Yearbook

For other uses, see Yearbook (disambiguation)}}}.

A yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually as a report or summary of statistics or facts. Virtually all American, Canadian and Indian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks. A well-designed, comprehensive yearbook can be a treasure for the alumni of a school for years to come.

This article describes high school yearbooks, although most colleges and elementary and middle schools follow a similar format.

Contents

How a yearbook is put together

A yearbook takes a lot of careful planning. Usually, the editors will meet with a faculty adviser to plan the content of the book at the beginning of the year. The editors then meet with other student members of the yearbook staff to discuss their ideas, obtain suggestions for a running theme and determine assignments.

Editors will attend yearbook camp during the summer to plan for the whole year and to get ideas to bring back to the staff. Upon returning, they will also ask someone to design a cover, or vote on the cover with their staff members, create templates for pages in the book and create a ladder, or master list of each page's content in the book. This is a crucial roadmap for making a coherent book.

The staff

Yearbook staffs includes: (unless school has no need for them)

Editor-in-chief: This is usually a senior who is in charge of running the yearbook he/she has worked on the yearbook staff during their underclassmen years, and who over sees the book's layout. He/she has one or more assistants. Often, the editorial staff also promotes the sale of yearbooks to students, usually in September or October. Sometimes, multiple editors-in-chief exist in a given year. This is advantageous in that it spreads the difficulty and commitment of the job equally on a few people, but it can be problematic to have multiple people with executive decision-making power.

An adviser: Usually a journalism teacher or other member of the language arts department. The adviser helps the editor out by making changes and keeping the class running smoothly.

Section editors: They are in charge of a specific section of the yearbook amd makes sure all the work is done properly. They also keep track of their sections to make sure that they are in by the deadline dates.

Photographers: In charge of taking pictures and editing images. This staff may also include an art editor, who designs the cover appropriate to the running theme; and places art (either his/her own creation or using Clip Art from a CD-ROM).

Sales manager: In charge of selling advertising to local businesses, and copies of the completed books to students. In some schools they call a sales manager a business manager, that person maintains all the money that the staff has earned by selling books, ads or fundraising. For private schools if they include a yearbook in the cost of tuition; then a sales manager is not necessary for this school.

Other staff: Usually underclassmen, who assist the editors with various duties and writing articles for the yearbook, but this can include upperclassmen.

Laying out the book

Layout

Layout is the appearance of the page, and includes the following elements:

The Title: This is a theme, that ties the page into the article and draws attention to the reader.

The Story/Copy: Consists of several paragraphs, capturing the highlights of a specific department, sports season, organization, etc., from the past year. Often, yearbook staff members will either send out surveys/interview students, teachers and others for comments.

Photographs: Candid shots of students, suitable to the page's topic and theme. Often, editors seek to include a cross-section of the student body (e.g., classes, races, school involvement, etc.). Included with the photographs is one or more captions, which describe each picture; these often begin with a lead-in.

White space: The empty area between the other elements of the layout.

The idea is to have minimal white space and a uniform appearance to the pages. However, Yearbooking trends have started to drift towards having minimal trapped white space, white space with one or no exits off of page, but more free white space.

Tools of the trade

Camera/Photography

At many schools, students use a digital camera to take photographs and download selected photographs using a card reader. Other schools that still use 35-mm cameras often have a special negative scanner, which allows users to obtain more detail from a photograph than from a print.

Word processing

Copy, is the main story on the layout, and is often typed and edited using a word processing program such as WordPerfect or Microsoft Word. The copy is then saved to a hard drive or disk and later imported onto the pages. It is also possible to insert copy straight into the pages themselves as they are being paginated.

Pagination/Layout

In the past, most yearbooks were laid out by hand, with photographs physically cropped and placed on layout boards. The work was tedious, and required multiple deadlines and contact with a yearbook publisher.

Today, virtually all yearbooks are published using computers, which allows for slower deadlines and easier editing.

Students, typically paginate, or lay out pages using a computer program, such as Adobe PageMaker, Adobe InDesign or Quark Xpress. Students are quickly able to size photographs and place copy, leaving minimal white space behind. Some yearbook companies provide their own computer programs for designing yearbooks.

Sections

Most yearbooks have a similar format, which includes individual photographs of students; information on activities; sports; and other activities.

Class sections

Self explanatory; arranged in alphabetical order by class (freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors), these include individual pictures of the students, accompanied by their names. Often, these sections have candid photographs of students, placed with their appropriate class.

Usually, the senior photographs are larger than underclassmen's photographs. Usually, the seniors are dressed formally or semi-formally. Sometimes, the senior pages will also include information about their accomplishments throughout high school, and their future plans (if known). Frequently, seniors are polled to nominate their classmates in a variety of "fun" categories (such as "most desirable," "most athletic," "most spirited" and "class clown"), the results of which are often published in the senior section (if not, elsewhere).

Some private schools and smaller high schools, including the Columbus Academy in Ohio, set aside an entire page for each senior. These pages are sometimes designed by the seniors themselves, with each senior submitting a digital or physical version of the page he or she would like featured in the book.

Activities and student life

Usually, in the front of the yearbook, these pages chronicle major school activities of the year, such as homecoming, trips to athletic state tournaments, and other special events. Sometimes, this section also includes articles on issues concerning teen-agers and a page recapping local, state, national and world headlines from the past year.

This section is usually printed in color.

Academics

Done one of two ways:

In two sections – One containing an alphabetical, photographic listing of teachers; and a separate section with the activities of each academic department.

In one section, with separate pages for each academic department. The teachers' photographs are listed by department on the appropriate page.

Fine arts

These pages, detail the activities of the schools various bands and choirs, as well as plays presented by the school's drama department. These pages, also detail accomplishments by groups such as the debate club and public speaking. If a school has a thespian group, a page is dedicated to that group as well. In smaller schools, these groups may be included in the Clubs section instead.

School clubs

Included, as a way to chronicle contributions by students. A listing of organizations would be impossible to list in their entirety, but, often range from social (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) to academic (National Honor Society, science club) and vocational (FFA).

Athletics

Often listed by season, these pages chronicle the accomplishments of the school's teams. Along with a short article listing the season's highlights, these pages include team photographs, action pictures and a listing of scores from that season.

A good high school yearbook, includes pages for all levels – varsity, junior varsity, sophomore and freshman teams – of each sport. Outstanding accomplishments are often included in the front section of the yearbook, in addition to their usual page.

Memorial page

Often, many students must deal with the deaths of one or more classmates, or a teacher(s) for whatever reason – illness, car accident, crime victim, suicide, etc. – during their high school years. Should that happen, these pages are set aside to acknowledge the death(s) and eulogize the deceased. This page usually includes a picture of the student or teacher, along with his/her life dates, candid pictures of the deceased from happier times, a brief article explaining the loss and perhaps an inspirational verse or poem written by a close friend. This page can also include memories from teachers, friends, and or family.

Advertising

For many yearbooks, most of their revenue is from local businesses, and a correspondingly large section is devoted to advertising. Many "ads" are for seniors, congratulating them for their accomplishments. Students sell these advertisements, which are often included in a section at the back of the book.

Index

Self explanatory; an alphabetical listing of everyone included in the yearbook, along with the pages they may be found on. Usually, an editor keeps a master list of who is included on each page, to ensure accuracy. The index is not always included in high school yearbooks, as it can be extremely time consuming to put one together. Sometimes, the index is used by students trying to compete with their peers by being in the yearbook more than others. For some reason, all school officials encourage the placement of an index in the school yearbook.

Colophon or dedication

Typically the last page of the book. The colophon lists staff members and acknowledges everyone's hard work. Often, this page includes a brief statement from the editor or adviser. Additionally, the colophon will include technical information pertaining to the yearbook such as publisher, total number of pages and paper weight.

In some schools, this page will also serve as a dedication page, usually to a retiring long-time faculty member, a prominent school supporter or the senior class. Sometimes, the dedication will be included in the beginning of the yearbook.

Publishers

Yearbook publishing has become increasingly competitive. There used to be 19 companies in the business in the US. The field had narrowed down to five, and each of them is strong. The five major yearbook publishers today are: Walsworth (of Marceline, Missouri), Taylor (of Dallas, Texas), Herff Jones (of Indiana), Jostens (based in Minneapolis, Minnesota), and The School Annual(of State College, Pennsylvania). Many small niche companies publish yearbooks as well. The yearbook plants send representatives that work with the yearbook adviser and yearbook staff at each school.

Yearbook companies typically require that groups of pages be sent periodically, rather than all at once, to the plant. This is done to stagger the work required to complete yearbooks for all the schools they cover. Most companies and AllYearbooks (UK rather than US based) have begun an online program for the creation of the Yearbook. Jostens leads the industry in online printing with more then 9,000 schools currently using their online tool. These websites allow the students to create the pages, upload and place photographs, and quickly submit the completed pages to the Publisher. While this method is much more convenient for both student and publisher, many students criticize such programs for their lack of online building tools and customization. It has also been found by many schools to not lower costs enough to justify moving away from traditional publishing software programs. Software programs like Adobe Pagemaker, Adobe InDesign, and Quark are used by many yearbook programs to create the books and also to give students real world experience.

After the editors review each page and make changes, the pages are sent to the yearbook plant – either mailed on a CD-ROM or Zip Disk or sent by e-mail.

About a week or so later, the adviser and editors receive proofs, or full size prints, that closely match what the final product will look like. This gives them a final opportunity to make adjustments or changes. After all the pages have been sent, the publisher will print the books and send them to the school for distribution.

A new generation of yearbook publisher is also available that can work with the school to produce the yearbook by also providing designers and production specialists to actually lay out the entire book. These are digital micropublishers that specialize in providing yearbooks for schools that do not have their own yearbook staffs. Companies like Entourage Yearbooks (of New York, New York), and The Memory Book Company of Sedalia, Missouri) provide comprehensive, end-to-end yearbook publishing services for schools that historically have never had a yearbook or a yearbook advisor to help put together their own programs.

Distribution

Often, yearbooks are distributed at the end of a school year, to allow graduating seniors to obtain the books and signatures from classmates. Those that distribute at this time often publish a supplemental insert with photographs from spring sports and milestone events (such as prom and graduation), as well as other important events. Many schools at which yearbooks are distributed at or before the end of a school year have a tradition of having students sign and leave notes on each others yearbooks.

Some schools distribute yearbooks later – such as at Homecoming or another designated time in order to include year-end activities. In some cases, yearbooks are mailed to the parents' homes of graduated seniors.

Other schools

Most colleges that publish yearbooks follow a similar format as high schools. However, most only publish photographs of seniors, and some may include detailed recaps of football and basketball games. Many college yearbooks are considered a work of journalism rather than a simple record of facts. The Associated Collegiate Press holds the annual Pacemaker competition for college yearbooks as well as other collegiate media outlets. To win the award is often considered to be the collegiate equivalent to winning a Pulitzer Prize.

Elementary and middle schools often have a designated staff member who is in charge of putting together that school's yearbook. Students may or may not be involved with contributing to the book. These books are usually considerably smaller than a high school or college yearbook, and are seldom hardcover.

U.S. Military

Warships of the United States Navy often produce a yearbook style publication upon completion of a long deployment (typically six months or more). These books, referred to by sailors as "cruise books" are produced on board by the ship's Morale, Welfare and Recreation department and Public Affairs staff, and then printed ashore by the same printing companies that publish high school and college yearbooks. The cruise book of a Nimitz Class aircraft carrier typically reaches over 600 pages in length, as it includes portraits of the more than 5000 sailors and Marines assigned to the ship's company and embarked carrier air wing.

The Navy's Recruit Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois also produces yearbook style publications for each graduating division of recruits. These publications are much smaller, as each recruit division totals roughly 80 sailors. The book is called "The Keel" after the part of a ship that is constructed first, as RTC or boot camp sets the foundation for the sailor's career. These books contain a color section common to all books published that year, with a specific black and white section added for each recruit division and their "brother" or "sister" division.

Around The World

Australia

Yearbooks published by Australian schools follow a slightly different structure to their North American counterparts. Australian yearbooks function as an annual magazine for the school body, with a significant focus on objectively reporting the events that occurred during the schooling year. There is less emphasis on discussion of student life, and the creation process involves minimal student involvement. Yearbook staff predominantly consist of only one or two school teachers who serve as editors in chief.

Australian school yearbooks are predominantly created in A4 format, featuring a softcover style front-and-back cover, typically 250 or 300 gsm in thickness. Hardcover style yearbooks are rare to find, and it is a phenomenon yet to pick up in the country due to cost reasons.

To substitute for the lack of student life coverage in school yearbooks, many senior students in Australian schools publish a separate Year 12 yearbook. The Year 12 yearbook typically provides up close and personal coverage of student personalities through profile questions, a large number of personal and group photos and collages, quotes, awards, and humourous light-hearted entertainment. There is rarely coverage of academic, sport and school related matters as these topics are considered in the school yearbook.

Year 12 yearbooks are created almost entirely by school students with a school staff member, typically the grade's year advisor, providing guidance and supervision. School administration are often cautious about Year 12 yearbook publications, as they represent a legal and reputational risk to the school. There have been media-reported incidents where inappropriately published materials have caused major embarrassment to schools.

Publishing

Australian school yearbooks are primarily published with offset printing technology, with a mix of colour, spot colour, and black and white pages, depending on the school's budget. In the past, Year 12 yearbooks were simply printed using a photocopier, but Australian yearbook publishers such as Rockstar Memoirs have improved the quality of these publications by providing low cost digital printing solutions.

United Kingdom

Secondary schools in the United Kingdom usually publish a single book for the students in their final school year which they call a yearbook, although it is seldom published annually. This book is far more like the final Year 12 yearbook of Australian schools. Styles vary, however they are usually paperback books compiled by the students of the leavers' year, thus, like the Australian counterparts, the school administrations of the UK are also cautious.

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