Published: May 19, 2008 12:06 pm            

Bridging Education

For the last two years, bridge has become more than a game for five area schools in Effingham County.

During the first year, junior high students from Beecher City, Effingham, St. Anthony, Teutopolis and Dieterich played minibridge, funded by a grant provided by Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. During this past year, the schools played regular bridge, funded by American Contract Bridge League, said Rita Speagle, science teacher at Beecher City Junior/Senior High School and sponsor of the school’s bridge club.

The difference between minibridge and regular bridge is minibridge doesn’t include bidding. According to the Bridge Bidding Guide Web site, a bid is a call that names a suit that will be played, a number that must be met or whether it will be played as a no-trump suit. According to the American Contract Bridge League Web site, a no-trump suit calls for players to place down the same suit of cards of the lead player. However, if one of the players does not have a card in the same suit, that person may put down a card of a different suit.

Each school involved hosted a tournament this year, beginning in January, with a sixth tournament hosted by Hendelmeyer Rec Center in Effingham. During the tournaments, six games are played and the scoring is based on whether the team gets their contract or not, which means it will make so many tricks or get four cards, one from each player, in the game. The scoring is split into two groups — north-south groups and east-west groups — and converted to percentages. Whichever team has the highest percentage wins the tournament.

The idea to start the program came from a study done about seven years ago, said Dr. Chris Shaw, director of tournaments. A fifth-grade teacher at Carlinville Intermediate School taught her class bridge throughout the school year, and when the students took the Iowa Test of Basic Skills at the end of sixth and seventh grades, students who played bridge gained 10 points more on average when they took the test.

Members of each of the local clubs had to go through a training program in order to make sure they knew how to play bridge, Speagle said. In order to get the certificate at the end of the program, stating students know how to play the game, they have to undergo a minimum of 16 training hours. During the training program, students learn the basics of the game, such as how to bid.

Some of the area schools, however, surpassed the minimum amount of training.

St. Anthony’s Grade School’s club had at least 25 hours of training, said Pat Brumleve, sponsor of that school’s club.

In addition to the training program, the clubs meet several times a month, usually once or twice a week.

All teams spend at least half of their meeting time playing the game to get a good understanding.

“As they play, the questions come up,” said Deb Weiler, sponsor of the Dieterich club.

There are several benefits to being a member of the club, including improvement of critical thinking skills, said Brumleve.

It also helps students with problem solving, added Weiler.

There is another aspect of the club to take into account, as well.

“It provides great social interaction,” said Kim Heal, club sponsor at Effingham Junior High School.

The students have to work with a partner in order to play, said Shaw.

All of the sponsors said through club members students interact with others who they might not normally, because there the clubs are diverse and includes students who are involved in sports to those involved in scholastic bowl. In addition, different age groups are represented.

For some, playing bridge doesn’t stop at club meetings and the tournaments. Brumleve noted some of the members go over to the rec center to play bridge on Thursday nights with adults.

Jackie Gorski can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 136 or at jackie.gorski@effinghamdailynews.com.