Bern Staples is leader of the Cycle Cart Club and teaches Intro to Stem, Technical Drafting, Architectural Design, and Machine Design. Staples found himself at Northlake after falling in love with a girl from the area.

“Five years ago I was getting married to a girl from Picayune, and needed a teaching job,” said Staples.

Previously teaching in a private boarding school in Maine, he was looking for another teaching job similar to his last, which is why he applied to Northlake. Luckily, he was able to lead the Cycle Cart Club, which is one of his many passions.

“Cycle Carting is one of my favorite passions because there are so many complex parts to creating it to how you want it,” said Staples.

Cycle carts were pre World War 2 race cars. In the 70’s, people tried to develop a cooler look of the car, and downsize the vehicle.

This year, the Cycle Cart Club consists of  fifteen students.

According to Staples, they are trying to match a 1923 Maserati race car and a 1913 Bugatti.

This year, the club’s goal is to stick closer to the design which has been going well. They have completed the rolling chassis, and are currently welding the frame for both cars.

According to Staples, the group is aiming to start the assembly of the cars in late March.

“[We] will put a six and a half horsepower engine in the car,” said Staples.

Trying to keep the car itself under two hundred and fifty pounds is a challenge, but the cycle cart club has been working on the logistics of the carts for the first half of the year.

“The goal for the end of this year is to have two rolling chassis to test drive,” said Staples.