Pelham Memorial High School strongly encourages its students to follow their passions. In an effort to motivate kids to always pursue their dreams, PMHS hosted the first “Aspire to Inspire” series on October 25 in which Maurice Ashley, the “king of chess,” spoke about the power of aspiring towards one’s goals.

Ashley spoke about how he pursued his passion, and found a career that he loves: playing and coaching chess. Ashley spoke about his own journey — one that led from Jamaica to the United States at the age of twelve, a journey that took him all the way to becoming US Chess Hall of Famer. His pursuit of a dream began as a child in New York.

As Ashley became passionate about chess, his skills improved and he ultimately was awarded the title of Grandmaster, an honor awarded to chess players by FIDE (Federation Internationale des Echecs, also known as the World Chess Federation),.He was the first African-American player to be so honored. He became a three-time national championship coach, is a published writer, and a broadcast commentator for ESPN. He is also an iPhone app designer, and puzzle inventor — all, in part, because he followed his dream.

To Ashley, chess is not so much a job as it is a passion. By coaching children in the game, many of whom face incredible challenges, he has taught them that chess is a game about the consequences of your decisions and thinking ahead. Something as seemingly simple as a game can teach children good morals and how to stay out of trouble. In the end, Ashley’s message of pursuing one’s passion, staying focused on a goal, and planning strategies for success was an important message.