Benilde-St. Margaret’s welcomes its newest club: Cube Club. The club was started by junior high student Laken Barott and junior high science teacher Lauren Reuss. They started the club to teach students and possibly bring more attention to what is known as cubing. The club hopes to one day compete in cubing competitions around the state.
So, what is this club? Cube Club is an after-school meeting where students can learn and practice how to solve different types of Rubik’s cubes. The club is open to beginners and advanced cubers, but they hope to get to the point where they can enter most of their cube club members into competitions. “There are competitions in New Brighton in December, Eagan in January and February, and so we also need to start preparing for those,” Reuss said.
The first club meeting went smoothly although it lacked a high volume of members. Barrot is hoping to create two sections for meetings; One section where he can teach new beginner members and another where more advanced members can complete and time themselves solving the cubes. He is modest in his skills despite his years of experience and constant practice. “I go to competitions every now and then and I’m not that bad,” Barrot said.
The club would love for members to join because of the lack of turnout after their first meeting. Ruess and Barrot are trying their best to advertise the club, but it can be difficult to spread the news of a club started by a junior high student. Barrot has spread posters around the school featuring the time and location of meetings and Ruess has enlisted a few senior high teachers to tell their students about the club in hopes of gaining more upperclassmen members. “It’s hard to get the word out about a new club sometimes. Advertising makes it a little bit more challenging, especially as we try to make a club that’s grade seven through twelve, rather than just a junior high club,” Ruess said.
At my old school, which was Hopkins, it was like a big thing. I think their club had like over 20 members. So it was like a big club there and I’m hoping we get that big [at BSM].
— Laken Barrot
After witnessing the cubing club from his old school Barrot has big aspirations for BSM’s cubing club. His main goal is to gain enough members and popularity to continue this club until his senior year of high school. “At my old school, which was Hopkins, it was like a big thing. I think their club had like over 20 members. So it was like a big club there and I’m hoping we get that big [at BSM],” Barrot said.