He’s the voice behind the announcements.

EHS student announcer Derek Stanford provides a look into his life and what goes into the announcements heard throughout the school every day. 

Student announcements: The whole school hears them every day. It often seems like such a simple job to read off the announcements for everyone. But, there’s so much more that goes into it. Junior Derek Stanford is well known around Elkhart High School for delivering the daily announcements, but is the amount of effort he puts into these announcements as well known as he is? Stanford provides a good look into the elements of the daily announcements and how he was chosen. 

“Each day I go down to the school Welcome Center after period three or seven,” Stanford begins. “I wait until the tardy bell rings, and then I start up the phone. All I have to do then is wait for the green light from Mr. Werbiansky or Mr. Kurth!” The announcements are held until all the students are in their Advisory rooms. “Once we’re good to go, I begin reading the announcements off of a google doc that I’ve had since the beginning of the year.” The document is kept updated by the Activities Director, Mr. Jeff Miller. 

Stanford has displayed outstanding skills in public speaking. He reveals that he participates in Premiere Arts, which is one reason he exudes confidence during the announcements. He also reveals that he did not always display so much confidence giving the announcements. 

“This is my second year doing the announcements, and I’m not fully sure why I was selected,” Stanford admits. “Mr. Miller’s wife, Mrs. Tyrakowski, knew about my background in performing arts, so she may have passed my name along.” He proceeds to explain that practice makes perfect, and that’s how his confidence built to what it is today. “Last year, I was really nervous before doing the announcements, but I settled in,” he explains. “I was given many compliments by teachers, and now I do not get nervous anymore.” 

Stanford loves doing his job, explaining that it gives him a sense of importance, because it’s up to him to make sure the students and staff know what’s going on at the school each day.  Stanford stays upbeat and positive each day, hoping his positivity will spread throughout the school–and, his delivery of the terrible jokes makes the school smile and groan at the cheesiness, but adds some positivity to each day!