Make the yearbook room fun

Everyone likes to work in a fun environment. Creating that for your yearbook staff at the beginning of the year will be one of your most important jobs.

Here are some ideas for how you can get the year off to a great start in your yearbook room.

• Have your staff write short bios of themselves with fun information, such as their hobbies, pets and favorite foods, and post them with their photos on a “Here’s Our Staff” wall. Let them take pictures of each other to practice shooting in a classroom setting.

• To help with stress, reserve a space, preferably near the computers, for students to hang some of their own photos of friends, family and pets. Include silly staff photos, too.

• Hang holiday or outdoor lights from the ceiling. On stressful days, turn off the classroom lights and plug in the decorative lights.

• Hold a “name that computer” contest each year for the computers and create decorative nameplates.

• Students will spend a lot of time here, so add some kitchen conveniences, such as a well-stocked pantry, a refrigerator and a microwave.

• Maintain a Brag Board to publicize non-publication-related successes such as newspaper clippings of sporting events and community service projects.

• Have a toy box of stress relievers, such as tension balls, Koosh balls, bubble soap and wands, a couple of stuffed animals, magic wands, a Crazy 8 ball and other toys, to break the tension.

• Create decorative posters with deadline reminders, sales statistics, even keyboard functions.

We want to read your ideas as well! Comment with some of the things your staff does to get the year off to a fun start.