Kutztown University roommates, from left, Demetrius Carroll, Nathan Durant and Earl Jenkins credit the game of chess and their mentor in Philadelphia with helping them succeed in life. Photo by Reading Eagle Company.

Salome Thomas-EL has been mentioned on these pages a number of times, but most recently he has received publicity because of his new book, "The Immortality of Influence." In the past few years, Thomas-EL has  been blazing the trail telling his story of why he chose to stay fighting in the inner-city schools as an educator.  His accounts was told in a book aptly named, "I Choose to Stay" and will be the subject of a Disney movie.

Three former students were specifically impacted by Thomas-EL's mission.  Earl Jenkins, Demetrius Carroll and Nathan Durant all carried their respective stories to Kutztown University where they would be roommates for four years. These three young men were part of the Vaux Middle School Championship team in 1997 and lavished praise on their mentor in a touching Philadelphia Inquirer article by Susan Snyder. The three graduated from Kutztown University this month and fulfilled a dream that many would have thought was unattainable.

Posted by The Chess Drum: 15 May 2006