Adviser and Staff Spring 2004 - Jostens

aspringthing
Launch planning process
with theme “dream teams”
A theme suits the
yearbook to a “T”
Before brainstorming for the
perfect theme, take a minute to
consider details that make your
school unique. These “three Ts”
might inspire your theme.
■ Tradition: School name,
location, mascot, school colors
■ Trends: School, community,
enrollment, renovations, policy
changes, defining events
■ Time: Year, anniversary,
chronological, schedules, seasons
For thousands of theme slogans
to jumpstart your creativity, visit
www.jostens.com
Create your own yearbook theme dream team. Ignite waning
staff energy by launching a theme development project this spring.
You’ll be ahead of the curve for your 2005 yearbook and you’ll be
able to spend time at a summer workshop refining and polishing,
rather than starting at square one.
According to Ember Morales,yearbook adviser at Glen A.
Wilson High School, Hacienda Heights, CA, assigning a theme
development project in the spring allows the staff to become
“familiar with the creative process involved in designing the book —
conceptually and physically.”
There are two benefits to this approach, Morales says:“The
project allows the staff to have a say in the theme development and it
gives them additional experience. And the yearbook benefits, too.
When the theme idea is selected in the spring, it gives the editorial
staff the whole summer, including camp, to refine the idea.”
Morales treats this theme project like a regular yearbook
deadline. Students receive credit and a grade.
“It’s important that students value the project,” she says.“They
need the motivation of a grade to take the project seriously and give
their best effort.”
Some advisers divide students into theme teams. Others prefer
the individual approach. Still others channel “whole-class”
brainpower in a single, unified effort. Morales has employed all three
methods.The technique she utilizes depends on what other activities
her staff is engaged in after all their yearbook pages have been sent to
the printing plant.
Whether an individual or team approach is used, each project
should include a “theme packet” with a cover, endsheet, title page,
opening, divider, closing and parting page design. Ask students to list
specific facts for copy and photo ideas as well.
With a special theme project, tulips aren’t the only thing that can
blossom in the spring.
Theme: Undefined
A case study
Theme planning for the 2003
Prowler at Glen A. Wilson High
School was underway several
weeks before the completed 2002
yearbook arrived on the campus
in Hacienda Heights, CA.
■ Statement: Undefined
■ Verbal unifiers: Definitions are
used to present the students and
the year. The first opening spread
defines “school” and the second
spread defines “students.”
Dictionary-style definitions are
used; however, the school and
students are best defined by the
theme copy and direct quotes.
Dividers feature interesting
words.
■ Visual unifiers: The cover
introduces cool tools that are
repeated inside the yearbook,
including outline font, a
definition, a horizontal photo
strip, silver ink and a vellum dust
jacket. Individualized folios
incorporate the horizontal photo
strip and feature mini photos
used on the page.
■ Opening
■ Folio Tab
10 spring2004 adviser & staff
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