By Dylan Nadelman

We all know the familiar voice that greets us cheerily over the loudspeaker every morning and updates us on our school activities. However, few know the person behind the voice. Recently, As It Happens interviewed senior Maya Matunis, the “voice of Beacon.”

Along with doing the morning announcements, Maya is on the staff of Beacon Ink, the school literary magazine, and is a part of the music production club. She is also a Big Sib for Ms. Ratcliffe’s advisory, and juggles her hobbies of painting, collecting and listening to records, going to concerts, gardening, and “reading anything [she] finds.”

In addition to these extracurricular activities, she loves academics. Her favorite classes are biology and history, and she often sees connections between the two. She says that she’s “discovered that anthropology is a nice fit [for her].” Maya’s passion for science is shown in her dream of one day becoming a doctor. In the future, she also wants to be on NPR, continue making and listening to music, as well as continue making art. Maya says that she “care[s] a lot about other people and doing everything [she] can to make life a little better every day.”

This attitude makes Maya a strong role model for her Little Sibs and a superior candidate for any of the colleges she has applied to. These include SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Binghamton, Cornell University, Boston University, Bard College, UMass Amherst, and Northeastern. In addition to being a great student, it is evident from Maya’s enthusiasm and love for our school that she is a perfect fit to be the voice of Beacon.

     The full Beacon Beat interview with Maya Matunis follows below:

Dylan Nadelman: When and how did you get the job of doing the morning announcements? And what was your motivation for doing so?

Maya Matunis: To get the job, I did have to audition. I had never really thought about doing the announcements, but when I was younger, I did briefly want to be a radio host…I auditioned [for the job of the morning speaker during] my sophomore year and started [doing the announcements during] my junior year.

Dylan Nadelman: Do you enjoy doing the morning announcements? Are there any memorable moments from doing so that you want to share?

Maya Matunis: I love doing the announcements! I used to get really nervous, but not so much anymore. The only time it’s kind of stressful is when people write announcements last minute and hand them to me while I’m reading. And I always get nervous when I have to read people’s names. I’ve definitely messed up a lot of names, and I always feel bad. It’s moments like that when I’m glad nobody can see my face [over the announcements]. My favorite memory was when somebody asked their girlfriend to prom over the announcements when I was on duty. It’s also always a favorite moment when Ms. Lacey joins me on the loudspeaker.

Dylan Nadelman: Have you ever wanted to add a personal ending to your announcements?

Maya Matunis: I’ve always wanted to develop a signature sign-off. I just kind of adopted the one that was already being used. Occasionally, an advisory will put in some nice quotes about mindfulness or self-love, and I’ve considered doing something like that every day.

Dylan Nadelman: How does it feel to be the voice of Beacon?

Maya Matunis: It feels great to be the voice of Beacon! I love when people realize that it’s me who makes the announcements. It’s really fun and I love being a part of everybody’s Beacon experience in this way.

Dylan Nadelman: What advice would you give to whoever takes over the morning announcements after you graduate?

Maya Matunis: For future announcers, I would recommend not being nervous, speaking slowly and clearly, and developing a good relationship with the lovely ladies in the main office, as you’ll get to see them every day. Also, learn how to announce sports scores correctly.

Dylan Nadelman: Is there anything else that you would like to say to the readers of As It Happens?

Maya Matunis: To the readers of As It Happens [The Beacon Beat], I say: Thank you, and have a great day, Beacon!