Aaliyah Royster
Staff Writer
The Titan Morning Announcements show, formally known as Everyday Titan, has been bringing smiles to the face of students and staff every morning since 2007. Although, the hosts of the show alternate every five weeks and it is hard for viewers to get to know the students that make the show a success. Discover what it is like to be the host of TMA and get to know Alexandria City High School’s very own TV personalities.
Gryphon Magnus
Sophomore, Gryphon Magnus was TMA’s longest-running host this school year, hosting for seven weeks alongside Lucy Savarie and Evan Bellanca. Magnus loves the TV/Media class offered at ACHS because it, “Allows me to reach as many people as I can.”
“I think it’s really wonderful. I’ve always loved filmmaking and performing so I’m doing a little mix of that and on school-sponsored time.”
One of the jobs of hosting TMA is creating the scripts for the days’ show. “I love creating the script. I was allowed to have the freedom to write jokes and funny announcements,” says Magnus. He emphasized that a good TMA host is charismatic and is able to engage the audience.
Magnus’s energetic and comical personality made him a popular host on TMA even warranting him a dramatic “death” scene at the end of his time hosting the show. Magnus describes his thought process behind the stunt saying, “I [thought] it would be funny and fitting [if] I could write myself a little dramatic death scene. Now that I am not in creative control, there’s this lore about the hosts going missing.”
Former and future host Nora Read describes his “passing” as “Incredibly sudden and just horrible but also a little puzzling.”
Magnus’s former co-host Evan Bellanca says, “Gryphon’s death was tragic and it came out of nowhere. It caused outrage within the school building. Griffin was a great host and I don’t think the show will be the same without him.”
The mystery of his death continues as a running joke amongst the current hosts and includes briefly mentioning topics like time theories and lore, referencing Gryphon’s “death” during the show.
After his tragic “death”, marking the end of his career as host”, Magnus is now the shows’ producer and after the next host cycle ends in 5 weeks, he is hoping to fill the role of cameraman. His words of wisdom to anyone considering taking the TV/Media class, “I will be honest, it’s a lot of work.” Magnus has a “genuine passion for filmmaking” so he does not mind the work but that is something to keep in mind when signing up for the class. He continues by saying, “[It’s] one of the most communal experiences you can get. They’re [the crew on TMA] basically family.”
Lucy Savarie
Sophomore, Lucy Savarie, a sassy and sarcastic character, hosted TMA for 5 weeks alongside Magnus. Savarie enjoys the excitement of hosting the show, “You get to talk to the camera, sit in the [hosts’] chair, and see everything that’s happening around you.”
Savarie emphasized the importance of a host-host relationship.
“The chemistry between the two people is really important. Most of the hosts develop their chemistry over the course of their rotation.”
During Savarie’s last week hosting the show, the school was canceled due to inclement weather so she never got the last show or grande finale like her co-host Gryphon. She is a little bit “salty” saying, “My personal opinion is I should have gotten the last show.”
Savarie emphasizes “chemistry” between hosts. Over the course of her rotation, she was able to develop that type of chemistry with Gryphon.
Evan Bellanca, former host and student in TV/Media, says that “[their] personalities offset each other”. “Lucy was very lowkey and more negative and Gryphon was more positive.” According to Bellanca, this is what made them good hosts.
When Savarie is not hosting TMA, she works as the graphics operator for the show. She likes that there are a variety of components that go into making the show like cameramen, directors, technical directors, floor directors, audio, and graphics directors. The different job opportunities, “[Allow] you to interact with other students, not just in our class.”
Evan Bellanca
Junior, Evan Bellanca hosted TMA with Gryphon Magnus and Romeo Quini for a total of 5 weeks.
Despite being entertaining on camera, the spotlight is not for him. Bellanca prefers to work behind the scenes as a cameraman.
“It gives you another, very creative outlook. You are in charge of how other people actually view the show.”
Bellanca says that the best hosts have “personalities that offset each other.” “For example, Lucy and Gryphon. He also thinks that good hosts have a positive work ethic.
Bellanca encourages students to take TV/Media. He describes it as the highlight of his day. “It is a great, amazing class. Ms. Zefron [the teacher] is one of the best teachers I’ve ever had.”
Cooper Larrick-Greenwood
Sophomore, Cooper Larrick-Greenwood is the current host of TMA alongside Romeo Quini. This is Larrick-Greenwood’s first time in front of a camera and he describes the beginning of his time on the show as awkward saying, “At first it was very awkward. You have to make your character true to yourself.” Part of Larrick-Greenwoods’ character is to awkwardly try and befriend his co-host Quini.
“[I love] the chemistry with the other hosts, you get to mess around but at the same time it’s still serious.”, he says when asked about his favorite part of hosting TMA.
According to Larrick-Greenwood, a good host is, “Someone with good energy and someone that other people can be entertained by (but in a good way, not at their expense).”
His advice to people considering taking the class, be prepared. “There’s a lot of stuff you have to pay attention to,” he says. “When you actually put in the effort, it’s a lot of fun.”
Nora Read
Sophomore Nora Read hosted TMA for 5 and a half weeks on and off with Ben Delnegro and will be making a comeback, hosting the show again on Blue Days. “It [hosting TMA] was a step out of my comfort zone,” Read says, “but after the first couple of shows, I started to really enjoy myself.”
The show helped Read connect with her “Titan community”. “Being so educated on the club’s events, and essentially everything that is going on at AC is my favorite part about hosting.”, she says. “It’s fun to be able to connect with the students who have seen the show and want to chat about recent event coverage or topics we’ve talked about.”
According to Read, a good host is personable and “channels Titan pride.” “It’s important to be able to have fun and be comfortable with your co-host.”
She describes Gryphon’s death as “incredibly sudden” and “just horrible”. But Read is also puzzled by the conundrum.
Read emphasizes that there is more to the TMA show than being a host. “There is so much work that goes on behind the scenes like camerawork, audio, graphics, and so much more. Her advice to those considering TV/Media as a class:
“I would definitely recommend it, it’s a very engaging class that provides a nice break from a day full of classes that are in a typical class format.”
Delvin Reed
Junior, Delvin Reed also hosted for TMA and describes being a host as “very stressful” but, “It’s a lot of fun to shoot it [the show]. [There’s] a lot of laughing going on.”
To Reed, a good host is someone who is charismatic and fun. He says a good example of this is former host, senior, Nick Cam.”
Reed says that if you’re considering taking TV/Media, “Take it. It’s a really great thing. Make sure to take TV/Media 1 in your freshman or sophomore year.” He also adds, “Ms. Zefron is a goddess.”
Since the TMA hosts are the face of ACHS for the 5-week period they host, it is important to have hosts that students like. The hosts were asked who they want to see hosting the next cycle of TMA. Evan Bellanca nominates Ronaldo Diaz-Paz, “He’s got a funny personality.” and Zeebeedee Tucker. “Everybody loves that guy and he’s a fun face to see in the hallway.” Gryphon Magnus thinks Mia Mervis would do a great job. He also suggests Ronaldo Diaz-Paz and Aidan Shaw because “I think it would be a funny transition to go from director to host.” Lucy Savarie recommends Hadia Hamnawa, “I think she’d have a really good hosting personality.” Cooper Larrick-Greenwood hoped to see Kimberly Chavez as the next host, “We get well and the chemistry would just be silly,” he says.
Larrick-Greenwood’s wish was granted and they now co-host the show together. Nora Read says “Gryphon’s ghost” should be the next TMA host. Both Delvin Reed and temporary host, senior, Jacob Sanchez nominated Principal Peter Balas to be the next TMA host.
