With a new year, comes a new yearbook staff, and with a new yearbook staff, comes a new yearbook. A lot of thought goes into the appearance of the yearbook and every member of the staff has an effect on it, so it is important to know who is on the staff. We have multiple returning members this year and even more new members, but let’s start with the editors.
Our returning members, now promoted to editors, are Alix Moreland, Grant Sheffer, Rocky Shuler, and Emma Atherton. I asked each of them about their time in yearbook and here is what they said:
What is something most people don't know about the yearbook or the work that goes into it?
“I think yearbook is actually a lot of work when you are in it. You wait all school year to receive a little over 100 pages with things all over them but people don’t really realize us as yearbook staff have to check every page and make sure it is nearly perfect for publishing.” -Emma
“A lot of people don't know the kind of work that goes into the yearbook; especially the planning. Trying to figure out when events are and who can cover them. It's super stressful trying to plan out the yearbook and what will be in it.” -Alix
“I think a lot of people don’t understand how much work goes into it. The first month and a half every year is just a lot of struggle, but it’s never this tedious. Usually we just do everything from last year and we’re done but this year with all the changes we are planning on adding it’s been a lot more work. I don't think people understand that for the first month and a half we aren’t working on the book, we're preparing to work on the book. Every day after that we are working over an hour a day on it because we go home and we still work on the book. If we’re going out and getting pictures it is even more time. Even then, it still feels like we don’t have enough time before deadlines.” -Grant
“I would definitely say they don’t know how much behind the scenes effort is put into the yearbook - it’s much more than taking pictures and filling in information. Every large or small aspect of the book deserves a conversation between all members, and sometimes that’s hard to fit into one class period every day. This year specifically we are planning to go above and beyond with the content of the yearbook in order to really make an impact, so that requires even more decisions and processes. We even joked about turning yearbook into a double period class just because our time working is so engaging! Not to sound too workaholic or anything; we have a unique team this year and I look forward to yearbook class, where we have our own little jokes and a comfy, semi-secret room to work in.” -Rocky
Do you have any advice for the new yearbook members?
“My advice for the new members: don't get freaked out over the amount of work that yearbook brings, as we are all here to help each other.” -Alix
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It takes time to learn the program, and it doesn’t hurt to ask for help.” -Grant
“Don’t stress when you think the page you’re creating doesn’t come out as you hoped it would. Just keep trying it even to start over with a new idea.” -Emma
“Don’t be afraid to speak your mind! Last year was my first year on the yearbook team and I was always kind of intimidated to question anyone’s ideas, especially if I thought a design or layout looked bad. I’m way better at speaking up this year and I really hope the new members find their passions in designing the yearbook and bring up interesting ideas to contribute to the team. We have a great theme to work off of this year and I'm excited to see how we can bring our ideas together for y[our]book.” -Rocky
New Members
We have five new members this year, which, fun fact, is nearly how big last year's yearbook staff was. The new members are: Sophia Jezewski, Skyler McMillen, Summer Swartz, Lia Zurenko, and me. I asked the others what they are excited about in yearbook this year, and here is what they said:
“I’m really looking forward to being able to take photographs at different events and help make an amazing book for everyone to enjoy.” -Sophia
“Definitely creating the yearbook and making it better than in previous years. And making it more appealing to the entirety of the Greenwood Student body. Along with giving an opportunity for students to express themselves out to the rest of the school.” -Skyler
“Hm. I’m excited about getting to be a part of yearbook in general and creating a yearbook filled with people's memories.” -Summer
“I’m excited to work together with everyone and see the book come together piece by piece until we have an end product that we all are super proud of. I’m also excited to see the community’s reactions when they receive their books.” -Lia
Exclusive Interview
Now, I sat down for an exclusive interview with the person behind the idea of our theme this year. For those who don’t know, the theme is Y[our]Book and it originated from our wonderful snack manager and current photo/event manager, Grant Sheffer, the yearbook staff’s most experienced and longest-lasting editor. Here’s what he said when I sat down for an interview:
"Y[our]Book started about 3 years ago when we were picking themes for the 2018-2019 book. I found this theme called YourBook (with the ‘our’ enunciated), it didn’t have brackets at the time and it sounded like it was spelled. When I presented it to the group they didn’t understand what I was saying, understandably so, until they figured out “Oh he’s trying to say ‘Y[our]Book’” and they put it in brackets. It quickly became a running joke, YourBook with the our enunciated, as a theme. Everybody got a kick out of it. So, choosing the theme YourBook means a lot to me because it is something that I wanted for years and it more or less was a thing where I wanted to see more to the book. I always thought the book was kinda lackluster and I think this year we are driving home the theme that the book is about the students. Not the school, not the events that happen inside the school, but the students."
Be sure to order a yearbook before they increase in price again! They are currently $50 but if you keep waiting they will increase to $55 before the end of the year. From the yearbook staff, we sincerely hope you enjoy the yearbook this year. We are putting a lot of work into it and making a lot of changes that are for the better.