Brick by Brick: St. Mary’s New LEGO Club Takes Shape

Last spring, Brad Nieman, Dean of Students, and Russ Schupryt, Technology Coordinator, at St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point were having an informal conversation about their shared love of LEGO.

“I mentioned that my adult sons still love putting together LEGO sets,” Nieman said. “Furthermore, I still get excited to help my younger son with any new LEGO sets he receives at Christmas. It truly is a toy that is beloved by both boys and girls, young and old.”

That brief conversation inspired both co-workers to start a brand-new organization: the St. Mary LEGO Club.

After purchasing the necessary supplies, including approximately 120 pounds of LEGO bricks, the club held its first meeting in September. Each meeting features LEGO building challenges in which individuals or teams must create something within a certain amount of time based on a specific set of criteria or a creative prompt.

The club’s first challenge involved building a realistic food item entirely out of LEGO bricks, similar to challenges featured on the popular television show LEGO Masters. Each month, the winning team earns a prize. Lilly Napiorkowski and Josie Wojcik won the most recent challenge with their creation of a realistic slice of pepperoni pizza—made entirely from LEGO bricks.

The building challenges will become more difficult as the year progresses, encouraging students to use their creativity, problem-solving skills, and teamwork. The club is also tentatively planning a LEGO Showcase at the end of the school year, giving students an opportunity to display some of their best creations.

The new club has already proven to be extremely popular. It currently has 40 members, with several additional students on a waiting list.

As the LEGO Club continues to grow, it is always looking for donations to expand its supply of bricks. Anyone interested in donating new or gently used LEGO bricks is encouraged to contact St. Mary Catholic Community School at 219-663-0676.

St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point offers grade levels Junior Pre-Kindergarten (for three-year-olds) through grade eight.  All students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities such as Academic Team, Chess Club, Science Olympiad, Scouts, Environmental Club, WSMW News Cast, athletics, art exhibits, Rosary Club, and more.