Student Congress at Patrick M. Villano School is keeping the tradition of March Madness alive both in school and on the court. Their work includes a food drive, a Spirit Week, and a student vs. teacher basketball game.
“I’m looking forward to the March Madness food drive and seeing who comes up on top and also the Spirit Week,” Joey Liguori, Student Congress Vice President, said.
March Madness is a food drive competition between classes to collect the most items, named after an annual nationwide basketball tournament for college teams, and works the same way. Classes pick names for themselves, get placed in a bracket, and race to donate the most items. Donations benefit a food pantry that works directly with local families in need from Emerson and its surrounding towns. The class that donates the most items usually earns extra recess time.
“I think that the March Madness food drive is very helpful to people, and it’s very motivational to the kids who are donating it because of the prize,” Owen Grompone, a 5th grader, said.
“I like the March Madness food drive because it’s to feed people who are in need of food that they can’t afford,” Will Gibbons, a 6th grader, explained. “I think I’m looking forward to the students vs. teachers basketball game because it’s a fun opportunity where students get to face off against the teachers. I think the students are going to win because the students are more athletic and they’re younger …”
Each day in Spirit Week, there’s a different theme. Monday, March 23, is Pajama Day; Tuesday, March 24, is Country vs. Country Club Day; Wednesday, March 25, is Sports Day; on Thursday, March 26, students wear white, while teachers wear red; and on Friday, March 27, people wear school colors. On Thursday, the student vs. teacher basketball game will be held. The students playing are chosen by a raffle. Students can choose if they want to be a coach, player, or run the scoreboard.
“I think that it’s a wonderful opportunity for the students to do something to help the community, and so collecting food for families in need is just a really great way to show them what it means to be a helpful member of the Emerson community,” Breanne Decarlo, a Student Congress advisor, said. “I’ve got to say the teachers are going to win the basketball game. I’m going to be on the team, so I don’t know. It’ll be tough competition, so I’m looking forward to it.”
UPDATE: The student vs. teacher basketball game ended with a final score of 55 – 48 in favor of the teachers. Also, for the first-time ever, a student made a half court shot during a mini-game between quarters. Fifth grader, Colin Flanagan, said he was thrilled.
“It felt amazing. I couldn’t believe it actually went in,” Flanagan said. “I was so happy. I heard the crowd cheer.”
Just as happy was Trish Mancino’s fourth-grade class. They won the Madness Food Drive and earned extra recess time. It’s the third year in a row that Mancino’s class has collected the most donated food items.
March Madness Food Drive Past Winners:
2025: 4 Mancino
2024: 4 Mancino
2023: 4 Quinn
2022: 4 Mancino
2021: 4 Vitale
2020: Pandemic
2019: 4 Mancino
2018: 3 Rivel
2017: 4 Hill
2016: 5 DeCarlo
