DISCOVERIES VOL15 ISSUE 1 by Varsity Yearbook

YBK VOLUME 15 # 1

WHAT’S INSIDE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kimberly D. Hanzo

LAYOUT EDITOR Matt Leighton

COPY EDITOR Ann Akers

DESIGNERS

Nathan Atwood, Erin Doran, Kerri Moskow and Stacey Reed

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Paul Ender, Herff Jones Special Consultant

Tom Gayda, yearbook adviser North Central HS, Indianapolis, IN Tamra McCarthy, yearbook adviser James C. Enochs HS, Modesto, CA Mark Novom, yearbook adviser Brentwood School, Los Angeles, CA Kristen Orlando, yearbook adviser Woodrow Wilson HS, Tacoma, WA Meghan Percival, yearbook adviser McLean (VA) HS Landon Wrather, yearbook adviser Mountain View HS, Mesa, AZ

HJ LOCATIONS

Charlotte, NORTH CAROLINA charlotte@herffjones.com Gettysburg, PENNSYLVANIA gettysburg@herffjones.com Kansas City, KANSAS kansascity@herffjones.com Logan, UTAH logan@herffjones.com Montgomery, ALABAMA montgomery@herffjones.com Winnipeg, CANADA winnipeg@herffjones.com Herff Jones Yearbook Discoveries Volume 15 Issue 1 was produced electronically using Adobe® InDesign CS5, Adobe Illustrator® CS5 and Adobe Photoshop® CS5. This magazine was created on a Mac Pro, 2.66 GHz with 6 GB of RAM and printed by Herff Jones, Inc., at its Charlotte, NC printing facility. The outside cover was printed on 65# Matte C2S stock using four-color process. The inside cover was printed on White Vibracolor Endsheet stock using four-color process. The magazine pages were printed on 100# matte stock using four-color process inks. The fonts used in Yearbook Discoveries Volume 15 Issue 1 were AHJ New Gothic and AHJ University Oldstyle. Herff Jones and the Herff Jones logo are registered trademarks of Herff Jones, Inc. Apple and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Adobe and Photoshop are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems, Inc.

DEPARTMENTS

Design Studio

Allow each year’s book to speak to readers with a strong voice that sets it apart from others.

Writer’s Block

PHOTO CORNER

One of the first keys to writing great copy is seeking out truly compelling stories.

FEATURE

HJ’s AMAZING AWARD WINNERS 37 different 2009 Herff Jones yearbooks lead the pack in national journalism award competitions!

Mugs that accompany quotes don’t have to be boring; use these small shots to further develop the story.

IN THE CLASSROOM

Motivation

Training

Staff Manuals

Staff Organization

THEME vs. CONCEPT

Photo Organization

YBK ETC.

More than fun and games; these activities create strong staffs. Sometimes a little planning can make a big difference. A well-developed guide to publications shares rules and more. New approaches to coverage sometimes affect staff set-up. The debate continues — but some books blend the best of both. This easy-to-follow system can help with many aspects of photography. A yearbook yard sale? Brilliant! And industry recognition that makes us smile.

DISCOVER DISCOVER MORE MORE Download Downloadthe free mobile app for your smartphone and enjoy enjoy extra extra content content wherever wherever you you see see this this tag! tag! >> >> http:/ / gettag.mobi enohp ruoy ro f ppa elibo m eer f eh t teG GO GO TO TO i b o m. ga t te g / /: p t th http://gettag.mobi http://gettag.mobi Get the free mobile app for your phone

HERFF JONES

ALSO LED

THE LIST OF BOOKS

APPEARING ON BOTH

THE CROWN & PACEMAKER FINALIST LIST WITH

PA N Y H A D 2 2 TH E N E X T C LO S E S T C O M

Y e a r b o o k DISCOVERIES

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When it comes to award-winning books, Herff Jones continues with impressive showings year after year, competition after competition. The composite results are TRULY amazing, with Herff Jones books continuing to lead the way. From printing more middle and high school Pacemakers than all other companies combined to having nearly twice as many finalists as the next closest compANY, Herff Jones shines. Long-time advisers with award-winning programs choose Herff Jones quality and service as they value their relationships with knowledgeable, trusted reps and state-of-the-art technology in caring plants run by experienced teams of printers who excel at their craft. In addition to showcasing the 2009 books that received recognition from the major associations, it’s important to note the many ways these books have built on the foundations of good journalism and design. The judges for the Pacemaker and Crown competitions and many at the local, state and national levels would tend to concentrate on the same areas that are evaluated in critiques: concept, coverage, design, photography and copy. As has been the case for more than a decade, both the Crown and Pacemaker competitions are completely separate from the critique services offered by CSPA (Columbia Scholastic Press Association) and NSPA (National Scholastic Press Association). Both associations also offer their members a critique which earns them a certificate showing their rating and specific feedback from an experienced, award-winning adviser or media professional. Let’s take a look at how some of the award winners adhered to the standards and what they did to set themselves apart.

WE COULDN’T BE

PROUDER VOLUME 15

ISSUE 1

Y e a r b o o k DISCOVERIES

2009

PACEMAKERS Titanium, Antelope HS, Antelope, CA Rampages, Casa Roble HS, Orangevale, CA The Patriot, Harvest Park MS, Pleasanton, CA Pilot, Redondo Union HS, Redondo Beach, CA Ash a Wut, Gabrielino HS, San Gabriel, CA Cayuse, Walnut HS, Walnut, CA Log, Columbus North HS, Columbus, IN Magician, Muncie Central HS, Muncie, IN

Y e a r b o o k DISCOVERIES

The JAG, Mill Valley HS, Shawnee, KS The Hawk, Pleasant Grove HS, Texarkana, TX Crag, Turner Ashby HS, Bridgewater, VA Odyssey, Chantilly HS, Chantilly, VA Sentry, Robinson MS, Fairfax, VA The Clan, M cLean HS, McLean, VA North Star, Northside HS, Roanoke, VA

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ASH A WUT, Gabrielino HS, San Gabriel, CA The quote bar that spanned each spread included 1,686 students, further developing the concept, “You’ve Got People.” MAGICIAN, Muncie (IN) CENTRAL HS The dominant image from the student life divider shows intensity during float building and features natural framing and a shift in perspective. CAYUSE, Walnut (CA) HS Great full-bleed images set the concept pages apart. Enormous photos on the dividers made the break between sections clear as content pages featured several smaller photo and copy packages. ODYSSEY, CHANTILLY (VA) HS While a subtle rule line separated the word “Candid” beginning on the cover, it was on the opening spread that readers probably realized the words could also be read separately. THE HAWK, PLEASANT GROVE HS, Texarkana, TX Playful handdrawn graphics (like the easel on this art spread) set this volume apart. JAG, MILL VALLEY HS, Shawnee, KS The graphic typewriter ribbon containing theme type on the cover and in the opening is one of many way “found type” creates artistic texture further developing the concept, “Words.”

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THE PROWL, POWELL MIDDLe school, Littleton, CO Using a pair of pick-up colors on each spread added variety and sophistication to designs through the book. CARPE DIEM, NORTH FORSYTH HS, Cumming, GA The rationale behind the bookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chronological approach to coverage was explained from the start, and both time- and datestamps were used consistently. WESTWIND, WEST HENDERSON HS, Hendersonville, NC A single large photo made the dividers distinctive, and a contents listing for the section led readers inside.

Eyrie, osbourn HS, Manassas, VA Type-as-art headlines highlighting the many questions that reveal stories of the school, the year and the students were paired with a powerful dominant image and a series of smaller shots leading to inside content. EBB TIDE, CARLSON HS, Gibraltar, MI A customized varsity letter boasting both the year and the name of the yearbook was tipped onto the Silktouch cover to proclaim the theme. Inside the book, the staff used AHJ Allstar in small doses to achieve the same effect.

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2009

PACEMAKER FINALISTS

COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY BOOKS Pacemaker finalists until October 30, 2010 when Pacemakers are first announced.

LinC, University of Evansville, Evansville, IN Ilium, Taylor University, Upland, IN Royal Purple, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS Legenda, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA Selah, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA

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The Valkyrie, Pleasant Valley HS, Chico, CA Hoofprint, San Dieguito Academy, Encinitas, CA Eye, Evergreen Valley HS, San Jose, CA The Prowl, Powell MS, Littleton, CO Carpe Diem, North Forsyth HS, Cumming, GA Saga, Shawnee Mission West HS, Overland Park, KS Ebb Tide, Carlson HS, Gibraltar, MI Westwind, West Henderson HS, Hendersonville, NC Skjﾃ僕d, Corning Painted Post West HS, Painted Post, NY Bobcat, Hallsville HS, Hallsville, TX Eyrie, Osbourn HS, Manassas, VA Laconian, Salem HS, Salem, VA

JR. HIGH/MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIAL RECOGNITION Eagle Eye View, Sierra MS, Parker, CO

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SILVER CROWNS Titanium, Antelope HS, Antelope, CA The Patriot, Harvest Park Middle School, Pleasanton, CA The Pilot, Redondo Union HS, Redondo Beach, CA Chieftain, West HS, Torrance, CA Rampages, Casa Roble HS, Orangevale, CA ResumĂŠ, George Walton Academy, Monroe, GA Arbutus, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN Royal Purple, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS Westwind, West Henderson HS, Hendersonville, NC The Hawk, Pleasant Grove HS, Texarkana, TX Crag, Turner Ashby HS, Bridgewater, VA Selah, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA The Clan, M cLean HS, McLean, VA Laconian, Salem HS, Salem, VA

GOLD CROWNS Sentry, Robinson Middle School, Fairfax, VA Teleios, Mount Paran Christian School, Kennesaw, GA

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TELEIOS, Mount Paran Christian School, Kennesaw, GA Theme graphics and colors tied supporting coverage packages to the bookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overall look. SENTRY, Robinson Middle School, Fairfax, VA Rather than taking all photos from eye-level, the photo team experimented with various perspectives. LACONIAN, SALEM (VA) HS A series of full-spread profiles, distinctively designed using theme-related graphics, wove both the concept and the graphics through the book.

ARBUTUS, INDIANA UNIVERSITY, Bloomington, IN While most spreads featured multiple story-telling images, large seasonal scenes were used to anchor the story on campus. TITIANIUM, ANTELOPE (CA) HS Giving the students at this new high school a voice was important; three of the four kinds of quote packages on this spread are visible. THE PILOT, REDONDO UNION HS, Redondo Beach, CA Umbrella coverage allowed development of stories on changes in the cheersquad, a football injury and a swimmer who persevered to appear together logically.

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THE HAWK, PLEASaNT GROVE HS, Texarkana, TX Throughout the book, the circles, the colors and a pair of complementary fonts contribute to a distinctive visual voice. While the colors are combined to create different palettes and the circles are sometimes seen as arcs, the look is definitely cohesive.

opening spreads

coach cody deal sadie vows in 10 words: “roman, be nice. abby is better at sports than you.”

NATURALLY, ALL PULLED quotes fell inTO THE CONCEPT’S prescribed PATTERN. The staff shared the plan with some classes and staffers also helped sources pare their thoughts as needed.

The CONCEPT QUICKLY BECAME SEcond nature to Staffers and others. Of course 10 words meant they had 10 sections, each with a single word title. Traditional sections like sports, academics and student life were gone; content was divided among the 10 sections which averaged 16-20 pages each.

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DESIGN STUDIO It’s more than a look, more than an attitude. If you’re going for highest impact, the

VOICE YEARBOOK OF YOUR

by PAUL ENDER

For decades, staffers have bought into the fact that visual identifiers make a yearbook’s theme or concept easy to identify. They have used color, type, shapes and patterns to link the cover, the endsheets, the opening, dividers and closing to create a cohesive visual package that distinguishes each volume from its predecessors and successors. Through discussions on tone (or personality), it’s generally understood that the “look” of the theme and the context of the message need to be similar. It’d be crazy to use wild, over-the-edge visuals with a “Classically Central” theme or a script reminiscent of a wedding invitation on “The Ultimate Challenge” or “Those are Fighting Words.”

is all of that and more.

As we move on to books whose voices are even stronger and more developed, there may also be an effect on the book’s organization. The “requirement” of a theme followed by six traditional sections has been replaced by books with two sections, three sections or more. The thing that’s important is this: the book needs to be easy for the readers to use and the change to a completely new and different book format should make sense once they’ve read the opening copy. If you decided you want to do a three-section book and then chose “Two Sides to Every Story” as your theme or a pattern of five photos as your graphic, we’d be right back to the mixed messages we want to avoid. The most amazing thematic work takes conceptual development a step further, adding coverage modules and specific stories based on their relevance to the central idea and the contributions they make to the overall message. This could be an array of first-person stories or adding actual signatures in a volume themed “I Am” or a library of mods tied to the concept “Either/Or” with labels like “Pro/Con” and “He Said/She Said” or “Better/Worse” and “Pass/Fail.”

More staffs are working on really creating a unified verbal voice as well. The word choice, the flow, the cadence can have an amazing influence on the stories you choose to present. Just as it’s important that all of the designs feel like they work together, it’s usually best if a single writer or team provides all of the theme/concept copy. And consistency in message is equally important here; a sassy visual with concise, polite sentences will have less impact than a loud, proud Remember, the voice of the book should be strong and unified; the look accompanied by staccato sentences paired with power verbs and look, the feel, the tone, the organization and even the coverage will be concrete comparisons. united by the strongest of themes.

hARDCORE STAFFERS WROTE SECONDARY headlines tHAT WERE 10 WORDS LONG. This was not the case on every spread, but there were lots of 10-word headlines for those who sought them out.

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FIND It takes some effort, but working to

HUMAN INTEREST

STORIES by tamra mccarthy

pays big dividends in impact.

A boy gave a heart-felt presentation in his English class about losing his brother to leukemia. What began as a story about death became one about the motivating lesson of life. Students may already be telling their stories in other classes on campus — create contacts and build positive relationships with the staff on your campus; they can connect you to these stories. A teacher stopped for coffee at a local donut shop and discovered from the owners that their daughter was graduating high school a year early with a full-ride soccer scholarship to UCLA. Train your students to keep their eyes and ears open — you never know when a story might fall into your lap. A brainstorm session in yearbook class yielded a lead about two siblings whose parents had recently died. The reporter who agreed to pursue the story not only learned that the two parents perished in a freak motorcycle accident, but that their surviving children found a way to adapt to this tragic change in their lives. Don’t discount a story possibility because it may seem too sensitive. Yearbooks should not only echo the year, the school and the students — they should also give voice to the teens who read and buy them — teens of the 21st century. Traditional coverage of high school retells events of the year that students are already aware of. But often the story that needs to be told is only something that can come from the kid in the third row, four seats back. It is a staff’s responsibility to uncover the stories that matter to high school students — stories that students identify with through voice and experience. These stories break up the predictability of a yearbook and entice students to read. They breathe humanity, empathy and understanding into readers and help diversify a yearbook in a unique way. They can also enhance a book’s theme, concept, coverage and voice and make the stories of the school year much richer.

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WRITER’S BLOCK

1. IDEAS ARE EVERYWHERE. Brainstorm as a staff who you know and what you know about them. Make sure the stories you seek are relevant to the theme, concept and voice you want to communicate in your yearbook. 2. ASK FOR SUBMISSIONS. Use the daily bulletin, school website, school newspaper, Facebook, etc. to invite students to submit a summary about an interesting, emotional, life-altering or unique experience in their lives that could be considered “story worthy” for the yearbook. 3. TEACHERS KNOW STUDENTS BEST. Ask English teachers to recommend students who have shared interesting, emotional, life-altering or unique experiences in their writing. Teachers will generally pass on such information only after they have sought permission to share.

5. A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. A photograph has the ability to convey emotion, mood, narrative, ideas and messages — all of which are important elements of story telling. Just like story telling, however, great photographs don’t simply happen. Good storytellers are intentional about learning how to tell stories and practicing their craft. Human interest photos need to have something in them that grabs the attention of a viewer, something with visual and/or narrative focal points that lead the viewer into the photo. A photo should intrigue and leave a reader imagining what the photo reveals about the topic.

6. BE SENSITIVE IN SEEKING STORIES. Stories sensitive in nature, such as dealing with loss, terminal illness, addiction, etc. must be approached in a sensitive manner. The responsibility for getting permission to write or approach students about such stories and determining the viability of these 4. HAVE CONVERSATIONS. Interview the subjects of stories is generally left to the person with a familiar the stories or do what my staff identifies as “having bond or awareness of the subject. a conversation.” Often the profound details of a story develop from the one-on-one conversation (continued on next page) with the student telling the story. Staff members must be trained to be good, empathetic listeners who ask the right questions at the right time. These skills allow them to relate to their subject as a confidant establishing a sense of comfort and ease that lends to a more intimate and detailed story, and therefore captures a real sense of honesty and authenticity. It is best to record these conversations and only write down details about facial and other physical mannerisms noticed as you listen; this way you can capture the intimacy of the story.

WINGSPAN, JAMES C. ENOCHS HS, Modesto, CA Sometimes staffs imagine that all compelling stories deal with tragedy or trauma, but that is definitely not the case. Amazing experiences, passions and dreams are equalling interesting when interviewers dig deep, share details and provide insight into a subject’s interests. Features in the underclass portraits section of this book tended to be shorter and lighter, while 20 seniors were covered with full-page profiles on the pages showcasing the Class of 2010’s senior portraits.

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The three stories on this spread relate to a single idea about what motivates change for these individuals. The yearbook staff wanted to find stories about personal revolutions that students on their campus had experienced that had motivated change in their lives. The story about Jonathan Denney was first provided by a teacher after Jonathan had given an emotional in-class presentation about losing his brother to leukemia and finding motivation in his brother’s strength to accept life as it comes and live it as completely and as passionately as possible. Jonathan came in for an interview and discussed the impact his brother had on him during his short life on earth and from that interview the staff writer was able to capture the details of what motivates this young man to succeed.

The yearbook staff developed their concept of Revolution by developing four ideas that affect change: inspiration, motivation, innovation and adaptation. They found four stories for each concept and developed one of the four in a full feature spread and captured a tightly told tale for the other three stories on each of the four theme spreads. This story was discovered after a teacher stopped by a local donut shop for coffee and realized the owners had a student attending Enochs. The parents revealed that over the weekend their daughter had signed to play soccer for the UCLA Bruins. The interview lead to an in-depth story about this young lady’s life-long pursuit to play college soccer and her journey to get to that point.

This story was a part of the theme’s adaptation component — how sometimes we are forced to adapt to change rather than create that change ourselves. This story deals with loss, a very sensitive topic. It was through conversations with siblings Corey and Brianna Moore that the staff discovered the tragic loss they experienced the night their mom, dad, aunt and uncle were all killed in a freak motorcycle accident. The story is very heartbreaking but touching and reveals the power of the human spirit to overcome and the strength these kids found in each other to survive.

Y e a r b o o k DISCOVERIES

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Senior profile stories are another way to get a diverse population of students covered in your yearbook. The staff wanted these stories to also reflect the theme concept of personal revolutions. The difference between the senior profiles and the human interest stories on theme pages is that these stories include a story-telling photo to enhance the written story. These photos are taken as environmental portraits to further develop the interest in the story and capture the subject in an authentic way. Photographs can and do have a big impact on the stories you tell in a yearbook. This particular story is about a young man who, along with his brother has never really experienced what most understand as the idea of â&#x20AC;&#x153;home.â&#x20AC;? They have been homeless and in and out of foster care their entire lives. The photo was taken at an old dilapidated train yard among the rubble of the collapsing buildings. It served as a symbol of their journey in life so far.

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Originally, the mug shot was tied to a criminal’s arrest. The simple images with plain backgrounds commonly showed both a front view and a side view of a subject for the purposes of identification and historical record. Later, yearbookers borrowed the phrase “mug shot” as a synonym for class portraits and a description for small shots accompanying quotes. But there are lots of options for

THEOGONY, Hidden Valley HS, Roanoke, VA While the spread on guys’ fashion is mainly quotes with supporting photos, effort involved in obtaining great images paid off. Using both small candids and silhouetted images alongside the quotes, the staff successfully avoided plain mug shots.

Making

PORTRAITS (It’s only a crime if it’s boring.)

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PHOTO CORNER

Laconian, SALEM HS, Salem, VA The use of process colors and other theme-related graphics tied this quote package to the book’s visual voice. Even though they were only an inch or so tall, the small candids worked well as environmental portraits. North STar, Northside HS, Roanoke, VA Here, the modified teardrop used in developing the book’s overall concept came into play with duotoned portraits in some quote packages. RAMPAGES, CASA ROBLE HS, Orangevale, CA Rather than have their subjects stand against a neutral background and smile, the staff allowed quoted students to express themselves, providing some levity and personality in the yearbook. THE CRIMSON, Dupont Manual HS, Louisville, KY Three treatments set this quote bar/photo package apart from thousands of others. The fact that it looks like a comic strip may be enough to attract some readers. The use of the same color screened three different shades behind the C.O.B. portrait also attracts interest as do the speech bubbles. Paragon, Oakton HS, Vienna, VA In addition to a small candid, the staff used a smaller still portrait, which they silhouetted and placed on top of a solid colored background which picked up hues from other content on the spread.

It’s almost a given that a “portrait photographer” will provide the class photos for your yearbook. There’s lots of variety in these images, but most schools have requirements dictating some conventions such as head size, background requirements and attire. The policies for decisions such as these must be communicated in advance to the contracted portrait photographers, so this is a discussion that would be held this spring if you want to suggest changes for future books. But many current books will include hundreds of other mug shots. One of the most obvious features of a contemporary yearbook is the coverage mod that allows multiple students to speak out on a given topic. You see an array of small packages with a couple of different quotes as well as photo bars extending from the top of the page to the bottom with as many as five or six mug/quote combinations and horizontal bars of quotes with small photos that run clear throughout the book. There’s lots of research that points to the fact that students who are in the yearbook more often are more likely to buy the yearbook, so conscientious staffs are planning their coverage and designing their books to give more students a voice.

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While it would definitely be easiest to simply use the same exact photo image from the photographer’s Picture Day CD, having the same picture appear in the book twice does little to excite readers (and you can almost hear the subjects whining that “It doesn’t count if it’s the same picture.”) And it’s probably not all that much better if every person who is quoted is shown in front of the same red brick or cinder block wall. Consider, instead, some options that provide additional visual interest. You might use small candids or environmental portraits which include the subject in some telling context (lacrosse players should be in uniform, and while in action or on the field are options, you do want to be able to identify the person being quoted.) Depending on the design of your book, you might use a number of different effects on the photos of those being quoted. Any specifical effects you use should not distract from the content itself. As with most of aspects of yearbook, investing a little energy and creativity can pay off in a yearbook that earns compliments and smiles from those aware of the little details and a positive vibe from readers who notice that it all works together even if they can’t explain why they think it’s awesome!

Y eY ae ra br o boo k kD IDSI C SO CO V EV R E IREI SE S

017

Team-building Team-buildingexercises exerciseshelp help

Yearbook can be a stressful, challenging class. Our solution is to create a sense of family right away — so students feel safe and supported when deadline looms and things get tense. One of the best activities that I do to build a sense of family amongst the staff begins in June. When the new students who will be joining the staff in September are selected, and before the seniors on staff are gone, we have a large group event. It is the only time that the “old” staff and the “new” staff meet. Each graduating senior is asked to find his/her “replacement” and looks for a new staff member whose personality is similar to their own — that way we maintain the diversity of styles that is so important for the production of a yearbook. During sixth period, which is the actual yearbook class period, the new staff inductees are notified that they have been selected for the next years’ staff.

for their involvement in yearbook as they welcome in their replacements. And, of course, the inductees must wear their crowns, tattoos, etc. to school the next day! This year-end activity is followed up with a one-day Yearbook Camp which happens the week before school starts. It lasts about four hours and takes place in the yearbook room as well. The students arrive and we have a few getting-to-know-you exercises. Then, the new editors share their summer camp experience and reveal the theme for the year. The new staffers have their first chance to brainstorm ideas and learn the “rules” of the family. Then we celebrate with food — since that is a central motivator in the class!

Most importantly, for team building and motivating, is the fact that we always refer to the staff as the NOVA family. Every member of NOVA staff, past and present, tells me that this is the secret to success. We take the time to know each other, treat each other with respect, and then, coach They are also notified that they must complete the scavenger each other. For the first two weeks of class, we have daily hunt/dare list included. The hunt takes the students around activities that are focused on personality sharing, value campus to different stations. Each year, the scavenger hunt sharing and developing trust among the staff members. has a theme. One year it was a circus theme. From this solid ground, we move into creating and taking This year, it was a medieval theme. At each station the risks to produce a work of art — together. student must perform a task, receive a prize and then move on to the next station. In keeping with the medieval theme Note: It’s not too late! If you’ve started the year without this year, one station was Court Jester. The inductee had taking the time to turn your diverse group into a unified to tell a joke. Upon successful completion, the inductee team, make the effort in the next two weeks. You’ll notice a was given a tattoo. At the next station, the inductees had difference in the atmophere almost immediately. to joust with pool noodles while riding a steed (scooter). Upon successful completion, the inductee received a crown. Ask two of your most outgoing, energetic staffers to take It continues on until the last station which, of course, leads on the task of finding (there are lots of great books and the students to the classroom. you’ll find more icebreakers and teambuilders online than you can ever do) between five and 10 activities that teach/ When all the students arrive, we sit in a big circle. We reinforce different ideas in under 10 minutes. Model a quick introduce ourselves, and then play an icebreaker game. exercise one day, showing them how you can extract the The “old” staff has a chance to share wisdom with the “moral” from the group once the activity is complete and “new” staff, and the “old” staff has a sense of completion allow them to run the show for the next week or so.

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Photos by Vanessa Hernandez and Jaclyn Karasik, SERPENT, PARK VISTA HS, Lake Worth, FL

by kristen orlando

For more favorite yearbook icebreakers and teambuilders like the Human Knot, go to yearbooks.biz/go/teambuilders or use your smartphone with this enabled tag.

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1, 2,

Why is it that in some staff rooms there seems to be more drama and more confusion than others? Try these three things to make yearbook

as easy as

Tip 1: Recruit great staffers.

This seems obvious, right? No one looks to recruit lousy staffers. The key, though, is to determine how you define a “great staffer.” Personally, I place a high priority on recruiting kids with positive attitudes and solid work ethics. Sure, I look for strong writers and photographers, but not every kid who writes well makes a good staffer. It’s much easier to teach writing and photography than attitude or work ethic. If I can find a kid who is fun to be with and consistently gives their best, I can work their skills. I also explain this to my colleagues when I ask them to recommend students. On the form I send to my colleagues, below descriptors like “strong writer” and “responsible,” I have the following sentence: “A positive attitude is a must. Deadlines can be stressful, so no grumps, please.”

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Tip 2: Collect a library of amazing yearbooks as well a few… not-so-amazing yearbooks.

It’s important to have yearbooks that exemplify the best in design, coverage, photography and writing. When I teach design, for example, I show examples of effective use of typography or photo packages. When I teach the craft of writing a lead, I read examples from other books. Magazines are another fabulous resource, but students need to see the work of other students. Show them what is possible by showing them examples of what a group of committed staffers can create. Conversely, get a few books that do not reflect the best of yearbook journalism. The amazing books show staffers what strong design, coverage, photography and writing are, while the weaker books show why they are important. For example, when I teach the basics of design, I show my staffers numerous examples of beautifully designed spreads. But it’s often not until I show them a spread from a book that lacks strong design that they fully grasp the power of design. They say things like, “I don’t know where to look first.” At which point, I say, “Exactly, and that’s the purpose of good design.” Don’t underestimate the power of a weak book.

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3 by Landon wrather

Tip 3: Give everyone the Opportunity to be an editor. Once you have taught the basics of design, writing and photography and your staff has had ample practice, put their new-found knowledge to the test by letting staffers take on the role of editor. Give staffers poorly written theme copy and instruct them to re-write, with details specific to your school. Give them feature copy with dull quotes and instruct them to re-write the copy and weave in “quotable quotes” from a variety of students. Give them a layout design that needs work and instruct them to come up with 10 changes that would improve the layout. Give them a spread full of posed photos and have staffers replace the photos with candids. You get the idea. The point is, this opportunity to “edit” gives staffers the opportunity to see that they now possess a body of knowledge that they did not only a few weeks ago. It’s empowering for them, and it will make the rest of the year easier for you. Strategic selection, exposure and opportunity definitely contribute to a more enjoyable year.

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It’s the

ultimate source of staff by TOM GAYDA

info & more ADVISERS

For access to more great staff manuals, visit yearbooks.biz/go/StaffManuals or you can use this enabled tag with your smartphone. Get the free mobile app for your phone

Whether they’re looking for dates, digits or policies, it’s there. Style rules? Check. Style palettes? Perhaps. What you include is up to your leadership team. Tired of answering the same questions time and again and not having a way to best direct kids to the resources we had available, I decided to create our first staff manual several years ago. Creating a staff manual the first year took a lot of time and effort, but the results have been worth the investment. Students now have a resource full of information that helps them function faster and not waste time hunting down how we do things.

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BEYOND THE BASICS Gayda’s tome at North Central HS (114 pages for 2009-2010) is one of the most detailed and complex staff manuals out there. It’s used by all media students at the Indianapolis, IN school and also serves as a history of the publications programs. In addition to staff policies and classroom rules, the manual includes style resources, job descriptions, guidelines for travel on staff trips and more. For some of Gayda’s materials and those shared by other advisers, use your smartphone with the enabled tag on page 22 or go to yearbooks.biz/go/ staffmanuals.

“

I took some time and reviewed staff manuals in use at other schools and quickly realized they would never work for my staffs. There was nothing wrong with the other manuals, they just lacked the “fun” that I decided ours would need. So, besides the components that you would expect to see in a manual: editorial policies, codes of ethics, how-to’s and various resources, I also made the manual an almanac of North Central publications.

The staff manual has become the textbook for all publications. Each year it is updated to reflect any policy changes we have made and to add new examples of great work and ideas.”

I added a photo album, lists of all past editors-in-chief and staff members and a history of our publications.In addition, I made the VOLUME 15

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manual full-color. In order for kids to see the value in using the manual, I knew it would need to be valuable to them. As part of each senior’s final final exam, I ask those students to offer any suggestions for changes they would make in the staff manual. They are also able to offer advice to future staff members that I include in the manual.

After five years, the manual has struck a nice balance between important information and entertaining content to create something students use as a resource and keep as a memento. Y e a r b o o k DISCOVERIES

by MEGHAN PERCIVAL

becomes even more important when coverage strategies require rethinking the way work is completed.

rehearsals

auditions

With the team approach, a spread is no longer just one person’s job — it’s the team’s job. the benefitS of this ARE MANY: -more ideas for how to best cover a topic -better coverage of events -more people editing the spread, so if someone cannot cover an event, others can help pick up the slack -spreads don’t “fall through the cracks.” To learn more about mclean high school’s team assignments and organization methods, go to: www.yearbooks.biz/go/ GETTINGORGANIZED Get the free mobile app for your phone

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coverageTHEofCLAN, one acts M Lean (VA) HS c

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december

january www.yearbooks.biz

When my staff decided to tackle a chronological book for the first time, we knew we needed to rethink our staff organization. While we moved to a team approach out of necessity, the results were so positive we now can’t imagine doing a book any other way.

two team members took pictures at the dress rehearsal and a different team member attended each of the four performances. Comprehensive coverage like this rarely occurred when we assigned spreads to just one staffer — thanks to the team approach, it’s become the norm.

The biggest change when moving to the team approach is that instead of assigning one spread to one staffer, each spread is assigned to a team. Since several staffers work together to brainstorm coverage ideas, conduct interviews, write copy and captions, take pictures and design, the spread shouldn’t just be good — it should be amazing! Everyone on the team proofreads before the spread ever goes to the copy editor or EIC, allowing us to catch problems early.

An important part of implementing the team approach is having strong team leaders. Team leaders know at all times the progress that is being made and work with EICs to troubleshoot problems. They were also responsible for leading brainstorming sessions and delegating jobs.

“

Teams are a powerful motivating force for staffers. Since no one can be considered “done” until all of the spreads assigned to their team are complete, there is significant positive peer pressure for everyone to pull their weight. In addition, yearbook sales contests, deadline awards for the first team finished and a spirited Yearbook Olympics competition between teams allows team members a chance to work together and have some fun along the way.

We now can’t imagine doing a book any other way.”

Our coverage of events has improved dramatically with the team approach. For example, in covering the spring musical one member of a team covered auditions, several team members attended rehearsals,

rehearsals

encore shows

opening night

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february

march Y e a r b o o k DISCOVERIES

Some people use the WORDs “theme” and “concept” interchangably, while others see a distinct difference between the two. It’s true that both are types of whole book unifiers. And they’re not always mutually exclusive.

For decades, the best yearbooks had themes that unified each volume and distinguished it from others at the same school. Both visually and verbally, the theme created unity, appearing on the cover, endsheets, opening, dividers and closing. When it came to themes, the development tended to be very literal. Sections were generally renamed with a consistent repeating phrase (Here’s to life, Here’s to learning, Here’s to competition, Here’s to involvement, Here’s to you) or by using phrases including key words from the main theme to label the various sections. For example, a book with the theme “Going all out” might include sections titled Outstanding, Out and about, Work it out, Say it out loud and Without a doubt. SOUVENIRS, James F. Byrnes HS, Duncan, SC In a textbook example of theme development, the staff expanded on the word “us” from the theme, “It’s just us” to create titles for the traditional sections of the book. After titling the sections adventuroUS, focUS, strenuoUS, curioUS, spontaneoUS and momentoUS, the staff used the hundreds of other words ending in US to create a textured bar of type on the cover and endsheets.

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In contrast, a concept would be developed using less of a formula. There’d still be a set of visual identifiers, and the sections might be renamed. But instead of using some linguistic pattern to name the sections, the staff would find words or phrases centered around the main idea or concept. Using the concept of credit cards, one staff adopted “We Take Credit” and titled its sections Master the possibilities, The rewards are endless, Membership has its privileges, Don’t leave home without it, It pays to discover and Everywhere you want to be. As more staffs began to use concepts rather than

themes, it became clear that a concept might also be a factor in the reorganization of the yearbook’s sections. Logically, “You Think You Know, (But You Have No Idea)” had two sections and “Tri, Try Again” was a three-section book. In addition, a concept can also affect a book’s coverage plan or strategy. In reality, there’s a continuum between a pure theme and a book that’s completely conceptual. It’s becoming more and more common to develop a theme conceptually or use a thematic approach on a concept. AERIE, Brentwood School, Los Angeles, CA After the cover proclaimed “Where Brentwood happens,” it makes sense that the yearbook might not use traditional sections. Instead, the book has been divided into the various locations on campus where Brentwood happens. The endsheet’s aerial photo is layered with smaller photos of the quad, the theater, the classroom, the field and other areas which now represent the sections of the book.

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THEME CONCEPT

Rather than argue the semantics of theme versus concept, it probably makes most sense to agree that however the unifier is developed, it should relate to the school and to the year. Using concrete details to tie the theme to the school and images that scream the theme will emphasize the many ways the theme fits. It’s important that the main idea is strong both visually and verbally, and the impact is clear to the readers.

Y e a r b o o k DISCOVERIES

LACONIAN, Salem HS, Salem, VA While students in English classes may be accustomed to toting an anthology of work from class to class, few give much thought to the meaning of the word. The Laconian staff saw a collection of authentic and engaging stories as their goal and adapted the fitting label and accompanying tagline “the story of us.” In some ways, the volume’s development is absolutely thematic; traditional sections prevail and they’re labeled using only the section name as a readout of the header “the story of” creating a list: the story of student life, of academics, of clubs. Clever conceptual development is apparent throughout as well. The retro yet almost timeless pattern hinted on the cover and introduced on the endsheet inspired an array of designs that led readers through the book, alongside rich colors and decorative fonts. In addition to adding layers of coverage to content spreads, the staff incorporated jump coverage with beautiful openers, full-spread profiles and other formats into the coverage medley. The impact is significant — and the stories of Salem have been captured for all time.

And decisions like changing the number of sections in the book or altering a coverage plan have the most impact when they are driven by the theme/ concept rather than based on a whim. There’s no consensus on whether a theme or a concept is most powerful, because it’s the development of the idea that wields power and impact. Everything about a well-developed theme/concept should be a decision based on strengthening the message of the unifier.

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With the advent of digital photography, people are taking more and more pictures without the repercussions of cost. Translated into yearbook-speak: At the end of any given week, month or year, your staff will have thousands of photos to sort through in order to find that one perfect picture. There has never been more of a need than now to

properly organize your

While this system isn’t at all fool-proof, we’ve developed a plan that works — as long as your staff continues to follow it throughout the year.

photos

Our school (as I’m sure most of yours do) has a server to which everything is saved. On occasion, the server has failed or bumped us off while we are working or uploading photos. To curb that, we have become religious about saving everything to the desktop first. We plug in the camera, Adobe Bridge starts up, and we create a folder on the desktop, saving all the new photos to that folder. (If you don’t already use Bridge to organize and look through your photos, you should check into it!)

by MARK NOVOM

Every photo in the photographers’ folders is an original. Do not edit them, do not rename them, do not crop them in these folders. Once you find some photos that you want to use on the spread, copy them into the folder with the InDesign file. As you can see in screen shot 2, for the spread on “September Splash-Field” we have pictures from four different photographers on that spread (Messinger, Mengenstab, Mayerson and Bernstein). The photos you copy into the folder with the page file are the Once the photos are uploaded, unplug the camera, and delete all the photos from the camera. (Another important tip copies of the image that you open in Photoshop, that keeps your system efficient: Train your students to delete where you can crop and edit to your heart’s content. And once you finish editing them, do not rename all images and format the memory card every time they them. Just save them as they are in this folder upload!) Then begins the organization process. We have a folder on the server called “Photographers” which contains a (remember, you still have the originals saved in the separate folder for every photographer on staff. Within each photographer’s folder). student folder, are other folders labelled by event, activity or topic. The first step is to drag the folder on the desktop that Lastly, to keep track of which pictures you have used in the book (inevitably you and your staff won’t remember you saved with, let’s say, pictures of homecoming into the in March what photos you placed in September), mark student’s folder onto the server. the original photos (in the photographer’s folder) red so Open Adobe Bridge and open the folder in Bridge. To “batch you know that they have already been used. rename” all the photos in that folder, select all the photos and While this method is not 100% fool-proof (just look at choose “batch rename” in the tools tab, which will rename screen shot 2 and you’ll see several variations on all the pictures at once. We save them as event name, the simple task of renaming their photos), it’s as close as underscore, photographer, underscore, and the number of anything I can think of. My staff and I have been the picture (ie: homecoming_novom_001.jpg). Once you using this method for the past few years and it’s have done that, all your photos in the homecoming folder worked wonderfully. will be renamed and organized.

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screen shot 2

AERIE, BRENTWOOD SCHOOL Los Angeles, CA Screen shots above show the system in action. From the folders established for each deadline, there’s further division by spread. Each spread’s folder begins with the page number and includes all images being considered for use on the spreads — as well as the information necessary for accurate photo credits. Once an image is included on a spread, it’s tagged in red in the photographer’s folder, alerting others to avoid duplication.

FoR some Fun, mind-blowing folder organization, check out this vid eo:

http://tinyurl.com/37rdmm8

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WHAT A

GREAT IDEA!

YBK ETC.

When construction forced the Log yearbook staff at Columbus (IN) North HS to liquidate some back volumes last year, the staff brainstormed what to do and came up with “The World’s Largest Yearbook Yard Sale.” They scheduled

But, according to Green, the best part had to be the stories folks told the kids about how they were so their sale for two hours before the start grateful they could get a of the Homecoming game, contacted book they couldn’t afford to the local paper and aired public service buy in high school, or about announcements on two local radio how they lost their books in a stations. They spread flood, divorce, move, etc., or the word via Facebook and the school’s website about how they were going to X surprise a father, sister, friend, as well as the student daughter with it for a birthday media website. or Christmas gift. One guy, who Optional ponytail! The business staff tiered was a local history buff, paid (fold in halfbased andon place on head) $1,000 cash for 40 books from prices decades: different years! the lowest price was for the books from the 1920s through the 1950s – $20 in “as is” “In a tough economy, the X was a sweet boost condition and the books from the last four process to my kids’ budget and their years commanded the highest price: $70. morale!” said Green. “And Setting up a table across from the Athletic because the kids did the work, I just stood around Boosters Hog Roast booth, adviser Kim and smiled a lot!” Green reports that the staff really went

“

all-out with Z it, and the result was awesome. They made over $3,500!

The staff really went all-out with it, and the result was awesome. They made over $3,500!” D

LOVE LOVE THIS! THIS! Z

We recently learned that three HJ yearbooks and a pair of marketing projects have been recognized by Printing Industries of America.

The Premier Print Awards is the industry’s most prestigious international printing competition.

Y e a r b o o k DISCOVERIES

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Y In addition, Blue & Gold 2009 from UC-Berkeley; Westwind 2009 from West Henderson HS in Hendersonville, NC; and Ideas that Fly, Volume 15 each received a Certificate of Merit.

PAPERCRAFT YERD STAFF

Judges awarded Resumé 2010 from George Walton Academy in Monroe, GA and the Herff Jones Experience promotional campaign which included brochures, eBlasts, videos and web animation the Award of Recognition, which honors top finalists W in each category.

HEre’s HEre’s AA COOL COOL CLASSROOM CLASSROOM Activity! Activity! Yearbook advisers use all kinds of interesting U U techniques to motivate their staffs. Try this interactive quote wall to encourage fun discussions among staffers.>> >> Also be sure to check out the papercraft yerd included on the inside of the outer cover. Assemble << and enjoy! <<

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