Have you ever wondered who the face behind the morning announcements is? Carissa Joseph is an enthusiastic Niles West sophomore who loves her role as the 2024-2025 voice of the morning announcements.
Joseph attended Chicago Math and Science Academy and moved to the Niles West area in 2023 to begin her freshman year at Niles West, the year she first heard about the morning announcements.
“[Going to a new school] was a little nerve-wracking. I was a bit nervous about going to a bigger school and not really knowing anybody but through clubs and sports I easily found my place,” Joseph said.
Initially, Joseph started by delivering the Niles West News Broadcasting video announcements. Her Spanish teacher, Steven Lander, told her about the opportunity, and she was immediately hooked. After delivering video announcements for a few months, Joseph transitioned to the overhead morning announcements.
Joseph shared that delivering the morning announcements is something that she loves because it helps her get involved with her school on a new level.
“My favorite part of doing the announcements is being able to shout out all the people, like the volleyball team, and being able to shout out their wins and to get the opportunity to tell people everything that is going on around the school,” Joseph said.
But Joseph isn’t only a star when it comes to delivering the morning announcements; she is involved in various ways throughout the school.
“I’m in BSU (Black Student Union), I do track, basketball and flag football. Basketball is my favorite sport out of the three. I like to hang out with my friends outside of school. Me and my friends like trying new food places, going to amusement parks, watching movies, rollerskating, bowling or just hanging out at each other’s houses,” Joseph said.
When asked about her favorite teachers, Joseph named Daniel Quinlan as one of her favorite teachers of all time.
Quinlan has been teaching at Niles West for 20 years and had Joseph as a student in his Freshman English class, her favorite class to date. Quinlan was ecstatic to share some fond memories he possessed of Joseph.
“Carissa is a ball of energy and smiles in class, and is very much interested in improving herself as a student at every opportunity she gets. She never wasted a day,” Quinlan said.
Surprisingly, at first, Quinlan didn’t know that one of his students was on the announcements every morning.
“I actually figured out it was her before she told me. She didn’t really tell anybody who [the announcement reader] was and finally, you know, I could hear her smile through her voice,” Quinlan said.
Quinlan felt it was a privilege to be named one of Joseph’s favorite teachers.
“I mean it’s an honor to have a student that you enjoyed working with know that they enjoyed working with you too and that she got a lot out of the class,” Quinlan said.
After high school, Joseph hopes to attend an HBCU, a historically black university, and study in the medical field. Joseph’s mom works in the medical field and is a big inspiration for Joseph. Following in her mom’s footsteps is an important life goal for Joseph.
“My mom’s an immigrant and worked very hard for everything. I always refer to her as Ms. Make-it-happen. She always finds a way, no matter what,” Joseph said.
Joseph hopes to continue delivering the morning announcements throughout her high school career. Thank you Carissa Joseph for assisting the school by giving us clear and concise announcements, and it’s clear you have a bright future ahead of you!
