Creating New Yearbook Traditions

by Addie Lane-Peterson ’21

This winter the seniors began the traditional endeavor to raise money for our yearbook. In the past few years, seniors have produced a video fundraising “ask.” But given the restrictions and challenges of the pandemic, the students decided we needed to take a different approach.

In a Zoom meeting during the at-home portion of the winter term, people suggested we use money saved from years past, but that felt like giving up. I had some ideas: A raffle for student art and art baskets. We could sell tickets while we were remote, and put the baskets together when we were back in person in early spring. Or, I suggested, we could do a phonathon, an idea that had been percolating since we did election phone-banking in November. We would reach out to the community, connect, reminisce, answer questions, while also raising money. We chose the phonathon. Six other seniors and I went to the development office on three evenings, making calls to the Buxton community. I spoke with former faculty, listened to stories, and answered questions about Buxton during COVID. I spoke to the parents of my friends, assuring even them that their children were eating breakfast. Most conversations came naturally, but we’re extremely grateful for Deanna’s scripts and all of her support. Shortly after we had ended the phonathon, Deanna informed us we had broken a Buxton record! We raised $8,228 in three days.

I knew that Hell Weekend would be hard to accomplish during COVID, so while at home I talked to my mom, Siiri Lane ’86, who said Hell Weekend used to be held not in the art building, where the yearbook has been assembled for many years, but in the New Building—the building that everyone was already allowed in every day under our COVID protocols! An idea formed: Maybe using this bigger space for the weekend could be a way for us to be together, but in a COVID-safe way for our Hell Weekend? We formed a Senior Task Force, and presented this idea to the school’s COVID Task Force and, with some persuasion, it was okayed. Provided with a heaping snack table and plenty of masks, we made it happen with everyone spread out through the building.

Our method of giving the yearbook to the school was laid-back, well-timed, and so fun. Karleigh Bath ’21 reached out to a friend at a local stable, hoping for a favor. After dinner the seniors met at the Shed, then down the road they came with our glorious steed! We loaded the yearbooks into bags that hung from the horse’s saddle, and made our way to the basketball courts where Open Mic was happening, “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X playing on a speaker as we walked in with a horse.

Much like our class, this process was dysfunctional, but extremely successful.