Two CFSD elementary schools brought home top honors from the 2026 Arizona Scholastic State Chess Championship, held April 25–26 at Harelson Elementary School in Tucson and hosted by the Southern Arizona Chess Association. After a weekend of intense competition, with seven matches played over two days for our youngest competitors, Ventana Vista and Sunrise Drive both finished among the top teams in the state.

Ventana Vista — K–3 State Co-Champions

Ventana Vista Elementary School has been named 2026 Arizona Scholastic State Co-Champion in the K–3 division. The VV team finished tied for first place with Fruchthendler Elementary, with Fruchthendler taking home the 1st place trophy on tiebreaks — though make no mistake, both schools share the title of state co-champion.

This victory is especially meaningful because it spans the entire K–3 field, bringing together students across four grade levels into a single competitive division. It builds on Ventana Vista's strong showing in the fall, when VV teams claimed first place in their individual grade-level competitions.

Congratulations to the Ventana Vista K–3 State Co-Champion Team: Ian Moore, Nik Jain, Varden Pokhrel, Angelos Kyriacou, Evan Harvey, Liam Anderson, and Ethan Hudlow.

Sunrise Drive — Team and Individual Honors

Sunrise Drive Elementary School earned 2nd place in the K–1 division, with team members Gavin Levin, Jackson Benson, and Arthur Lam representing the school over two days of competition. Sunrise Drive also brought home two individual honors: third grader Aiden Liu finished 3rd place in the K–3 division, and Gavin Levin earned 6th place in the K–1 division.

A heartfelt thank you to Coach Ken Larson, who guides the chess players at both Ventana Vista and Sunrise Drive through CFSD Community Schools, and to all the families and chess community members who support these young players. The dedication it takes to sit across a chessboard for seven matches in two days is no small thing, and our students rose to the challenge.

Congratulations to all of our CFSD chess competitors! For more information on CFSD Community Schools program, go to our website and click on your child's school.