Mayor’s son ranks 2nd in state in Rubik’s cube contest

Ranked second in state

MIDDLETOWN — A student at Macdonough Elementary School has solved a Rubik’s Cube in record time.

As part of the team that participated in the Waterford Rubik’s Cube Competition, Jackson Drew solved a three-by-threeinch puzzle June 11 in 56.2 seconds during the solo portion of the competition, according to a press release.

Drew, the son of Mayor Dan Drew and his wife Kate, is ranked second in Connecticut among elementary school students at You CAN Do the Rubik’s Cube competitions during the 2017-18 school year.

“We decided to offer a Rubik’s Cube after-school program after I noticed that Jackson was getting other students interested in learning about the cube. Using and memorizing the Algorithms needed to solve the cube is a great extension of our STEM focus at Macdonough,” John Ferrero, STEM teacher at Macdonough School, said in a prepared statement.

His speed has earned Drew “Elite Cuber” status and a top spot in the You CAN Do the Rubik’s Cube Speed League, the release continued. During the timed competition, teams of eight students work collectively to solve 25 Rubik’s Cubes in the fastest time. Members of teams who solve the handheld puzle in under two minutes could also compete in solo events to solve one cube in the fastest time.

The Speed League is the national leaderboard of the fastest elementary, middle and high school teams and solo competitors in the country who have solved the Rubik’s Cube during You CAN Do the Rubik’s Cube competitions.

The leaderboard shows the rank, school and time of the fastest teams and solo competitors. Results can be filtered by event, state, date and/or division.

Visit YouCanDoTheCube.com for Speed League results and to learn more about participating in or hosting a competition.

Contributed photo Jackson Drew, who attends Macdonough Elementary School in Middletown, is the second fastest child in the state at solving a Rubik’s Cube.