For many, March Madness is their favorite day of the year. This year, the popular event took place on March 1st. Students crowded the gym to watch their friends attempt to win the tournament or even participated in it themselves. However, for all the enjoyable moments throughout the day, there were countless people behind the scenes that made the day so successful. From the student council to the technology department, many worked to ensure March Madness was such a fun day for all.
As in the past, the student council organized this year’s March Madness tournament. From selecting teams, organizing the bracket, and ensuring the games run smoothly, Mrs. McDade and a large group of students in the student council worked tirelessly to make March 1st such an entertaining day. Owen Hastings (Class of 2025) helped organize the day as part of the student council. Owen and others selected the teams and colors for each Springfield team. He acknowledged the difficulty of planning a fast-paced and jam-packed event like March Madness, but said the “large group of student council members running it made it much easier” to organize. Like any successful team, student council members worked together to put on a great show all day long on March 1st.
Another complex aspect of March Madness that does not get the praise it deserves is the technology and broadcasting of March Madness. The entire day’s events were broadcast live on our school YouTube channel, SDST Spartan TV (The broadcast is still on the channel, so if you want to get back and watch any part of the day, you can check it out at the YouTube channel). Throughout the day, Mr. Meder and many students worked to direct, commentate, and broadcast the games. Caroline Delgado-Gilchrist (Class of 2025) served as the technical director and ran the tricaster, which, as she explained, “controls the different angles and graphics you see on the live streams.” She also helped control a camera during some games. Despite all these roles, Caroline enjoyed the day and believes that the “live stream allows [the games] to reach more people and preserve the moment for all to look back on.” Caroline said that she was pleased to learn that the livestream was shared on different platforms around Springfield. The technology department, Mr. Meder, and the many students who helped broadcast the day’s events allowed for people at home or in class to feel as though they were in the gym themselves and allowed students a chance to re-watch their favorite moments of the day.
Overall, from the organization to the broadcast, there are countless administrators, students, and teachers who made March Madness such an enjoyable experience. It really represents Springfield’s close-knit identity that prides itself on building a community together, and a huge thanks is deserved for all those who allow that community to thrive.