Where to start with the yearbook?

Where to start? New and experienced advisers ask that question often this time of year. With so much to do at the beginning of the school year, trying to figure out where to start on the yearbook can feel like a big deal. A good place to start is with the yearbook materials box, also known as the yearbook kit.

This year’s Walsworth kit is in a bright blue and purple box (it looks like a mini suitcase) with the word Includitude printed on it. Before clicking on your online dictionary to find out what the word means, I’ll tell you that Includitude is completely made-up. Since Walsworth created it, we also get to define it. Here goes: The attitude of including everyone and everything.

Making sure you cover everyone and everything is what makes creating a yearbook such a big deal. And that’s where the kit comes in.

We’ve created a kit of materials that “includitudes” everything you need to plan and create the best book ever. Along with plenty of instructional materials, marketing resources and submission instructions, we’ve also managed to add some fun to this year’s kit, too.

Here are some of the new, fun and helpful items you’ll find this year:

• Yearbook Blueprint combines the Portfolio catalog of covers and materials and a workbook to help your staff brainstorm and develop the yearbook. This workbook walks you through theme development, cover decisions, colors, fonts, page design, coverage development, and options to round out the book. There are even pages for sketching.
• Deck your walls for work and fun with colorful new posters. Review the Hot Trends of the Year poster, then fill out the snapshot of the year poster called The Basics, the Business and the Book – just make sure to use a dry erase marker. Help your students understand photography with the Picture Perfect poster, and develop your marketing plan with the Marketing Timeline poster. Two fun posters have been included to help promote yearbook camaraderie — Keep calm and caption on, and Keep calm and yearbook on.
• The Spark Cards, which will be the first thing you’ll see, are designed to spark new ideas and conversations that will bring your staff together like never before. Use these cards all year to help your staff brainstorm, spur creativity and have fun. Cards are divided by color into four categories: Team Effort (brainstorming/teambuilding); Stylin’ (design/photography); Be Relevant (theme/coverage); and Words (copy/headlines/captions).

If you have questions about using Walsworth’s kit materials, or where to start this year, just a leave a comment below or ask your sales representative.