Yearbook Questionnaire

NEED STUDENT FEEDBACK?

Getting feedback from the student body is a great way to gain students’ interest in buying a yearbook. Use the questionnaire below or develop your own — you know your student body best. Use the information you gather when planning your next yearbook to make this book something students will return to long after graduation.

1. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE OF IN THE YEARBOOK? (PLEASE CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

A. Sports
B. Student Life (Including what goes on outside of school)
C. Academics
D. Clubs and Organizations
E. More Pictures
F. More Captions
G. Me
H. Other (briefly explain)

2. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE LESS OF IN THE YEARBOOK? (PLEASE CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

A. Sports
B. Student Life (Including what goes on outside of school)
C. Academics
D. Clubs and Organizations
E. More Pictures
F. More Captions
G. Me
H. Other (briefly explain)

3. DO YOU FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT TO BUY A YEARBOOK EACH YEAR?     YES     NO

(briefly explain)

4. WOULD YOU BE MORE LIKELY TO BUY A YEARBOOK IF: (PLEASE CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

A. The price was less?
B. You could make payments?
C. You could fundraise for the price of the yearbook and/or senior recognition ad?
D. You were in it more?
E. There was more in the book that you wanted to see?
F. Other (briefly explain)

5. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THE THEME AND COVER FOR THE YEARBOOK?     YES     NO

6. PLEASE TELL US WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THIS YEAR’S BOOK ALL YOU WISH IT TO BE.

Contributed by:
Ginger Thompson
Herff Jones Sales Professional, KY

filed under:

Yearbook Cover Terminology

COVER DEFINITIONS

EMBOSSING/DEBOSSING

Embossing and debossing are the processes of creating either raised or recessed relief images and designs in the cover material. An embossed pattern is raised against the background, while a debossed pattern is sunken into the surface of the material.

Embossing is an outstanding means of enhancing a cover design that has already been defined with silkscreen or lithographic ink. Embossed designs may also be complemented with brilliant metallay or colorful foil. Dies may emboss a design on a portion of the cover, a richly textured grain pattern over the entire surface or both

METALLAY

Metallay is a metal material that can be applied to an embossed area on your cover design. This application is available in silver or gold. Metallay dies are generally more costly than embossing dies because a very sharp and strong cutting edge must be built into the die to cut through the metal material.

FOIL STAMPING

Foil is a fine, durable metallic material that can be applied to smooth or lightly grained cover surfaces. Foil adds an excellent touch to any cover design. Herff Jones foils are available in a variety of solid color and sparkling patterned foils. A die that makes a slightly recessed impression is required for foil stamping. It is not as costly as metallay or embossing dies.

SILKSCREEN

Silkscreening is an economical means of reproducing line artwork or direct line photography in one or more colors. Silkscreening inks are generally opaque, but some are translucent and will change color when applied to a colored base material. Your Herff Jones Representative can show you swatches of silkscreen colors on acetate; examine them closely for opacity before making a final decision on color.

LITHOGRAPHY

Lithography allows use of full-color photography, multicolored artwork and photo mechanical special effects as cover designs. All Litho covers are gloss laminated for protection of the ink. Additional lamination options include Matte and Specialty Lamination. Lithographic inks are translucent, and authentic full-color reproduction can only be achieved on a white base material. Applying lithographic ink to colored cover material will alter the shade of the ink.

SPECIAL DECORATIVE PROCESSES

• TOP-FOIL STAMPING involves the application of foil to a raised level of an embossed design. Like embossing, foil is applied with heat and pressure, necessitating a stamping die and a counter die under the cover to prevent the embossing area from being flattened when the foil is applied.

• BLIND EMBOSSING is an embossed design that is not decorated with silkscreen color, metallay or top-foil stamping, leaving only the raised and recessed areas of the design.

• OVERGRAINING involves the impression of a grain over a litho design or a silkscreen design that is not already embossed.

• OVERTONE RUB requires a special lacquer applied by hand into the recessed areas of a grain pattern or embossed element, giving an antique appearance. The application of overtone rub is not recommended for silktouch base materials due to the porous texture of the finish. Overtone spot rub is the same process, but the rub is applied in a select area only.

• QUARTERBINDING is the vertical division of the front cover into two sections, each with a different base material, or decorated with a different process.

• PADDING involves the use of a special binder’s board that gives a cushiony feel to covers.

• COVER TIP-ONS are images or graphics printed on a press and then applied (“tipped-on”) to a debossed area on the cover. Tip-ons require a debossed area to protect the edges/corners of the tip-on. This process requires either a standard or custom die.

• PLASTIC JACKETS are totally transparent, and protect cover designs from wear and handling. They are available from Herff Jones in all book sizes, and are designed to fit a book with any number of pages.

filed under:

Create a Staff Recruitment Plan

BUILDING A TEAM

Don’t tell anyone, but yearbook advisers are really more like coaches than teachers.

Like coaches, yearbook advisers provide training in fundamentals and skills, they motivate and challenge, and they stress teamwork. They arrange schedules and plan for “practices.” They evaluate their personnel and assign positions based on talent and skill level. They fret over obtaining and maintaining essential equipment, and they are always worried about funding, budgets and receipts. Some even take their “team” to summer camp.

Yearbook advisers might enjoy what they are doing more and stick with it longer if they would think of themselves more as coaches. When coaches don’t have the talent they need, they go out and look for it. In other words, they recruit (for our purposes, we will assume they follow the rules!). In the long term, implementing a carefully planned, deliberate staff recruitment plan can make the yearbook adviser’s job much easier and improve the overall quality of a publication. By recruiting and then retaining a multi-talented and diverse group of students, an adviser can build a yearbook staff into a yearbook journalism program.

Recruiting begins with an application process. Each adviser’s situation is different, so the process will differ from school to school. Our recruitment plan begins each year in late February or early March when I send teams of yearbook and newspaper students to our feeder middle school to make presentations to all the eighth-grade language arts classes. The students explain the benefits of studying journalism and working on a publication staff. They show off our publications and emphasize the real-life skills that students gain from working with the latest desktop publishing equipment, from meeting deadlines and doing interviews, and from collaborating with a variety of other students. It doesn’t hurt that they talk about our trips to national scholastic journalism conventions and the opportunities for recognition and awards to put on their college applications. We have a Quill and Scroll honor society chapter as one way of recognizing scholastic journalists. We also enter a number of competitions at the state, regional and national level to provide opportunities for students to earn recognition for their work.

In my early years as an adviser, I only had my students make presentations to honors-level classes at the middle school, but I soon realized that this strategy did not result in the diversity that I wanted and that my staff needed. There are enough jobs to be done in creating a yearbook that it is counterproductive to have 20 high achievers who all want to have their own way. A room full of creative geniuses might come up with cutting edge ideas, but they might never get the work finished to meet a deadline. A staff of really popular athletes and cheerleaders might not have any difficulty doing interviews, but they might not have the time to stay after school to get their work done.

After I collect the applications from the eighth grade students, I send recommendation forms to their teachers. I ask the teachers to evaluate the students on their creativity, their writing ability, their maturity level and their ability to work with others. When I have a large number of applicants, I sometimes do interviews before I can make my final decisions. Over the years we have made it so special to be selected for a high school publication staff that the eighth graders eagerly await the day when the lists are posted.

At the same time, I am taking applications from the rising ninth graders, I start announcements encouraging students already at the high school to come by the staff room to pick up an application. I talk to my fellow English teachers, our art teacher, our guidance counselors and our business teachers, asking for the names of students I might want to recruit personally. I send these students an application with a personal note telling them that their teachers have told me about their special interests and skills that they might want to contribute to our yearbook staff.

Diversity is important in several respects. I want students from every grade level so that we will know the interests/opinions of all the different age groups in our school. I want top academic students who have strong writing skills, and I want students who like to work hard completing the many small jobs that make a big difference in whether or not our yearbook is completed on time. I want popular students, but I also want thoughtful, creative students who have time to make a commitment to our program. I want students who understand the “big picture,” but I also want students who can focus on the details.

Having a diverse staff pays off. Yearbook sales improve when the yearbook is inclusive — when we include as many students as possible in the book through photography, copy and alternative copy. A diverse staff can produce a publication that more closely mirrors the diversity of a student body. Coverage is inevitably better when we have a wide range of interests and backgrounds represented on the staff.

Many of my students remain on staff all four years of their high school career. I retain these students by providing new challenges and leadership opportunities and advanced skill development. As their skills and commitment increase, they take ownership of their publication. We know from practical experience as well as research that the students who get the most out of high school are the students who feel like they “belong.” After a year or two on staff, my students know that the yearbook room is truly where they belong.

Recruitment is important to coaches and yearbook advisers because both rely on the commitment of participants to produce a team effort. Both need a variety of talents and skills in order to succeed. Yearbook advisers don’t have to count wins and losses, but they do need support from school administrators and the community. Yearbook advisers could sure use a whistle every now and then when the staff room gets a little out of control, but thank goodness they don’t have to wear sweaty T-shirts and polyester stretch pants.

Contributed by:
Brenda Gorsuch, yearbook adviser
West Henderson High School, NC

filed under:

Choose a Colorful Yearbook Staff

TRUE COLORS

It seems like only yesterday that the principal called me into her office. The yearbook program was in debt. The former staff had never made a deadline. The yearbook always arrived late. She told me that our school would be laying off teachers in the spring and that keeping my job depended on my doing the yearbook. My own children were young and I couldn’t work long hours after school. I had never worked on a yearbook before and I had no idea where to begin…

THE KEY TO SUCCESS

Today, as I look back on my five years as a yearbook adviser, I realize that my staff never missed a deadline. Our program made money every year and our book won awards. But most of all, we had fun. I loved advising the yearbook, but what made it so wonderful for me were the relationships that developed among our yearbook staff. Choosing the right students was the key to a successful yearbook program.

Before taking on the responsibilities of the yearbook class, I was fortunate to attend a True Colors^® seminar on personality typing that was offered by my yearbook rep. Personality typing has been studied since Hippocrates first proposed the theory that people are intrinsically different. In 1978, based on the work of Hippocrates, Carl Jung, Myers-Briggs and David Keirsey, Don Lowry, the founder of True Colors, developed a fun and easy-to-understand system of personality typing which identifies four basic personality types: Gold, Blue, Green and Orange.

WHAT COLOR AM I?

We can all relate to people with whom we have similar likes and dislikes, but trying to understand those people who appear to be our polar opposites can sometimes be a challenge. With True Colors, students simply prioritize four different cards in order of their preferences to determine which is their strongest personality color.
The use of colors instead of other monikers makes it easy for yearbook staffers and the adviser to understand each other’s personalities. By understanding the core character traits of each student, members of the yearbook staff can value each other’s differences and develop unity. But what do these “colors” mean?

A GOLD STUDENT is task-oriented and is organized, detail-oriented, dependable, on-time and accurate. Gold students follow the rules and are great at completing tasks and making deadlines. These are the students who want to know what is expected of them and what the requirements are for the class.

To improve the work environment for GOLD students:

• Assign work that requires detailed planning and careful follow-through
• Define the tasks in clear and concrete terms
• Be punctual and reliable
• Provide a well-structured, stable work environment and avoid abrupt changes
• Give standard rules and regulations and set a good example
• Let them share in the responsibilities and duties of their workplace and take their work ethic seriously
• Praise their neatness, organizational capabilities and efficiency
• Give feedback every step of the way to reassure them that they are on the right track
• Recognize their need to be straightforward, dependable, responsible and business-minded
• Give tangible recognition for their work

A BLUE STUDENT is people-oriented and is optimistic, empathetic, friendly, imaginative and abstract. Blue students prefer an atmosphere of cooperation and do not like conflict. Blue students need to be valued and respected. They are great motivators and enjoy interacting with others. They do their best work when working with others rather than working alone.

To improve the working environment for BLUE students:

• Create a warm and personal working atmosphere
• Interact as much as possible with openness and honesty
• Establish a harmonious work environment and avoid conflict and hostility
• Show your support, caring and appreciation by offering frequent praise
• Allow them the freedom to express feelings and the time to heal emotional wounds
• Make use of their natural gifts for communication, nurturing and people-oriented ideas
• Praise their imaginative and creative approach to the job
• Provide them with one-on-one feedback

A GREEN STUDENT is idea-oriented and is probing, abstract, curious, logical and conceptual. Green students might question just about everything in their quest for “why” and “how.” They often prefer to work independently and they need to be challenged. They can also be very demanding of themselves because they set their expectations very high.

To improve the working environment for GREEN students:

• Assign projects which require analytical thinking and problem solving
• Discuss your “big picture” with them and elicit their universal outlook
• Inspire them with futuristic ideas and potentialities
• Respect their inclination to go beyond the established rules of the system
• Allow them the freedom to improve the system
• Take their ideas to the next step and encourage them to think independently
• Praise their inventiveness and their ingenuity
• Understand their need to avoid redundancy and repetitive tasks
• Recognize and appreciate their competence on the job

An ORANGE STUDENT is action-oriented and thrives on freedom and adventure. Orange students are playful and energetic and perform best in non-structured, spontaneous environments. They love action and they love to have fun. Orange students can be flexible, and are often great trouble-shooters and negotiators. They enjoy competition but may lack focus to complete detailed assignments and will bore easily with paperwork or repetitious tasks.

To improve the working environment for ORANGE students:

• Assign projects which are action-packed and which require a hands-on approach
• Provide opportunities to be skillful and adventurous
• Let them use their natural abilities as negotiators
• Give them the freedom to do the job in their own style and in a non-traditional way
• Help them keep a good sense of humor and avoid boredom while on the job
• Encourage them to use their gifts of originality and flair
• Provide opportunities for job competition
• Allow freedom of movement and understand their preference for action over words
• Praise their performance and skillfulness while on the job

PUTTING TRUE COLORS TO WORK FOR YOU AND YOUR STAFF

Confucius said: “Choose a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Imagine a year where your students rush to your classroom with excitement and enthusiasm. Imagine a year without staff conflict, a year where deadlines are met and a year that is as memorable as the yearbook itself.

This can be accomplished by empowering your students to perform to their maximum capabilities and by creating an environment that will not only acknowledge individual differences but will also foster students’ self-esteem. How can you do this? By assigning your yearbook staffers jobs that match their personality types and by improving the working environment for each color type, the process of creating the yearbook will be enjoyable for all.

By applying the simple principles of True Colors to the tasks necessary to complete a yearbook, you will find that not only will your students be happier and perform better, but that you too will have an enjoyable, stress-free year.

Find out how to make True Colors a part of your program by visiting truecolorsintl.com.

Contributed by:
Jane Roehrig
Herff Jones Sales Professional, CA

filed under:

Team-Building & Ice Breaker Ideas

15-20 MINUTE TEAM-BUILDING

THE HUMAN KNOT
MATERIALS: NONE

Separate the participants into groups of eight. (Six and ten also work, but eight is the ideal number.)
Ask each group to stand in a circle.
With their right hands extended, each member should clasp hands with another participant.
With their left hands, each member should clasp hands with a different participant. The result is one giant knot of hands in the middle of the circle.
Challenge the group to untangle themselves without letting go of hands. If they need a hint, remind the participants to think three-dimensionally (they can climb over and under hands).
For advanced groups or groups who finish quickly, ask them to do the activity again without talking.

THE HUMAN KNOT DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

What was your initial reaction when you heard the task?
Did one person take over as the leader or was it a group effort?
How did you communicate and give instructions?
How does this reflect life in your journalism room? (everyone needs to work together; each person plays an equal role in production; you need to communicate things clearly without dropping what you are doing to do it for them)
How does this activity relate specifically to your job or position?

10-15 MINUTE ICE BREAKER

I LIKE PEOPLE WHO…
MATERIALS: A CHAIR FOR EACH PERSON

Ask all of the participants to form a circle with their chairs.
As the leader, begin the game by standing in the middle of the chairs.
Explain that the person in the middle must introduce himself in the following format: “My name is ____ and I like people who…” and they will fill in the blank with something like “are wearing blue jeans” or “have an older sibling.”
Anyone in the circle who fits the description must stand up and move to a different chair. The last person standing continues with “My name is ____ and I like people who…” and so on.
Encourage the participants to be creative and look beyond the physical aspects of the group.

I like to use this game as an introduction to a workshop or when some members of the group are new. Rather than spotlight the new people, this game makes everyone the center of attention at some point and also requires that everyone introduce themselves in a fun format. This is a good energizer since it gets everyone moving around.

As the leader, you can manipulate the direction of the game by purposely stalling until you are the last person standing in the center. Do this if the group is getting too silly or too boring. You can always use “I like people who haven’t been in the center of the circle yet” as a way to get new people involved. When you are ready to end the game, this also gives you an easy way to conclude and provide instructions before your next event.

5-10 MINUTE TEAM-BUILDING

THE GROUP SIT-IN
MATERIALS: NONE

Ask the participants to form a circle, turning one direction so that each person gets toe-to-heel with the person in front of them.
Explain to the group that on the count of three, everyone will ease back to sit on the lap of the person behind them. (Be sure to tell them that this is not like plopping on the couch to watch TV; this should be an easy lean backward. Also, note that this activity often does not work well with young participants.)
Usually, some portion of the circle will lose balance and fall, probably laughing hysterically.
For advanced groups who can hold the sitting position for some period of time, try the next step—walking. Once in the sitting position, instruct the group to shuffle their feet on command: left, right, left, etc. The result is nothing short of hilarious.

THE GROUP SIT-IN DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

I like to use this game as a conclusion to a seminar, and thus, without any serious discussion. You could go into what it takes to work together and why it is important to trust the other staff members, but I prefer to leave it at simply a fun… and funny… game.

filed under:

Yearbook and Copyright Law

A HERFF JONES GUIDELINE TO COPYRIGHT LAW

COPYRIGHT LAW – THE BASICS

“Wouldn’t our yearbook look great with the Tasmanian Devil^® on the cover?”

“Let’s put the lyrics from a popular song on the endsheet.”

“That photo of the President would really finish out the current events section.”

Yes, you may think you have some great ideas for your yearbook, but, have you stopped to consider whether you have the legal right to include any of these works in your publication? Every yearbook staff should be familiar with the basics of copyright law.

Copyright law protects the works of authors, including original literary, musical and dramatic works. Photographs, advertisement designs and cartoon characters are protected as well. The government established copyright law to reward and stimulate the creation of these works, and to encourage their use for public benefit.

A copyright protects the way in which a creator expresses his or her idea, but not the actual idea or facts behind the idea. For example, an event like a news conference cannot be copyrighted, but a reporter can copyright his or her article about the event.

Copyright protection is unavailable for names, titles of books and movies, slogans and short advertising expressions.

ONLY THE CREATOR OF A COPYRIGHTED WORK OR THE OWNER OF A COPYRIGHT IS LEGALLY ALLOWED TO REPRODUCE, PERFORM, DISPLAY, DISTRIBUTE COPIES OF OR CREATE VARIATIONS OF A WORK. ANY UNAUTHORIZED USE OF A COPYRIGHTED WORK IS COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT. IF YOU INCLUDE A PIECE OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL IN YOUR YEARBOOK WITHOUT OBTAINING PERMISSION FROM THE COPYRIGHT OWNER, YOU CAN BE SUED FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT.

WHEN IS A WORK COPYRIGHTED?

A work is automatically copyrighted when it is completed or placed into a “fixed” form. For example, a photograph is copyrighted. A design or a literary work is copyrighted once it is placed on paper or saved on a computer. An original work does not have to be published to receive copyright protection.

A PHOTOGRAPH, DESIGN WORK AND LITERARY WORK ARE EXAMPLES OF MATERIAL THAT ARE AUTOMATICALLY COPYRIGHTED WHEN COMPLETED OR PLACED INTO A “FIXED” FORM.

Be sure to obtain permission before you include any of the following items in your yearbook or other student publication:

• photos clipped or scanned from newspapers or magazines
• excerpts from books or magazines
• cartoon characters or student drawings of a popular character (Mickey Mouse®, for example)
• photos of characters from movies or television
• CD or album cover artwork
• magazine cover artwork, logos or graphics
• song lyrics, phrases or lines from songs
• works of art (painting or literature, unless in public domain)
• all other creative works

This also applies to electronically scanning a copyrighted picture, character, etc., and making your own alterations to it using a computer. Even though you may be creating something that looks different from the original protected work, you should obtain permission from the copyright owner. This is the only way to be 100% certain that reproducing the work will not result in a copyright infringement lawsuit. If you have doubts about whether it is necessary to obtain permission to use an item, consult your school’s attorney.

FAIR USE

There are some exceptions to a copyright owner’s exclusive rights to his or her creative works, such as “fair use.” However, these exceptions are easily misunderstood and often misinterpreted. Also, copyrights do not last forever and older works once protected by copyright may now be in the public domain. However, the rules of copyright duration are complicated and it is often difficult to determine when a work is no longer protected by copyright. To be safe, you should not rely on these exceptions or assume a work is in the public domain. Instead, it is best to seek permission to use all creative works.

OBTAINING PERMISSION TO USE COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL

To obtain permission to reproduce a copyrighted item, you must contact the copyright owner. The copyright information on the item should contain the name of the copyright owner or the wording requested by the copyright owner when permission is granted to use the material.

Hints for locating copyright information:

• Book: look on the title page or on the back of the title page
• Cartoon Characters: see material or merchandise where the characters appear
• Photographs: look at the caption
• CDs: look at the printed material with the disk

To obtain permission to reprint a work from a record company or a publishing company, the American Association of Publishers recommends writing to the permissions department of the company and supplying:

• the title, author or editor of the work and the date of publication
• a photocopy of the work, if possible, or a description of exactly what is to be used
• the number of copies that will be made
• why the copied material will be used
• whether the material will be sold
• how the copied material will be distributed
• how the material will be reprinted (photocopy, typeset, etc.)

Be sure to allow ample time when you are requesting permission to reproduce a work. It can take months to receive a reply and to negotiate with the copyright holder.

THE HERFF JONES POLICY

If you are using a work in your yearbook that is protected by copyright and you have obtained written permission from the owner to reproduce it, submit a photocopy of that proof of permission to Herff Jones with your pages.

Much copyrighted material is not universally known. Ultimately, only you know whether the material in your yearbook is your own original work. If Herff Jones happens to recognize copyrighted material for which proof of permission has not been furnished, we will notify you of the possibility of copyright infringement. If in doubt, check it out! This is to protect both you and Herff Jones from possible copyright infringement and litigation resulting from infringement.

Your Printing Agreement with Herff Jones provides that you assume all legal liability for failure to obtain permission to use copyrighted material.

IN CONCLUSION

Copyright law involves intangible, intellectual property. It is often complicated and can be interpreted in different ways by different individuals. If you plan to include anything in your yearbook that is not your own, such as a photo, a song lyric or a cartoon character, it is always best to consult the owner of the copyright.

• For more information about copyright issues, contact:

• Student Press Law Center

• 1101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1100

• Arlington, VA 22209-2275

• Telephone: 703.807.1904

www.splc.org

Herff Jones always recommends that a school confer with its attorney prior to submitting material that may be copyrighted.

This guideline is provided as a courtesy to customers of Herff Jones, Inc. It is not intended to be used in lieu of the advice of a qualified attorney.

SOURCES:
Copyright Law: A Primer, Student Press Law Center Report, Winter 1988-89, pp. 34-36.

Lanquist, Jr. Edward D., Patent, Copyright and Trademark Law for the General Practitioner
Answering Questions and Dispelling the Myths, 1993.

filed under:

The Purpose of Yearbook

In the children’s book Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox, a young boy searches for ways to find lost memories for an old woman who had lost her own. Through his persistent questions and vivid imagination, he inspires her to remember events from her past.

A yearbook should allow any reader to do the same when it is visited years later. But let’s be honest. The most thorough inspection any yearbook is going to get happens within hours and days of the distribution of that book. Years later, specific spreads and certain people may be revisited, but few people spend their time reading every article; they are too busy with the latest best-seller or iPod download.

Clearly, the memories a yearbook captures must be as relevant in May or August when the book comes out as in 20 or 30 years. So many events occur during a school year that scenes from Homecoming seem like a distant memory in May, especially after Prom.

With that in mind, what is the real purpose of the yearbook? With blogs and Facebook and easily shared digital photos, why do people still care about the yearbook? Is it the perfect place, as the daughter of a friend claims, to write heartfelt sentiments about friendship? Is it the proper forum to address controversial issues? And is it an accurate reflection of the people who not only immersed themselves into sports and clubs, but also of those who chose more diverse interests?

The straightforward answer is that the yearbook is a publication that reflects the events and lives of people involved with a school during that given year. Historically, yearbooks were little more than picture books, often including literary works and art. With the explosion of desktop publishing in the last few decades, yearbooks have become even more journalistic, reflecting not only the design and photographic capabilities now available, but including coverage that showcases everything from reporting of events to first-person profiles.

In these ways, the yearbook still fulfills some standard roles: it is a memory book, a history book, a record book, and/or a reference book. Some also believe that it is a public relations tool for that particular school. While a yearbook should be all of the above, I would like to add three adjectives to the list of things a yearbook should be: honest, thorough and accurate.

These descriptors may, at first glance, seem contradictory. For example, some believe that you cannot provide honest coverage and still serve as a “public relations” tool. But the beauty of the yearbook is that the students can choose to cover the topics in student life that reflect their student body without feeling an obligation to cover every aspect of their lives. While not every area must be covered, one that should be included is any world-changing event. I looked at scores of books after 9/11 to see how staffs chose to record and localize this life-altering event. What shocked me most was that some staffs chose to not cover it at all. The yearbook, when used as a reference and history book, should allow future generations to do more than check out weird hairstyles and outdated clothing.

HONEST

If the baseball team lost every game that year and the coach quit mid-season, that must be covered. Honestly. That does not mean that those two facts need to be the lead or even the focus of the copy. Instead, the staff may choose to focus on the resiliency of the athletes, the work ethic of those who came to two-a-day practices, the bonding activities that kept the team together, whatever made those student athletes show up each day despite the record or the absent coach. That is honest coverage.

I also believe that yearbooks can be honest about controversial topics such as teen pregnancy, drug or alcohol abuse and non-conventional families and still be a public-relations tool. This is where great reporting, sound journalistic standards and individual stories come into play. Rather than merely state that 67 percent of all students are drinking at least once a month, an article might feature a student who is recovering from an accident involving a drunk driver. That statistic can then become part of a first-person profile that celebrates the recovery of that injured student. The reporting is still honest, the topic is still covered, and a student’s story is told in a way that can have far-reaching effects on others.

THOROUGH

When I took over the Overland yearbook program in the middle of a school year, most of the book had already gone to press. I discovered that, because students had been producing the book in the absence of an adviser, the book had some serious flaws: no academic section (The kids thought that section was boring.), no band pictures (They didn’t care for the instructor.) and no cheerleaders (I think jealousy played a role there!). That never happened again. While not every event can be covered, the major ones must be, as must all active clubs and all academic areas. If possible, every student in the school should be pictured at least once.

Coverage includes more than a photograph and a caption. Coverage includes interviewing, reporting and writing. Good coverage includes attending events or club meetings or games. Great coverage is what allows a book to truly serve as a memory book.

ACCURATE

There is simply no excuse for getting the facts wrong. For the yearbook to be a historical and reference book, the staff must make sure names are spelled correctly, that people are identified in the photos, that the win-loss record for each sports team is listed and that quotes are real and not fabricated.

While these guidelines fit the purpose of the yearbook, I want to add one more thought: the purpose of (“the” intentionally deleted) yearbook.

When I think of the purpose of the yearbook, it is clear that the book itself is an important, permanent document for that year. However, when I think of the “purpose of yearbook,” it is perfectly clear that the process of publishing that book offers an opportunity for students to learn so much—not only about journalism, but about life.

At a spring JEA/NSPA national convention held in San Francisco, one adviser confided that she felt guilty having students take yearbook class because they had so many other obligations competing for their time. I disagreed, respectfully but passionately. I believe that being on the yearbook staff offers students far more rewards than any other commitment they might make in high school.

Yearbook students learn to write for an audience. They learn great picture taking skills. They learn to play well with others. They learn to close a sale. They learn to celebrate each others’ achievements. They learn to meet deadlines. They learn to make friends. They learn to be honest and thorough and accurate.

Just as Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge taught a friend to remember, we will do well to remember just why it is we choose to be involved with yearbooks. There is so much we can all learn from each other.

Contributed by:
Kathy Daly
Retired Herff Jones Special Consultant
Former JEA Yearbook Adviser of the Year

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Creating a Ladder for Traditional Coverage

WHAT IS A LADDER

Just as you would never attempt to build a house without blueprints, you should never begin a yearbook without a ladder. “Ladder” is the yearbook term for a page-by-page diagram showing the yearbook’s contents. Spring is a perfect time to plan the next year’s ladder while recent challenges are fresh in your mind. The number of pages to include in the book is based on financial considerations and the number of students at the school. Once you determine the number of pages in the book, you must choose the content for each page. Thoroughly filling out the ladder diagram in detail creates a blueprint for your book.

THE PROCESS FOR PLANNING YOUR LADDER

1. DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF PAGES IN YOUR YEARBOOK

It’s most common to begin with the number of pages in your previous book. If you know there will be significantly more or fewer students/clubs/sports/events, you should check with your rep about changing the page count.

2. SUBTRACT THE NUMBER OF PAGES NEEDED FOR THEME PAGES

Theme pages include the title page, the last page, the opening and closing spreads, and the divider pages for each section.

3. DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF PAGES NEEDED FOR THE PEOPLE SECTION

To calculate the number of pages necessary for the people section, answer the following questions:

• How many students are in each grade at your school?
• How many panel pictures will fit on each page?
• How many faculty will be photographed?

Do the math to determine the number of pages needed in the people section. Be sure to leave space on each people spread to include a feature article, candid photo and headline or an alternative copy treatment such as a poll, survey or quiz. If there are seniors enrolled at your school, will their photos be larger in size or treated differently? They may need to fit within complete signatures if, for example, you opt to set them apart with glossy UV coating.

4. DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF PAGES NEEDED FOR SPORTS

Allow one complete spread for each varsity sport, including cheerleading. Allow one spread to be shared by JV teams or JV and freshman teams. For example, girls JV volleyball might share a spread with boys JV volleyball. Freshmen and JV football could be combined on one spread.

5. DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF PAGES NEEDED FOR CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS

Before you can come up with the plan for coverage of school groups, you need a complete list of all organizations from the activities director. Check previous books to determine whether co-curricular groups like bands, choir, orchestra, newspaper, yearbook, ROTC and others have been covered in this section or academics. Some schools assign major groups a full spread and create spreads where they can cover like clubs (all honoraries, all service clubs, all class councils) together on a single spread. Others allocate pages in a reference section for all group photos plus brief factoids and do spreads on topics like initiation, leadership, competition, meetings and fundraisers in the coverage section, making sure that all groups are included and none are over-covered.

6. DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF PAGES NEEDED FOR ADS/INDEX

Use last year’s book as a guide for estimating the number of pages needed for the ads/index section.

7. DISTRIBUTE THE REMAINING PAGES AMONG THE OTHER SECTIONS OF THE YEARBOOK

Below is an example for a 232-page book:

– 16 theme pages (includes title page, last page, one opening spread, one closing spread and five divider spreads)

– 16 senior pages (192 seniors total ÷ 12 portraits/page, plus additional coverage)

– 10 junior pages (250 juniors total ÷ 50 portraits/2 pg spread, plus additional coverage)

– 8 sophomore pages (200 soph. total ÷ 50 portraits/2 pg spread, plus additional coverage)

– 10 freshmen pages (250 freshmen total ÷ 50 portraits/2 pg spread, plus additional coverage)

– 4 faculty pages (60 faculty total ÷ 30 portraits/2 pg spread)

– 42 sports pages (a total of 21 spreads)

– 20 clubs & organizations pages ( a total of 10 spreads)

– 18 ads and index pages

___________

144 pages

This leaves 88 remaining pages to be used for coverage of academics and student life as well as any other additions you imagine. Remember that it’s your responsibility to create an all-inclusive record of the year that can be returned to long after graduation. If it’s an official club or sport, it should be included somehow. Many schools also set the goal of including all students and faculty at least once in addition to their portrait; some go as far as suggesting that everyone on campus will be in the yearbook at least three times.

color planning for books that are not all color

Yearbooks are printed in groups of 16 pages called signatures. Every signature is made up of two flats of 8 pages called Flat A and Flat B. Color placement is determined by signature or flat.

You could choose to print Flat A, Flat B or both flats of any signature in color. In Example A, pages 1, 4–5, 8–9, 12–13 and 16 comprise Flat A and pages 2–3, 6-7, 10–11 and 14–15 comprise Flat B.

It is important that you place the color in your yearbook carefully. A ladder diagram can help you plan your color pages. Let’s say, for example, only one flat (eight pages) of color is to be used in the first 16 pages of a book and the title page needs to be in color.

The title page is on Flat A; so, pages 1, 4-5, 8-9, 12-13 and 16 would print in color. For our example, pages 2-3, 6-7, 10-11 and 14-15 would print in black and white. In Example B, Flat A is shown in blue and Flat B is shown in green.

Example A
16 pages in one signature
8 pages in one flat
2 flats in one signature
Flat A = pages 1, 4-5, 8-9, 13-13 and 16
Flat B = pages 2-3, 6-7, 10-11 and 14-15

Example B
A ladder showing two signatures.
Each signature is separated visually and
each flat is denoted by color. The blue lines
indicate Flat A of each signature and the
green lines indicate Flat B.

VOCABULARY REVIEW

CLOSING

Final pages of the yearbook (typically one to three pages) where the theme is concluded.

FLAT

Eight pages on one side of a signature. In the first signature of the yearbook, for example, pages 1, 4–5, 8–9, 12–13 and 16 make up one flat. Pages 2–3, 6–7, 10–11 and 14–15 make up the other flat.

LADDER

A page-by-page listing of the yearbook’s contents. Yearbook staffs use the ladder to stay organized and to plan for deadlines.

OPENING

The first one or two spreads of the yearbook which introduce the theme.

SIGNATURE

A 16-page sheet of paper stock made up of two sides or 8-page flats. Yearbooks are printed in signatures which are then folded, stitched and trimmed, then collated.

SPREAD

Two facing or side-by-side pages in the yearbook such as 2–3, 4–5, 6–7, etc.

TITLE PAGE

Page one of the yearbook. It should include the name of the book, the name of the school, the complete school address, the volume number and year. The school telephone number, web address, enrollment and other details are also required information that give the volume value through the years.

DOWNLOAD EDITABLE PDF LADDER

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Cause and Effect

Adviser Mary Kay Downes’ knowledge of and passion for yearbook earns her the coveted teacher inspiration award

Mary Kay Downes, MJE, prides herself on being in the know.

She’s advised the Chantilly High School yearbook for more than 30 years.

She is the district mentor for journalism teachers in Fairfax County, Virginia. It seems she knows everyone in scholastic journalism, so she’s often among the first to hear any scholastic journalism news.

But this surprised her.

“It was a work day, and I was in another teacher’s classroom, working on some curriculum, when my phone started blowing up,” Downes said.

She found out she was being honored with JEA’s Linda S. Puntney Teacher Inspiration Award, an honor for motivating a pursuit of journalism education as well as longevity and achievement of other advisers.

Nobody else was surprised by the news.

“First, [on the phone] was Leslie Dennis from [the Southern Interscholastic Press Association]. I was shocked, overwhelmed and I got emotional,” Downes said. “The teacher I was working with was concerned. She asked if I needed help — and I just laughed and let her know it was all good, in a crazy way. I had no idea.”

At Chantilly High School Abby Lee, Vietthao Ho, Mary Kay Downes, Nicole Re and Nia Hoq review the cover proof for the 2019 Odyssey. Photo by Kimberly Lee

Advisers with whom she’s worked cite her as a generous expert, a guru of foundational skills and a coach for advisers and editors alike. She already has a list of awards a mile long. Among those, CSPA’s Gold Key, NSPA’s Pioneer Award, JEA’s Medal of Merit and National Yearbook Adviser of the Year honors, as well as an array of state and regional nods.

After falling in love with pubs as a college creative, she taught for years before returning to yearbook in 1987. Since 1995, the Odyssey yearbook has won 17 awards in NSPA’s Pacemaker competition and 12 Crown honors from CSPA. In addition, the book has earned four consecutive Col. Charles E. Savedge awards.

Nominated for the honor by a former editor, Katie Eklund Frazier, CJE, who now advises in Texas, and Val Kibler, MJE, JEA’s vice president, who also advises in Virginia, Downes’ nomination included letters from students and peers she has inspired.

Honored at the spring JEA/NSPA convention, Downes will also address attendees at the annual JEA Advisers’ Institute in July.

“I was humbled by the comments and compliments,” she said. “Ours is a world filled with many great teachers who could be honored in this way.”

MORE FROM THE QUEEN

Learn about years of yearbooking from the legendary MKD on the season two premiere of our podcast, Mind the Gutter podcast.

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Yearbook is for Life

Hear it from Ann

While the language varies, it’s no surprise so many people in the yearbook world share common sentiments. There’s a nearly universal dread as deadlines somehow become more difficult at the end. Everyone is busy and tired — maybe overwhelmed.

Complicated by unpredictable weather and sources who don’t share our sense of urgency, there are days when the end cannot come soon enough.

Even once the book is completed, there are few days off to celebrate, recoup and regroup before the staff is ready to go again — working to sell out before books arrive, planning for supplement coverage, scheming a distribution event, taking care of contest/critique and end-of-year details, and thinking ahead to the next volume.

There’s always a sense of anticipation in the air.

Once the books arrive, celebrations take on a new feel and another reality sets in — some staffers will move on as others prepare to take the reins and begin the process anew. But the joy of holding a new yearbook — of the first sniff, the first view, the first read — is a memory etched into the minds of all who made it happen.

It doesn’t end there. In the decades that follow, there will be times when a lesson learned, a memory from a workshop, convention or deadline creeps back in.

It’s been nearly 10 years since I first read one of my favorite descriptions of how yearbook grows on you. It’s what Invictus adviser Cortney Weisman’s first co-editors, Samantha Baer and Jana Hirsch, said in 2006. It became the opening to Weisman’s start-of-year speech at Ward Melville High.

“First, you become a part of yearbook. Then, it becomes a part of you.”

Both Baer, now an attorney, and Hirsch, a research professor, stay in contact with their former adviser. Simply more proof they were correct.

For years, Chantilly adviser Mary Kay Downes has signed off “YB4L.” Guess who taught the editors’ section at Gettysburg Yearbook Experience (GYE) when both Baer and Hirsch attended to prepare to be leaders?

MKD. That’s who inspired them to raise the bar.

Some conventions bring out “once a yearbooker, always a yearbooker” T-shirts and a new flock of creatives clamoring for flair with messages proclaiming their passion. When it’s workshop time, some brag they can wear different yearbook garb each day for weeks. Traditions stick with those who know special yearbook birthday songs and chants they’ll never forget.

Through the years, the phrase “Yearbook is my life” has adorned merch. For the Yearbook Tech workshoppers in San Diego, it was also the official camp cheer. Workshop director Steve Bailey and his assistants began “YEARBOOK is my life” and followed it with “Yearbook IS my life” to emphasize a commitment to the whole project. With each ensuing repetition, the volume increased. Most recently, the chant was the perfect finale to a presentation honoring the life of the late Bailey, long-time rep and former adviser who inspired thousands in his decades with Herff Jones.

Advisers remember these times when former staffers return to campus.

There’s nothing like hearing how yearbook continues to influence students. Whether it’s an annual event, a random trip home or a note, professional and personal achievements are often presented with connections to lessons learned in the yearbook room.

Others might not understand how it could have such an impact on so many lives. But it tends to work its way into conversations for years to come.

More proof, I guess, that yearbook is for life.

ANN AKERS, MJE
Manager, Yearbook Customer Engagement

HEAR HER JOURNEY
It’s her yearbook world. We’re just living in it.
Hear more from Ann Akers on our Mind the Gutter podcast.

Read more Hear it From Ann articles:
Dream Big

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