Every year as mid-March draws close people flock to create their brackets for March Madness. Whether it be for fun or for money, it’s a cultural phenomenon. The science department at Blue Valley decided to participate in Mammal Madness, a March Madness bracket filled with various mammals. 

“You put which animal you think could beat whatever other animal it’s against,” sophomore Lillie ​​Mikuls said. “A random simulated winner is chosen, and the science teacher behind it makes a fake play-by-play of how Animal A logically could’ve beat Animal B.” 

Despite the bracket being left up to fate, Mikuls did not stray away from having a strategy. 

“For some parts I picked animals where I felt it logically made sense [for them to win], but other parts I just picked the animal I liked more,” she said. “I’d talk to my friends in class about it and they’d genuinely question my choices.” 

Her winning choice was the Okapi, also known as a forest giraffe — her logic being: “because I want it to win so it will.” 

If students submitted their brackets digitally, they became eligible for extra credit through the competition, which Mikuls was trying for, as of April 6, she sits at 19 place. But, despite the extra credit, she did not find that to be the most appealing part of it. 

“It’s just something fun we got to do for class,” she said. “It’s just super silly and fun.”

E very year as mid-March draws close people flock to create their brackets for March Madness. Whether it be for fun or for money, it’s a cultural phenomenon. The science department at Blue Valley decided to participate in Mammal Madness, a March Madness bracket filled with various mammals. 

“You put which animal you think could beat whatever other animal it’s against,” sophomore Lillie ​​Mikuls said. “A random simulated winner is chosen, and the science teacher behind it makes a fake play-by-play of how Animal A logically could’ve beat Animal B.” 

Despite the bracket being left up to fate, Mikuls did not stray away from having a strategy. 

“For some parts I picked animals where I felt it logically made sense [for them to win], but other parts I just picked the animal I liked more,” she said. “I’d talk to my friends in class about it and they’d genuinely question my choices.” 

Her winning choice was the Okapi, also known as a forest giraffe — her logic being: “because I want it to win so it will.” 

If students submitted their brackets digitally, they became eligible for extra credit through the competition, which Mikuls was trying for, as of April 6, she sits at 19 place. But, despite the extra credit, she did not find that to be the most appealing part of it. 

“It’s just something fun we got to do for class,” she said. “It’s just super silly and fun.”