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.
workshops
Veteran advisers understand the importance of summer workshops to their yearbook program. New advisers or reluctant staff members may not fully comprehend the benefits of getting a jump-start on the next yearbook.
The agenda at a summer yearbook workshop usually allows time for fun and games. Playing “beat the clock” with the cover designer, however, should not be one of them.
Successful staffs look at the conclusion of their summer workshop as a beginning, not an end.
Ah, summer vacation. There is nothing quite like long, lazy days filled with swimming, barbecues and… a yearbook workshop?
“It’s a great way to get a jump start on the school year,” said Mary Ann Akerman, yearbook adviser at Beloit Memorial High School in Beloit, Wis.
As the busses pulled down the gravel road leading to Ouabache State Park’s campground, students stopped their chatter and began to peer out the dusty windows. What they saw was a barren area covered with grass, trees and more trees.
Summer workshops are just around the corner. Now is the time for you and your staff to finalize plans to attend.
