Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The Disney movie Queen of Katwe is based on the story of Phiona Mutesi and other children living in the slums of Uganda. Their lives are changed and they lift themselves from their situation by learning and mastering chess.
Their skills and drive raise them to be world-class champions.
The real-life Mutesi and Benjamin Mukumbya, another of the story’s key characters, will be in Endicott and St. John March 9 to meet with students and the public to share their experiences.
“These people are known around the world. And to be able to share their experiences in Endicott is huge,” said Jamie Misner of Endicott.
Mutesi and Mukumbya received full-ride academic scholarships to Northwest University in Kirkland. Because the scholarships did not cover room and board, a fund drive was organized. Those making donations were given something depending on the level of donation. A $100 donation received a keychain handmade by a child in Katwe; $500, a small drum from Uganda.
A limited number of the largest donors received a personal visit from Mutesi and Mukumbya. Misner’s aunts in Minnesota, Judy Bell and Beth Glommen, made one of those top donations.
Instead of having the African students travel to Minnesota, they turned the personal visit prize over to Misner. The process for the visit started last fall.
The visits were set up by Misner working with the schools and Tia Langston at the Endicott library.
“It should be kind of cool,” said Langston who has done a lot of the publicity through the library resources.
In anticipation of the visits, Langston will show the movie Queen of Katwe at the Endicott School March 5 at 6 p.m.
There will be multiple stops for the African duo March 9. They will speak to younger students at Endicott at 9 a.m. and St. John at 10:50 a.m. followed by a session open to the public and high schoolers at 11:20 a.m. There will be lunch with the St. John chess club then back to Endicott for another public session at 2:30.
They are expected to talk about their experiences and encourage other young people to improve their lives.
“It’s going to be a really neat opportunity for us,” Misner said.
Jana Mathia is a reporter at the Whitman County Gazette.
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