Go has become a regular part of the curriculum at Bell Elementary School in Chicago, where 138
seventh- and eighth-grade students participated in a new enrichment class during the 2025–26 school year.
According to instructor Xinming Simon Guo, Go had previously been offered at the school through cultural workshops and after-school programs. This year, Principal Ashley Reyes incorporated the game into Bell's academic enrichment program, with students taking daily Go classes during four- to six-week rotations.
Bell Elementary, a K–8 school with approximately 1,000 students, has hosted Go instruction for many years through a collaboration between Guo and Chinese language teacher Bin Qiao. Guo reports that roughly 80 percent of Bell students have been introduced to the game annually.
Using a teaching method based on "population rules," students begin playing on their first day and progress through tactics, game review, decision-making exercises, and classroom tournaments. By the end of each rotation, all students receive a Go rank.
School officials cited improvements in student focus, self-discipline, and decision-making skills, and Bell plans to continue the program next year.
Click here to read the full story by Xinming Simon Guo.