Yearbook works to meet deadlines with young staff

Photo by Ritisha Byri

Yearbook staffers crowd around as senior EIC Ritisha Byri copy-edits a layout.

Following low enrollment in the yearbook in 2021-2022, the Journalism 1 class combined with the yearbook class, leaving the staff of mostly freshmen to experience a steep learning curve of a publication and learn the basics of journalism at the same time. 

The same model is at work again this year, but with a bigger staff of 42 students and a new adviser, English teacher Megan Laws. The current yearbook editors-in-chief — seniors Ritisha Byri, Haley Marks, Isabella Marty, Gloria Pan and Eva Ruemmler — along with other returning staffers, have taken on greater mentorship responsibilities. 

“The freshmen are integrating into the program and are beginning to understand how the publishing process works and the importance of deadlines,” Ruemmler said. “The veterans have been very helpful in integrating staff members into the process and continuing to do great work themselves.”

According to Marty, the 24 freshmen are partnered up with others who are new to the program, leading to some issues including staffers working at different paces or the editors needing to redo spreads. 

However, so far, the staff has been trying to meet deadlines regularly, with the editors noting improvements from the beginning of the year. 

“So far, the year has been progressing fairly well,” Ruemmler said. “We have been meeting our all cycle deadlines on time, but could probably improve on finishing them a bit earlier so we have more time to spend editing each of the spreads.”

The yearbook deadlines are split into six cycles throughout the school year, where the three first-semester cycles generally cover events that occur at the beginning of the year. The staff is currently in the process of completing their third cycle and recently sent out information about senior advertisements, which significantly contribute to both the yearbook and newspaper’s funding. 

The ads are either a half-page or full-page of the yearbook and consist of pictures and messages from parents to seniors. Half pages are priced at $300 and full pages at $500 before Dec. 9, with prices increasing to $350 and $550, respectively, beginning Dec. 10 to Jan. 13. 

During the spring semester, the yearbook will focus on incorporating senior quotes and portraits, which are due by Dec. 12 and 16 respectively, as well as getting references and indexes finished. When all the pages of the book are completed in late April, the staff will send the final proofs to the printer and begin brainstorming the theme for next year. 

Despite the current challenges the staff is facing, Ruemmler is optimistic regarding the development of the newer members. 

“There is a bit more hand-holding than last year for the spreads, but we have seen improvement from the first cycle,”  Ruemmler said. “I feel like as we move into the third cycle and so on the staff will familiarize themselves with the process and begin to feel more comfortable with the design applications and journalistic style.”