IQ-UP Children Go Academy

Project Description

The purpose of the project is simply to spread Go throughout Thailand, especially to kids, by many traditional and meaningful methods, such as:

1. Providing quality learning experiences: I have been teaching Go for more than 10 years. It started off when I was working as a primary school teacher and was learning Go myself. I started teaching Go to the kids (I was 4 kyu at the time) in the school, since the teachers of the school were encouraged to run a club and provide extra curricular activities for the children. After about a year of running the Go club and coaching the kids, I started to see many positive changes in the kids and received plenty of positive feedback from the parents and the other teachers. From that point onwards, I believed with all my heart that Go could be a miraculous tool to help the children of our modern world in the classic art of thinking and self-refinement. Nowadays, I am a 4 dan Go player and I am still developing myself to reach 5 dan. I now provide lessons, classes and spread Go in many leading schools in Bangkok, and I have been running charity lessons for children with less fortunate financial situations around Thailand as a part of giving back to the society. The academy has implemented a simulated insei dojung project. I have been working closely with the Kansai Ki-in from Japan and KIBA from South Korea in the hope of raising the level of Thailand's youth players and implant my love for the game in Thai community.

2. Hosting national level events for Thai youth players: the main events are the Meijin Junior Thailand (an annual national youth championship, run for 3 years now) and the Mama International Championship, which started in 2017 and was the first and only Thai tournament that featured professional players. I actively support all tournaments organised by the Go Association of Thailand and have been working as a specialist, technical referee/judge and committee-member for many major Go tournaments.

3. Participating and supporting on an international level: because of hundreds of successful local and national initiatives, students trained by Mr. Napat Itchayavanich have represented Thailand in many international events such as the WYGC, the Japan Go Congress, the LiFE International Children Cup Japan, the Kuksu Mountain Korea, the Hanwha Life Cup, and the South East Asia Go Championship in Brunei and Singapore. The IQ-UP project has been working cooperatively with many organisations around the world, as we believe that such connections create opportunities for our children. 

4. Spreading Go through an original comic book: thought up by me, Napat Itchayavanich, drawn by a Thai comic artist and published under a well known and reputable publishing company called เซียนโกะ. The story is about a young boy who accidentally finds out about Go and starts to train under a master. The purpose of this comic book was to create a solid connection to Thai kids and promote the love for the game along with useful information amongst them.

5. I was selected to teach Go in a reality TV show called True Little Monk from 2017-2018 to raise more awareness of Go and its beneficial qualities in Thailand, on a bigger scale.

Aim of the Project

The aim of this project is to implant the good qualities of mind and characteristic training that Go has to offer in all players, especially kids, in the hope that Go can provide an enlightened way to raise the kids in terms of spirituality, intellectuality and morality. A way to connect the past, the present and the future.

Location

Thai schools and publications.

Timeline

2007: IQ-UP children go academy was founded and first began offering Go classes. This all started after I began playing Go after college in 2005 and reached the level of 1 dan in 2007 (I reached 4 dan in in 2011). I strongly believe that Go can be used as a tool to raise many good qualities in kids, and help them to become good citizens of the world. I have been an active Go teacher ever since and have been respected as the Kitani of Thailand. 

2014: Commencement of the Go comic book project, a cooperative effort with a Thai publisher and a Thai comic artist, in the hope of raising awareness about the existence of Go and to educate kids. 

2015 (up until today): Began teaching Go to master degree students in the iMBA program at Panyapiwat Institute.

2016: Commencement of Thailand's most prestigious children Go tournament called Meijin Junior Thailand, where the strongest kids compete for the title and the official rankings. This project is supported by the Go Association of Thailand and has been running up until today.

2017: Hired and working in the first Thai Go highschool as an advisor of the Go program.

2018: Currently the school has produced over 40 youth dan players, by far the most from Thailand, leaving the second best school far behind (around 20 youth dan players). The school has sent many kids to international events, such as the Hanwah Life Cup Korea, the WYGC, the LiFE International Children Cup Japan and many more.

Results

The result is the creation of a phenomenon and an increase in the popularity of Go in Thailand. The academy has earned a reputation and the respect from many organisations, both domestically and internationally. We have been crowned the best Go Academy for kids in Thailand. The project has inspired many more academies to sprout in later years and has been giving advice to new entrepreneurs of Go academies. As a result, we have created nearly 50 dan players and 80% of this number has reached dan level before the age of 12. Go has been in Thailand for nearly 30 years and we now have around 500 dan players ranging from 1 dan to 6 dan. I am proud to say that in 10 years of our operation, we have added 1 in 10 of the total number of dan players in the Thailand Go society, and most of them have been overseas and have made Go friends from all over the world. Currently we have several hundreds of students all across Bangkok.

Exposure

The project is recognised and well respected by many organisations, including international firms such as the Kansai Ki-in, KIBA and the Go Association of Thailand, and is close with neighbouring countries' Go organisations, such as the Brunei Go Association, the Singapore Weiqi Association, etc. 

Means of the Project

I have been working closely with the Kansai Ki-in and have been supporting its activities.
Mainly the traditional way as I believe that human touch is a crucial step for effectiveness. 
Other tools, such as technological devices and platforms, are used to communicate, contact and to obtain new knowledge. 

Human Resources

The main person is me, Mr. Napat Itchayavanich. However, I have hired a few Go teachers with similar goals to spread Go. I believe that Go can improve ways of thinking and quality of life. My mother saw the beneficiality in my projects and has been helping out with receptionist work. 

The main person is me, Mr. Napat Itchayavanich. However, I have hired several Go teachers with similar goals and paradigms, who also believe in the goodness of Go, to help me spread the game. I believe that Go can improve the process of though and affect the quality of life, as the Go player not only grows in mind, but also in heart and spirit. My mother saw the beneficiality in my projects and has been helping out with receptionist work after she retired last year, to keep up the good work and fill in the receptive tasks that needed to be handled. 

Financial Resources

Mainly it is my own budget. We get suport from the Go Association of Thailand for running tournaments, and from other sponsors.

Perspective

To spread Go on a bigger scale and to continue my work relentlessly. 

Wishes

To be recognised and known more in order to connect and work cooperatively with many Go organisations around the world. Apart from sponsorship I would love to have a good and strong teacher, to teach me and my kids so we could develop our skills and improve our understanding of the game. 

I wish that all the hard work and effort that I tirelessly put into the children, who put their trust and faith in me, will be rewarded. I wish them to become not just a good Go players, but also a good citizens of the world and show good minds, good heart and spirit. I wish to be recognised and known more by (still) unfamiliar friends from all around the world, in order to connect and work cooperatively with many Go organisations. Apart from sponsorship, I wish to have a good and strong teacher to help me train the kids, since I and my team are from 2 up to 4 dan in playing level. It is becoming harder, because I have trained many kids to reach 3 to 5 dan, but to go beyond I need more support from friends to teach me and my pupils, so we can develop our skills and improve our understanding of the game. I believe by winning this contest, my project would become better known and gain new friends and connections for the benefit of the children under my care. 

Additional Comments

Go has been my life and I am doing my best to spread and share it with all my time and strength.