SCI Scholarships

Given to the winner of SCI Elementary School Championship Section (K-5) in the amount of $1,000.

H. Brian Yamin was an honor student and promising chess player from the Sycamore School in Indianapolis. As a sixth grader, he led his Sycamore team to the Elementary Team State Championship in 1989, winning all five of his games. His USCF rating placed him 1st in the state and 19th in the nation for players 11-12 years of age.

Sadly, Brian was killed in an automobile accident on June 27, 1989, the summer before the institution of the Individual State Scholastic Championships. His parents have established a scholarship fund in his name. The SCI Elementary Champion (5th Grade and Under) will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship to an institution of higher learning.

Past Yamin Scholarship Winners:
2024: Harvey Hanke
2023: Harvey Hanke
2022: Arjun Raman
2020: Ruoxiao Xia
2019: Ruoxiao Xia
2018: Timothy Lim
2017: William Ruszkowski
2016: Max Egan

Given to the winner of the SCI Middle School Championship Section (6-8) in the amount of $1000.

William H. Colias was an outstanding scholastic player from Munster, Indiana. As an 8th grader, he was on the Wilbur Wright team that won the 1981 Junior High State Team Championship. His Munster High School team won two state championships, and as a senior, he placed 2nd in the National High School Individual Championships.

Billy developed leukemia during his sophomore year at Munster, but recovered to continue his chess achievements, attaining the title of Senior Master and teaching chess in North Carolina, New York, Chicago, and Indiana. He also had written articles for Chess Life and other publications and co-authored The Staunton Defense.

At the time of his death on November 4, 1993 at the age of 27, Billy was working for the American Chess Foundation in New York. The scholarship which bears his name will be presented to the SCI Junior High Champion (6th Grade to 8th Grade), who upon graduation from high school will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship to an institution of higher learning.

Past Colias Scholarship Winners:
2024: Michael Pu
2023: Arjun Raman
2022: Parth Patel
2020: William Chow
2019: Grant Mu
2018: Max Egan
2017: Nikhil Datar
2016: Kevin Wang

Given to the winner of the SCI High School Championship Section (9-12) in the amount of $2000.

Paul “Teddy” Jacobi was a talented young chess player from Michigan City. He excelled in both academics and sports, but one of his great loves was competing with his many friends in chess. Teddy won the Indiana State Chess Association 3rd grade and 6th grade championships and had captained the Crichfield Elementary School in La Porte to a 5th place finish in the National Elementary School Championship in 1998. In November 2002, he competed and finished 14th in the National Youth Action Chess Championship.

Teddy was tragically lost in an automobile accident on January 14, 2003, just four days before the SCI regionals. He had been looking forward to this tournament, not only to play chess, but also to renew friendships with fellow chess players with whom he had played throughout his young life.

This $2,000 scholarship, which bears Teddy’s name, has been established by the family and friends of Teddy Jacobi and Scholastic Chess of Indiana, to be presented to the SCI High School Champion (12th Grade & Under) upon graduation from high school and with proof of enrollment in an institution of higher learning.

Past Jacobi Scholarship Winners:
2024: Lucas Edwards
2023: Timothy Lim
2022: Braydon Povinelli
2020: Aydin Turgut
2019: Aydin Turgut
2018: Carson Pocock
2017: Daniel Rickert
2016: Sam Witwer