Producing a yearbook in a normal school year challenges the staff members, but remote learning pushes senior Co-Editor-in-Chiefs (EICs) Chloe Pierce and Alexis Sharplin to think outside the box and challenge themselves and their staff members.
“This year, more than ever, I feel invested because the yearbook really the one thing that people will still have that’s the normal part of every year,” Pierce said. “At the end of the year, everyone gets a yearbook and it’s something that people look forward to.
To honor their commitment to produce a yearbook, the student yearbook staff members maintain a rigorous weekly deadline schedule and seek coverage through alternative means, such as: crowd sourcing photos through social media, creating a Microsoft Form sent to students’ school emails to encourage photo submissions and reaching out to people over Teams for interviews.
“We’re a lot more organized this year because everything’s in one spot (online) and we’re forced to be organized,” Pierce said. “If we’re not, then it just becomes one big mess of a yearbook.”
To date, the yearbook staff is ahead of their normal in-person schedule, according to yearbook adviser Erica Kincannon, which she credits to the organization and dedication of the editors and staff team leaders. While the online format aids the organization, conducting interviews and taking or crowd sourcing photos is a challenge during remote learning. Not to mention, the team aspect the publication staff strives to instill in the group is different in a remote setting.
“I miss the usual atmosphere of brainstorming coverage ideas because I feel like every year it’s a thing the returners (returning staffers) do out in the hall. Seeing people and being able to talk about the theme gets everyone so excited,” Pierce said. “We get a burst of motivation right at the beginning of the year that helps us keep going.”
Over the summer, Pierce and Sharplin finalized the yearbook’s theme and came up with coverage ideas, many of which showcase new and innovative ideas not featured in previous books, according to Kincannon.
“I continue to be impressed by the resiliency and commitment of our staff and students,” principal Jared McEvoy said.
The yearbook’s theme “Remix” reflects how this year there’s still school and people are still living their lives, but the pandemic changed things up and made everyone look at life through a different lens.
“I think it’s really important for people to buy the book this year because in 20 years or so, you can look back at it and be reminded by the crazy year we’re having. The book talks about the different things we had to do this year and how we adapted.”
Yearbooks can be ordered on Jostens.com through Feb. 11.