The Mayor of Jerez, MarĂa JosĂ© GarcĂa-Pelayo, has congratulated the El Altillo International School team on winning the Spanish Under-18 Schools Chess Championship, a new recognition of the talent, hard work and dedication of our students.
Jerez City Council hosted an official reception for the El Altillo International School community to celebrate one of our students’ outstanding sporting achievements: becoming Spanish Under-18 Schools Chess Champions.
The Mayor of Jerez, MarĂa JosĂ© GarcĂa-Pelayo, accompanied by Councillor for Education Nela GarcĂa and Councillor for Sport Tomás Sampalo, welcomed the school’s chess team to recognise their achievements personally and congratulate the young players on their excellent result.
Spanish Champions
The El Altillo International School team is made up of students Nicholas Kowalski Rubiales, Alberto Escobar GarcĂa, Leo Kowalski Rubiales, Jingxuan He and Chenjie Xu, who were crowned national champions at the tournament held from 24 to 26 April in Guardamar del Segura (Alicante).
The competition brought together more than 400 players from 84 schools across Spain, making our students’ title a significant recognition of their hard work, perseverance and ability to compete at the highest level.
At the reception, they were joined by Daniel Escobar DomĂnguez, Chess Teacher at El Altillo International School and a FIDE Master; JosĂ© Luis GarcĂa Deza, Deputy Head of the School; and AĂna González de la Peña, Marketing Director at El Altillo International School, as well as family members and other members of the school community.
Chess as an Educational Tool
During the reception, the Mayor highlighted not only the students’ sporting achievements, but also the educational value of chess and its contribution to developing skills such as concentration, logical thinking, decision-making and resilience.
This approach reflects the role chess plays in the educational experience at El Altillo International School: a discipline that presents challenges, requires strategy and perseverance, and helps students learn to make decisions and face new challenges with confidence.
The Spanish Championship also crowns an outstanding competitive journey for the team, which has secured a succession of titles: Under-18 Champions of the Jerez de la Frontera Schools Tournament, Under-18 Provincial Schools Chess Champions and Spanish Under-18 Schools Chess Champions.
Next Challenge: the FIDE World Championship in Roquetas de Mar
The journey continues. From 13 to 21 October 2026, students from El Altillo International School will take part in the FIDE World Youth Championship for the Under-7 to Under-17 age categories, to be held in Roquetas de Mar (AlmerĂa).
It will be another opportunity to continue learning and growing, while representing El Altillo International School and Jerez on the international stage.
Everyone at El Altillo congratulates our students and their teacher, Daniel Escobar, on their hard work and on representing the School with commitment, determination and a constant drive to improve.
Congratulations, champions, and the very best of luck in your next international challenge!
