The graduation of the 2026 senior class means the graduation into adulthood for about 750 Lakota West Students. Their first step into a new life ahead. But for those left at Lakota West, it means the loss of friends, partners, and classmates. For student broadcasting, it means the graduation of numerous leaders of the program, and only Dexter Rhees is returning. Leaders Nikos Stollenwork, Andrew Odle, Alex Dufek, Christian Smith, and other participating members are all graduating. This leaves only members who participate much less, comparatively, to pick up the slack. Despite the downsides, the Broadcasting program is continually growing, and as Lakota West’s sports programs progress, the Broadcasting Program will too.
How Can You Help
The Lakota West Broadcasting Program is a club funded by Butler Tech and technically independent from the school. It is almost entirely student-led, and this means that the barriers to entry are minimal. To get involved, all that one must do is fill out the Google form for the GroupMe and have some sort of a relationship with one of the board members who assign people to games. Signing up for games is completely voluntary, and although you may not get assigned the first game, if you continue to talk with the leaders and show you are trustworthy and interested, you are sure to get involved. If you aren’t explicitly looking to get involved in the program, you can also help by giving the YouTube or Snapchat a follow, or just watching the streams is helping enough. That said, signing up for games gives a one-of-a-kind experience, free entry, and chances to learn broadcasting unlike any other in the school.
