Once they start promptly at 7:56 a.m., Avon's morning announcements are pretty typical. Students are led in the pledge of allegiance, given the day’s lunch menu and told of district happenings - an upcoming club meeting in the library or maybe an invitation to attend an evening sports game.
But for three minutes prior, as students are still arriving at school or hanging out in the hallways, the middle and high schools’ PA system is given over to the musical fancies of seniors Emily E., Avery L. and Kennedy F. For those precious three minutes, the trio has a captive audience of nearly 350 of their fellow students and the autonomy to indulge their eclectic musical tastes.
And indulge they do.
Avon’s morning announcements have become a veritable journey through time and musical space. Monday may kick off in 1977 with David Bowie’s “Heroes” before lurching forward Tuesday to 1982’s “Come on Eileen” by Dexys Midnight Runners then again Wednesday to 1994 and Weezer’s “Buddy Holly.” Thursday might bring a layover in 1975 for AC/DC’s “T.N.T.” before wrapping up in the present day with “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles.
The three seniors started thinking about doing the announcements last year, back when Brian Lewis was handling day-to-day duties on the microphone. Lewis enjoyed quasi-celebrity status at Avon thanks to his entertaining, up-beat and highly unique delivery style.
“They were huge,” said Emily of Lewis’s announcements. “Everybody loved them.”
“Brian made it really cool last year,” added Avery. “He just brought so much personality.”
After Lewis graduated this past June, High School Principal Ryan Wagner sent an email to students soliciting new announcers. Emily, Avery and Kennedy applied and, when no one else expressed any serious interest, they got the job.
“I was very nervous - messing up everything,” recalled Emily of the first few mornings. “I was like ‘Brian did this flawless.’”
In the beginning, Avery would get so nervous her hands would shake.
“But I think we have a good groove now,” she said. “We know what everybody’s going to do. We’ve improved.”
While the actual announcements portion of the morning announcements is pretty straightforward - Emily, Avery and Kennedy each handle their own section that changes little from day to day - the process of selecting the day’s pre-announcements music is more informal.
Avery is the chief song-selector, Emily and Kennedy agree, but they’ll occasionally pitch a song to the group as well. If everyone’s good with it, the song gets the greenlight. If someone throws out a veto, the song may be scrapped in favor of something else.
Emily’s pitch to play Queen’s “Killer Queen” on Sept. 9 or instance, one day after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, was shot down in favor of “Don’t Stop Me Now.”
Sometimes, Avery said she’ll try to pick songs that align with something else going on in school.
Last month, on the day of Avon’s big football game with neighboring Caledonia-Mumford, she played CBS’s NFL theme song. And on Oct. 10, which was PJ Day at Avon, Avery pitched “Dreams,” the keystone track on Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 album, “Rumors.”
“It was pajama day, so I was thinking about dreams,” she said. “Friday’s homecoming, so obviously we’re going to play ‘Homecoming’ by Kanye West, right? Like, we have to.”
Sometimes, the song selection sailing isn’t as smooth. Kennedy said she often finds herself fighting to get her songs airtime.
“They veto a lot of mine or I have to convince them to play it,” said Kennedy, gesturing with a nod to Emily and Avery. “They don’t like rap music, these two. That’ll get vetoed.”
The trio said balance is key. While it’s important to pick music their fellow students are likely to know, said Emily, they don’t want to get too repetitive in their selections.
“I feel like the music has to be kind of hype too,” added Avery. “It can’t be depressing. We set the tone, the mood for the day.”
It’s early in the morning, after all, and their listeners will be in school for the next 6-½ hours, so
it wouldn’t be ideal to start the day off with something morose, overly emotional or straight up sad.
The announcements also serve as an opportunity for the three seniors to introduce their fellow students to new bands, styles and genres they may not have encountered before.
While she still prefers Drake to Harry Styles and has little patience for The Beatles, Kennedy did enjoy Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” when Avery and Emily picked it, appropriately, one morning last month.
In the coming weeks and months, students may be in line for some Lil Baby - if Kennedy can get Emily and Avery on board for a little rap music, that is. Students should also keep their ears peeled for some British punk or maybe some ‘90s alternative courtesy of Avery.
“I like Neutral Milk Hotel but I don’t know if anybody would respond to that,” Avery said. “There are songs I could play but I don't think people would like it. It would get hated on.”
The trio’s also open to musical requests from their fellow students.
“If it’s a good song,” Avery stressed. “If it’s a bad song, I’m not going to play it. We have to have some standards.”
By the time the last day of the 2022-23 school year rolls around at the end of June, Emily, Avery and Kennedy will have given the morning announcements 186 times and played 9 hours and 18 minutes worth of music for their classmates.
That’s long enough to play Steve Lacy’s chart-topper “Bad Habit” 142 times or The Beach Boys’ seminal “Pet Sounds” album 15 times. If they were so inclined, the trio could get about halfway through Richard Wagner’s epic “Ring Cycle” of operas before summer vacation interrupted.
“I think it’s cool,” said Kennedy of the opportunity to curate music for her friends and fellow students. “I think we gotta keep coming in with some good beats.”
Senior Kennedy F. reads the morning announcements for the high school the morning of Oct. 14 while Emily E., left, and Avery L., center, converse over an announcement Avery wrote about Avon’s homecoming football game minutes prior.
Kennedy F. hands a telephone to Avery L. so she can continue giving the high school morning announcements Oct. 14.
Emily E. smiles while reading her portion of the morning announcements Oct. 14. To her right is Avery L.
Seniors Emily E. and Avery L. lean in to a telephone receiver to give their usual “Go Braves” send-off during the high school’s morning announcements Oct. 14.