An Interview with the Morning Announcements’ Team

By Njeri Jackson

Every morning after first block, students at Tuscarora get the chance to see the morning announcements crew work their magic to deliver the news. Known to report all the school news students need to know for that day and the infamous howls at the end, the team brings positive energy with the brief minutes they have. 

The team includes Shant Pamboukian, Lillie Scheivert, Bauer Burkart, Michael Niemiec, and Chris Castro. I interviewed them to find out more about what they do; here is what they said.

What role do you have in the announcements?

“I just talk, and I, you know, deliver the news to the school. Niemiec says, “I make sure, you know, they get what they need to hear.” 

“I read off the teleprompter, so I am one of the two people up on the screen talking and giving all of the announcements.” Burkart says.

Burkart and Niemiec serve as the “visual heads” for the announcements together.

“I’m the teleprompter,” Castro says, “so I make the script that they’re supposed to read, and then I like go through the computer with what they’re supposed to say and at what moment.”

“I do the camera and I also do the technology, so like I’ll switch the screens, I’ll do like the green screens.” Scheivert explains. 

What made you want to be part of the morning announcements?

“I just joined the class, so I didn’t really know what I wanted to do yet, so my friends were doing morning news and I was like, might as well.” Scheivert states.

“I feel like the school needs to wake up to some energy, to excitement, and you know like have a good day, and I feel like it’s like a fun thing to do, and I like it,” Niemiec responds.

Pamboukian, on the other hand, joined for a bit of a different reason. He normally does sport broadcasts, and is usually busy managing that. However, he felt the need to join, saying this:

“Well, they needed some help and during the fall time,” he says, “I wasn’t really doing too much with sports broadcasting which I’m normally busy with, so I decided to step in.” 

“I don’t really have a specific role there, I just jump in and do whatever they need me to do” he adds.

What’s your favorite part about it?

“My favorite part is just seeing everyone there in the morning and it’s a lot of fun and we get to be creative with it,” Pamboukian explains, “and I think that’s what really makes us enjoy doing the morning news because we really get to display what we want to.”

“I think my favorite part is just, like when I have classes with some kids, I only see them on some days, but since it’s morning announcements, I get to see them [those group of people] everyday, and I love those people, they’re like my best friends, so I think that’s probably the biggest advantage about that.” Castro says. 

Burkart states, “In the morning, everyone can wake up slow and [we] try to bring energy in the morning and for the whole school. And [we] try to be funny and make jokes, and all of that.”

“I would say like having like a different thing everyday to do with it; it’s like your thing everyday.” Niemic explains.

He adds, “even though not everyone listens to it, like it’s still in the background and it could get their attention in some way and that’s all we’re trying to do, own thing everyday”

What impact do you think the morning announcements have on the school?  

“I think it has a lot. I think it still keeps, almost the reality, that like it’s the students that run this school. Pamboukian says.

“I think it has kept people involved with the school,” Castro remarks, “this year specifically.”

“I remember my freshman year through junior year, people hated it and not even paying attention,” he adds, “so I think having Bauer and Michael who are obvious very super excited and stuff, and super outgoing, that people started getting involved with that, and getting involved with that had them hearing about the news and what’s going on in school.”

Scheivert and Niemiec, on the other hand, thought something different, pointing out the problems they think exist with the announcements.

“Not a lot of teachers put on the morning news which is kind of an issue, cause like a lot of the time we do put out a lot of information that people need to know like sports and announcements from the admin,” Scheivert states.

“I think it helps people know what’s going on, cause especially with our instagram, more our instagram cause we have like 600 followers, so that is definitely a better place to get from us, but I think we’re doing a pretty good job!”

“I think it could have a bigger impact,” Niemiec says, “I think that more people should listen to it, and I think that maybe we should work harder on making it more accessible.”

What’s a piece of advice you’d give to someone wanting to do it?

“Just do it. I feel like it’s just a really fun thing to do,” Niemiec says, “you get a whole group of friends out of it, and Ms. Kelley is really fun; the class is fun. The people are super nice.”

“Definitely do it. It’s a lot of fun, it’s pretty easy.” Burkart responds.

“Just have fun with it, it’s a fun thing to do. There’s like no pressure, it’s just morning news. Just do it!”  Scheivert remarks.

To get more updates from the team, you can follow them at @tusky_announcements