UPDATED: Pictures from NBC 5 Broadcast at Batavia High School This Morning

Editor's note: The story below has been expanded to include multiple interviews and quotes with BHS staff and students following the NBC event. The 'Voting Victory,' 'Dancing,' and 'Belonging' sections were added Friday afternoon.

Batavia High School didn't let this morning's technical glitches get in the way of their school spirit.

The school was supposed to be featured live as the NBC 5 Prep Destination of the Week this morning. Instead, Batavia of the footage due to technical difficulties.

Even without a live broadcast, the school showed Bulldog Pride for over two hours. About 600 students packed the school's main gym for the special, hard-fought event.

, beating out runner-up Naperville Central by less than 40 votes.

The Batavia Football team is one win away from heading to state. The Bulldogs host the Prairie Ridge Wolves for a Class 6A semifinal matchup at 1 p.m. Saturday at the high school, 1201 Main St.

The following groups were featured at the morning event:

• A huge crowd of students, including the Dog Pound student section
• BHS Cheerleaders
• The BHS Dance Team
• The BHS Drumline

Towards the end of the event, the entire school jumped off the bleachers to dance and mug for the video and still cameras.

"It was the true die-hard fans of Batavia—everyone sacrificing their sleep, getting up early," said Matt Hartzell, a BHS junior. "It really brings the town together."

Voting Victory

Batavia truly came together when NBC 5 announced the high school as one of three contenders for Prep Destination of the Week.

The chance to get NBC into the school sparked off . Students, parents, relatives and more flocked to their computers over a 2.5 day period to ensure Batavia had the most votes.

"We were really close with the other school," said BHS Junior Claire Carlson. "At one point I was kind of doubting it, but then I checked at noon and we won."

Over 5,100 people answered the call to make the event happen, even those in other countries. At least one Batavia High School alumni that's currently serving overseas in Afghanistan voted for the school in the contest.

Dancing at 5 in The Morning

Neither Hartzell nor Carlson minded getting up early for the NBC event. Students were expected to arrive by 5 a.m., and the event lasted until 7 a.m., about 30 minutes before the first class of the day.

The two juniors were each active participants in the early-morning festivities. Hartzell, 17, is a member of the Dog Pound cheering section and Carlson is a member of the BHS dance team.

Carlson said such an early wake-up call would usually be a struggle, but not for an event that was to be televised across the Chicago area. Many of the performers were at the school early—the Drumline was at the school at 4 a.m. on Friday.

"The dance team and cheerleaders ... want to get the crowd pumped up," Carlson said. "Today was no different. We always try to do our best."

Hartzell did his best to show support, wearing a full-size banana outfit from Party City to Friday's event. The student section has a reputation for "going bananas," Hartzell said.

"I'd be more than happy to wake up early again for basketball," he said.

The crowd was even able to pull in some of the adults in the school for a quick dance, including Batavia High School Principal Lisa Hichens and Dennis Piron, Batavia's head football coach.

Batavia has one of the best cheering sections in the state, he said.

'A Sense of Belonging'

Both Piron and Hichens told Batavia Patch that events like the Friday rally has the potential to motivate students.

"It's all about the connection they make with the school," Hichens said after the dancing was done.

Hichens noted that hundreds of students showed up for the event, excited to be a part of a crowd representing Batavia.

The energy from the rally can pass onto schoolwork—students will try harder if they feel comfortable and welcome in the high school.

"The best thing that can come from any of this ... is a sense of belonging," Piron said.

Not Over Yet

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