Tru Teen Themes
Theme
Developing a theme idea throughout the yearbook not only helps to unify the book, but also adds a special dimension of involvement for readers. In the late 90s, there are many theme directions you can pursue.
Struggling to come up with a theme for this year’s yearbook? Find hundreds of ideas for every possible section of your yearbook.
Here are examples of some themes schools have used in past years. Within each theme, there are examples of titles for possible sections in the yearbook.
If a theme is going to have a wide range of appeal, it should evolve from brainstorming by the entire yearbook staff. Follow the enclosed guidelines.
One of my students’ favorite activities is a yearbook theme design contest. Instead of waiting until September to come up with a concept, we have a contest every spring. The winning theme is usually the yearbook theme for the next school year. Here are the rules and advantages.
The passion for yearbook is about people.
Answers abound to the theme of this issue of Idea File, “What does it take?” Once the mechanics of creating a yearbook are subtracted, it is passion that motivates advisers and staffs. But what does that really mean? The advisers who responded to our query generally had the same answer.
Improvement in a yearbook happens in different ways. Some advisers and staff members make a great leap in the quality of their yearbook from one school year to the next because of an “aha moment,” that second when they realize how to break through and take their book in a new and improved direction.
As part of the theme graphics for the 2007 Legend yearbook at Boone High School in Orlando, Fla., editor-in-chief Sarah Ballard created what she called a “mess.” These brush strokes are actually easily created in Adobe Illustrator, and go with the freestyle look of the Legend theme, “Established.”
Every year, yearbook staffs work through the process of developing their theme and design package. It could be compared to a game, with the twists and turns of brainstorming, dropping bad ideas, adding new ideas, combining ideas, and then narrowing the choices until you have perfected the theme. So use the following game board to guide you through brainstorming (or just play a game).
