Since the beginning of the year, many school programs have undergone changes to better the campus.

For the 2008-09 school year, the yearbook class chose a theme to correspond with the adjustments of the school, covering everything from the music program to new teachers and classes. To aid the theme of ‘Seasons,’ The Shield will focus on a magazine style of writing instead of simple pictures and quotes.

The theme came from Brianne Raymer, yearbook advisor. Raymer, in her first year teaching on campus, loves how the theme relates to the school year.

?We don?t know what the cover is going to be yet, but I want there to be different types of trees to symbolize each season,? Raymer said. ?The school is changing because this is the first time that the kids pay for the yearbooks through tuition.?

Senior Jason Herron, yearbook editor, checks each article before the final printing. This is his fourth year on the yearbook staff and finds that he continues to learn many new techniques in editing.

?We need the writing to be better and the articles need to have more of a flow,? Herron said. ?Because we want to entertain the readers, we?re trying to get more action pictures.?

Senior Kailee Maxey, yearbook writer, creates a couple of the sophomore pages, which include stories on clubs, summer vacations and golf.

?I only do a couple of the things on the sophomore pages,” Maxey said. “The pages are spread among different students to finish. I really wish more kids would join yearbook. I only started and I?m already having fun.?

The Shield’s theme for the previous year, ‘The Road of Life,’ was based on Milton Bradley’s Game of Life board game.

Most students enjoyed last year’s theme and Raymer hopes to impress readers again. However, students like Jessica Massie, ’11, had several suggestions to offer the yearbook staff.

?I loved the theme, because we all live the everyday life, but each day there was just different types of fun added to it,? Massie said. ?However, the writers didn?t elaborate enough on the pictures; they needed to make it more clear what each picture was about.?

Julio Ibarra, ?10, enjoyed the different set-up of The Shield, which deviates from simple columns. However, Ibarra wants a little more focus on certain aspects of the school

?I think that there was just too little on the JV football team,? Ibarra said. ?But it doesn?t matter anymore because I?m on the Varsity team now!?

As she works with eleven students, Raymer wants to create a more colorful yearbook, with less empty spaces and pages.

?I was actually Mrs. [Molly] Sargent?s teacher’s assistant in yearbook, so I know a lot about it,? Raymer said. ?I really want the yearbook to be more like a magazine, more bold, less space and interesting.?

Since each student’s yearbook was covered through tuition, everyone will receive a yearbook at the end of the year.

For more information, visit the May 2008 article, Yearbook captures permanent memories.