Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A lot of excited students, athletes, faculty and staff took part in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly renovated Southeast High School Spartan Field and Tom McBride Track.

District 186 Superintendent, Jennifer Gill handled the giant scissors, and she told Capitol City Now the 1% county wide sales tax has paid for many important construction projects including the Southeast facility and she looks forward to the building of an indoor track on campus in the future.

Athletic Director, Tiffany Williams, gave Capitol City Now a guided tour of the new facilities. She pointed to the many innovations and additions including a deluxe concession stand, a new press box, a weight room for the athletes, and what she called the highlight of the project, the state-of-the-art scoreboard.

Principal Cody Trigg and head football coach Nate Borders both talked about the natural grass field and how it would provide a safer and longer lasting playing surface for the players. They say it’s the only high school in the district with natural grass.

Students not just from Southeast but many area grade schools have already begun to use the track for training and events.