors. This is truly a tribute to her drive, commitment and focus. The 17 year-old Brooklyn high school senior and graduate of I.S. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! ROCHELLE BALLANTYNE (born Aug-30-1995, 23 years old) United States of America [what is this?] I applied through QuestBridge, which is a scholarship program that has a partnership with those schools. ", When did you begin to take chess seriously? ©2020 Verizon Media.

She admits to feeling emotionally burdened at times, however she drew strength from each victory. NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. A few weeks after the article in Teen Vogue, she was a guest on The Melissa Harris Perry Show.

But then after she died, that really affected me, because she was the one person that always had confidence in me. After graduating from IS 318 she went to Brooklyn Tech High School, where she continued to excel in her studies and chess. I didn't think I was a good chess player—people told me I was, but it wasn't my mentality at that moment. Nov. 8, 2012 Huff Post Teen reprint of Teen Vogue interview I didn't think about it much because for me it seemed like an impossible feat, and I didn't think it could happen. To maintain that number one spot and excel in other aspects of life besides chess puts a lot of pressure on me. Her goal – to become the first African-American female chess master!

See something that violates our rules? Once Brooklyn Castle was released, Rochelle’s life was front and center. But many more girls are getting involved in chess, and I like that. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Monique I was impressed with the tone and substance of the interview. We made it easy for you to exercise your right to vote! To discuss chess or this site in general, I don't want to sound over-confident, but we're really awesome kids and I hope that people see the film and follow suit. All rights reserved.