Introduction to Yearbooks

What is a Yearbook?

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“Even though yearbook is a business, it should be student-driven as much as possible. The editorial staff increases the role of students and allows for excellent leadership opportunities.”

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Michele Jerrells, yearbook adviser, Murray Middle School, Stuart, Fla. Inspire Magazine, Spring 2009

Importance of the Class

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• It is the only class in high school in which you, the student, are manufacturing a product, selling your product and distributing it to your customers.

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• It is the only class where you are responsible for hitting real-world deadlines and working within a budget that can sometimes be thousands of dollars.

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Importance of the Class

• It is diverse. Photography, graphic design, journalism, marketing, finance and accounting are all major components of producing the yearbook.

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• It will challenge you to use your creativity, not only for imaginative graphic design and writing, but for innovative fundraising and marketing programs to raise money for the yearbook class.

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• It is the only class that will produce a keepsake that your classmates will treasure and keep for years.

A Yearbook is

a history book

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A permanent record of what happened at the school, good or bad

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A collection of facts that tell a story

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a record book

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Includes statistics—how many, how much, when and where

Does not contain generalities or skim over the year

Does not include condemnation or praise—a team’s record is fact

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A Yearbook is

a memory book

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Incorporates all of the events of the year

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Includes a variety of other memories

Moving through the hall in six minutes

Getting a date for homecoming

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a picture book

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“Who” pictures—identification photos like the class photos and the group and team shots

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Story-telling photos—action photos that tell stories about the year—not mugging for the camera shots

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A Yearbook is

a public relations tool

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A yearbook with quality work is a resource administrators can use to talk about the school

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What happens at your school, what students learn, how they participate are all things the administrators and the community can be proud of

a reference book

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Include as many people as possible through story-telling photos with meaningful captions

Include class photos and group and team shots

Include a complex index

• All students and faculty
• All teams, academics and organizations
• All topics

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Student Expectations

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• Come to class on time and prepared.
• Follow through with all commitments and deadlines in a timely fashion.
• Approach your tasks with professionalism. Consider your audience at all times when creating your pages.
• Adhere to the staff publication policy.
• Sign out/in when you leave the room for any reason.
• Sign out/in the cameras when you are using them.
• Treat all equipment, including cameras, rechargeable batteries, memory cards and computers with care. The equipment must be locked up before leaving class.

Student Expectations

• Keep materials tidy and organized. Before you leave class, return items to where they belong and lock them up, if necessary.
• Attend all planning and club meetings.
• Assignments should reflect the quality and accuracy of a professional publication.
• Always strive to get the best photo or story, even if that means working after hours.
• Try to interview and picture people who are not already in the yearbook.
• Submit only your best work.
• Refrain from using the computer for personal, recreational uses during class time (e.g., Facebook).
• Treat others with respect and professionalism.

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