Have you ever laughed in seminar at a joke so bad, that you just couldn’t help it? Or wondered about the people who seem to be having more fun than anyone else while reading the announcements? Let’s be honest though, if you’re like most students at Ames High, you probably don’t even pay attention to those voices on the loudspeaker. But behind every announcement, there’s a group of Ames High students trying their best to communicate with every student.
“Sometimes, my friends will tell a joke, and I’ll think, ‘That’s a good one,’ and use it for the announcements,” says junior Jesse Hutson. “Or we’ll just make one up during our 5-10 minutes of passing period.”
The jokes are usually last-minute and thrown together right before reading the announcements, though, making it all the more spontaneous.
“A lot of times, we don’t read through the announcements beforehand; we might glance over them quickly, but most of the time, it’s a straight cold read,” explains Jesse. “It’s about pre-reading the next sentence while you’re still speaking.”
The ability to improvise is key, as sometimes, the announcements come as a surprise even to the announcers.
“A few weeks ago, I can’t even remember what happened, but I just couldn’t stop laughing. I had to say, ‘Excuse me,’ and hand the phone to Jesse because I couldn’t continue.” says junior Marin Knight.
This reflects one of the toughest challenges of doing the announcements: not laughing. Often, keeping their composure will become a monumental struggle.
“People often come up and ask, ‘How does it feel?’ and it’s really just like being on a call with someone on speaker, but it’s actually the entire school.” Says senior Miles Peterson.
Despite knowing that most students barely listen to them, the announcers give their all. For them, it’s not just about being the ‘voices behind the announcements,’ but about the experience they gain from it. Even though their words may get lost in the bustle of the school, they find a way to enjoy each moment, connecting—however briefly—with all students.
“We believe that every student deserves a greeting, so we start every announcement with either ‘good morning’ or ‘good afternoon.’ Just little positive things.” says Miles.
