During his rise from nervous substitute teacher to legendary chess coach, David MacEnulty led students from the South Bronx’s P.S. 70 to multiple state and national championships. Known for developing an extracurricular chess program that taught his students not only how to master the game but life lessons like resilience, perseverance, and self-confidence, he’s even been the real-life inspiration for the 2005 film “Knights of the South Bronx,” starring Ted Danson.
And now, he’s released a new book,“Sunrise in the Bronx,” which tells the story of how his students rose from being underdogs to winning national chess championships. MacEnulty’s story is about hope, overcoming adversity, and the power of a teacher truly dedicated to their students.
It might be thirty years later, but the effect MacEnulty had on his students can still be seen today. Some of his former students now hold careers in fields like engineering, finance, and education. Former student Kwadwo Acheampong is a senior vice president at investment management firm PIMCO and Dakim Vanterpool now coaches chess students in New York City.
Another former student, now a teacher, Shelanthia Griffiths, says that now that she’s an adult she reflects on the many skills she gained from playing chess.“Strategic planning, critical analysis, and even time management,” she says.“Today, I’m often lauded for my patience and empathy; when this happens, I can’t help but think that chess shaped my development and gave me those characteristics.”
If MacEnulty looks familiar, it may be because his prominence in the chess world even earned him a cameo in the iconic 1993 film Searching for Bobby Fischer. In the movie, actor Ben Kingsley portrays MacEnulty’s friend and fellow chess coach Bruce Pandolfini, and there is a scene with Kingsley where they played chess against each other.
You can find “Sunrise in the Bronx” on Amazon.
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