Introducing Yearbook Zen

“We do not remember days; we remember moments.” – Cesare Pavese

Yearbook Zen is a new weekly series that will give you simple, practical tips for creating yearbooks, along with a dose of encouragement to keep you inspired all year long. At Walsworth, we are committed to giving you the best experience in yearbooks – and a little wisdom.

Hi! My name is Alex Blackwell. I work in Walsworth’s Marketing Department, and almost a lifetime ago I was also a yearbook adviser. Meeting deadlines, balancing a budget, and managing a staff were essential to doing my job. I understand the challenges you face, and I know what resources you need to make your job a little easier.

If you have a spring-delivery yearbook, then most of you are getting ready for yearbook distribution day or getting an early start on the 2013 yearbook. Fall-delivery schools are probably busy with getting pages completed and proofs reviewed. No matter when your yearbooks ship, all of you have one important thing in common – you are providing immeasurable and lasting value for your school, its community and your students.

As I approach the 50-year-old mark, I don’t remember days as much as I do the moments. Thinking back to high school, I don’t remember if Pam Creef agreed to go to the Winter Ball with me on a Monday or on a Tuesday. I just remember the moment when Pam and I walked into the dance, together. And it isn’t because my memory is stellar, it’s because I have my yearbook to remind me.

I know there’s still more work to be done before you can put a button on the 2012 yearbook, but while you are busy completing these remaining tasks, remember this: You have one of the most important jobs at your school, not because of deadlines or budgets, but  because you are making sure your students can remember their moments, too – even when they are approaching 50.