
The yearbook committee is a hard-working group that takes the memories and events from the year and files them into one organized book. I am enrolled in the class and had the pleasure of interviewing some of my fellow members of the yearbook committee. I got first-hand insight into their perception of the school yearbook design committee and class.
First, let’s cover the details of the class. Yearbook Design is a full-year course that will earn students one credit of fine arts. The class works by assigning two people to a particular section in the book; the sections are: Student Life, Sports, Clubs & Organizations, Faculty, Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors. Yearbook students will then work to complete their assigned section of the book throughout the year. However, class members are willing to help each other out and stray from their section from time to time.
Senior Sammy McDonald, the editor-in-chief and first-time yearbook student, has shared her roles and responsibilities in the yearbook; these include organizing senior photos, mapping out spreads and layouts for the book, designing templates, as well as helping out with some other jobs such as the cover design and table of contents. McDonald has explained what class time may look like for students in the yearbook and illustrated what makes yearbook design so special. Other staff members have provided their understanding of the class and what it means to them: “The class really showed me what it means to have a community within a classroom, everyone is very loyal, so if you need something done you can go to anyone” (Hailey C., 10th grade). There’s no doubt that the yearbook classroom is a community. In the short time I was interviewing during class time, I noticed collaboration among all committee members and students helping each other left and right.
I asked more members about their favorite part of the yearbook, most of which reflected how strong the community is in the class: “My favorite part of the yearbook is how collaborative it is, it’s not like math where you just sit and do your work alone, but in the yearbook you can talk to anyone about anything, and you can be friends in there” (Mick Weadbrock, 12th grade).McDonald’s response in contrast relates more to the legacy of the yearbook and past committee members: “I like understanding how past yearbook staff have been able to correlate their theme with their book, and learning how to do that with ours.”
I enjoy the yearbook because it is production-based. For most classes, a student will take a class and then simply earn a grade and credit. Yearbook, however, creates a book that has more significance than simply earning a credit for your transcript. When a student takes Yearbook Design they are creating a physical plethora of memories from the entire school year which is exceedingly meaningful.
In the brief time I had to interview the yearbook committee, I noticed students interacting with each other and collaborating on multiple projects. The yearbook staff has a strong work ethic and is working hard to preserve the memories we have made so far this year. McDonald finished the interview by adding “newsworthy” as a possible allusion to this year’s yearbook theme.