As the man who built it steps aside, a man who personifies it steps in.
by Vince Crespin
photo by Kevin Fleming
Any student who has attended Thomas Jefferson High School since 1995 knows that there have been a few different traditions any Spartan could rely on: the painting of senior parking spots, Jamaican Jam, the Renaissance Festival, and the Spartan Edition. For the first time since Matt Spampinato created the Spartan Edition in 1995 it will be taken over by new leadership.
For 2,379 straight episodes Spampinato has been the Radio & TV Broadcasting teacher; however, Spampinato has taken a new position within the school and has passed the torch to his former student and current Head Boys Basketball Coach, Grant Laman. Spampinato, now the new director for TJ’s elite Computer Magnet program, decided to give up his position after 14 accomplished years at the helm. “When the position of Computer Magnet Director opened up, it became clear that I would have to give up some of my class schedule. With announcements being a double block, and Grant [Laman] having experience in TV broadcasting, it was a good fit and good situation for everybody. I will still be teaching newspaper though, that’s something that I will always love,” said Spampinato.
Laman, the former web design teacher in Computer Magnet has stepped up to take the hand-off, and is looking forward to the challenge. “The announcements are something I have wanted to do since starting at TJ. I am a huge proponent of continuing TJ’s rich traditions. I am very excited to be able to carry on with the Spartan Edition and be able to do so under the guidance of someone like Matt Spampinato. I am very fortunate…I mean, who better to learn from,” said Laman.
Doing the announcements for more than a decade, Spampinato has come across some unique challenges and has seen almost everything. “The biggest challenge I have encountered while doing the announcements was its actual conception. Coming in, we did not have the equipment we have now. I received a grant from both the City of Denver and a company called Mile High Cable, in order to get all the technology we needed to get started. Once we installed it all, it totaled up to about $250,000,” said Spampinato.
As is the case with many grand projects, the Spartan Edition developed from humble beginnings and a vision. Since the school at the time did not have a TV in each room as it does now, the announcements were down over the PA (Public Announcement) system. “I remember, since not all classes had a TV, in order to get one a teacher had to request a TV from an AV guy about 2-3 days in advance, so we were unable to do it visually. So, it started off as a radio show,” said Spampinato. Then the city voted on a mill levy, which basically is a tax initiative to get money for schools, and this specific one was to improve the school’s technology. Once TJ received the new TVs this was the birth of the Spartan Edition.
While Laman won’t necessarily have the difficulties Spampinato did when he started, there are still many things he will have to deal with and master in order to make the transition a smooth one. “The biggest thing that we have to adjust to is the new block periods. That actually gives us less time each day to get the announcements taped and running. We have made other adjustments like painting the background wall chroma key green, which enables us to have a new background everyday; which actually in turn still makes more work for us,” said Laman.
In terms of Spampinato’s own new position and transition, he has many new responsibilities and many changes to which he must adapt. “Right now things are a bit hectic, because I am still working with Mr. Laman and the Spartan Edition staff on a daily basis while he perfects the process. The announcements are difficult because it is a daily group project that people have to be constantly on task in order to create, so once I am done with announcements it will be a big relief to not have that stress anymore. Yet it is still somewhat difficult to let go; I created this show some 14 years ago and it is a big tradition among Spartans. However, I am not worried in the least bit about whom I am handing it over to. No one appreciates and understands TJ heritage better than Grant [Laman]. Already the show is as good or better than it has been in the past, and that’s because Grant is an awesome teacher.
"In regards to my new position (CM Director), I took over for Kevin Marlott and am charged with doing fundraising, acquiring new technology, recruiting new students and running the CM board among other duties. With all these new chores, really the biggest adjustment I have to make is balancing the two classes I’m still teaching with the administration side of things in order to manage time,“ said Spampinato.
While the two have worked together for the past seven years, they were familiar with each other prior to either of them officially starting their teaching careers. In 1990 Spampinato was student teaching an American Literature class at TJ, when he met the young Laman, who at the time was in his senior year of high school. “My impression was just that he was a student teacher. I mean, he was a smart guy who knew his stuff, but at that time he wasn’t teaching us directly.”
Now, seventeen years later, Spampinato is still doing the teaching and mentoring. “When you have a pet project, as I have with the Spartan Edition, you want to make sure to pass it to the right person who also is going to work as long and as hard at it as you did. Knowing Grant for as long as I have, I feel very comfortable passing this thing, which is almost like a legacy, on to someone who will make it even better. Plus I am going to be at TJ for a long time to come, so I will be able to witness it as it grows,” said Spampinato.
As for any new tricks for the announcements, Laman said, “We have some new ideas I don’t want to reveal, so TJ will just have to stay tuned and see what we have in store for them.”
