The low hum of voices grows as the members of chess club enter math teacher Mrs. Sara Kamphaus’s room. Four seniors including Jai Carter and Elijah Dickerell take a seat in the back left corner, chatting, laughing, and playing on an iPad.

“These are Hay Stacks, if you like butterscotch then try them,” Mrs. Kamphaus said, gesturing to the opened container of homemade cookies. Then she searches for a photographer to take the club picture for the yearbook.

Junior Cynthia Garza remembered to wear her Chess Club t-shirt for the picture but notices nobody else has.

“Our photographer is here, do you want to get a chess board?” Mrs. Kamphaus says.

The group goes to the circle in front of the school to take the yearbook picture. They flash their “Cool Club” signs, making crossing C’s with their hands. Multiple re-takes are required since hair kept flying into people’s faces. The group then heads back to the classroom to discuss new ideas for next year.

“Let’s have Chess With Friends required for all members,” senior Elijah Dickerell said. Officer positions and names are written on the board. A position for an official tournament planner is created, in hopes to expand the club. “This is the wall of swag,” Carter says.

This meeting ends with sophomore Daisy Enriquez and Carter talking about logarithims and solving a few.

Chess Club usually consists of card games, baked goods and the occasional game of chess. The players invented a new way to play chess called ‘puppet chess,’ where two people act as ’puppets’ and are manipulated by other members.

“I like it [chess] because I grew up playing with my father, it was a family event,” Dickerell said.