2019-20 yearbook staff strives for unique display, added creativity

Though students still press forward towards the end of the school year, the yearbook staff works year-round to ensure that the yearbook is completed in time for students to take home for the summer.

Previously advised by English teacher Andrea Donaghe, the yearbook was taken over by Melanie Portwood this year. Portwood advised yearbook at her previous school and takes over this new role with enthusiasm.

“I taught the yearbook class at my previous school, which was seventh grade through 12th grade and only 120 students,” Portwood said. “We only had three sports for boys and four sports for girls. We didn’t have special cameras or anything.”

Joining yearbook this year, Natalie Arndt, ‘21, hopes to bring new aspects to the yearbook and make it more enjoyable for the student body.

“I wanted to change up the yearbooks from the last few years and add a little bit more creativity to it,” Arndt said. “I’m seeing we have a lot more people with creativity with color and more organization, so I think as a team we’ll be able to make it a good yearbook.”

The yearbook staff orders the campus yearbook through the Jostens company each year. At her previous school, Portwood was under a different program called Picaboo; she finds Jostens very similar to the old program.

“The new program is great, partly because it is similar to my previous one,” Portwood said. “We also have a representative who helps us with whatever we need.”

In the following podcast, junior Celeste Castaneda interviews Natalie Arndt, ’21, about what it takes to be in yearbook.

Being in yearbook, students carry many responsibilities to meet deadlines and produce content that appeals to the interests of the student body.

“I think anybody could be in the yearbook,” Arndt continued, “I mean, if they’re willing to work hard and get their pages done by the deadline, I think it’s possible for anybody.”

Portwood has a full team with new students and yearbook veterans, with editors who have experience with yearbook from the previous years. Seniors Macy Little and Jordyn Boyer lead the team as editors, bringing with them knowledge from previous years of experience.

Executive editor Little finds Portwood very encouraging towards the yearbook staff and appreciates the freedom given to the students as they showcase their creativity.

“She is very encouraging towards our staff members,” Little said. “She gives us free range and motivation with putting our creativity into the layouts.”

Portwood hints at this year’s theme for the yearbook cover, sharing that the school verse is likely to be incorporated.  However, she wants it to remain a surprise for students.

Little works to meet deadlines for the upcoming yearbook and helps the staff members improve, getting students involved as much as possible.

“My goal would be for us staff members to stay on top of our deadlines,” Little continued. “Also to make sure every student is involved in the yearbook and to overall be happy with our devotion and effort in the book towards the completion.”

The yearbook will be completed March 23 and given out to students on the last day of school, May 22. If students or staff have any pictures from any school event, they can send them to Portwood via email to be featured in the yearbook.

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Celeste Castañeda can be reached via email.