Bull Run Elementary School Chess Team won the 2012 Virginia Scholastic K-5 team Chess Championship. Fourth grader Eli Kirtley led the way with six victories in six games, good enough to make him the individual 2012 Virginia K-5 Chess Champion. Three other Bull Run players won individual trophies in the K-5 section: 5th grader Neha Pattanaik (4th place), 5th grader Maggie Luo (6th place), and 4th grader Vedant Balu (12th place). One hundred-ninety students from all over the state participated in K-5 section, with more than 600 players participating in the State Tournament held in Tysons Corner on March 17-18. Vedant Balu also won the 2nd place individual trophy in the Virginia K-5 Blitz (speed chess) Championship held on the 16th at the same venue.
The team was coached by Gary Connors who received the "Coach of The Year" award at the end of the tournament.