Updated by Delaney Pierce April 2025 Brainstorming is an important step of the theme development process, but at times it can feel like the trickiest step. Where do we start? How do we make it productive? How long should our brains be storming? Before any good brainstorming session, it is important to lay a few ground rules so everyone is …
Yearbook season is a whirlwind of creativity, deadlines and capturing memories that last a lifetime. But amidst the excitement, one crucial element often gets overlooked: consistent, professional writing. That’s where AP Style comes in, and mastering it is essential for producing a yearbook that shines. Our latest Timely Tips lesson plan covers this very topic. Why does AP Style matter …
Yearbooks are labor-intensive projects, combining the elements of storytelling and design with journalistic precision. In the training video “Proofed to Perfection: Proofing and Editing Your Copy,” your staff will learn how proofreading ensures your readers focus on the story – not on the errors. “We put so much effort into creating beautiful pages and telling these stories – we don’t …
As yearbook advisers and student journalists, we have a unique opportunity to capture the essence of a school year and preserve it for generations to come. In the latest episode of That Yearbook Podcast, seasoned yearbook experts Jim and Sabrina Schmitz, CJE, shared their insights on crafting compelling journalistic stories for the yearbook. Their message was clear: yearbook is journalism, …
Assigning spreads to your staff and keeping them happy and motivated with them doesn’t have to feel like a chore. Make the most of the occasion with a fun Draft Day activity that can be implemented for each deadline, each season, each semester or once a year. Draft Day picks get students engaged and invested, and the process flows smoothly …
Yearbooks are all about storytelling – from the written content to the visual design, each element works together to capture the memories and experiences of the school year. While eye-catching photos may initially draw readers in, it’s the captions that truly bring those images to life and provide lasting historical context. Captions are a crucial, yet often overlooked, component of …
Yearbook caption writing is vital to an effective and professional book. Your work is not done after placing a captivating photo on a spread. Every photo must have a caption as a companion to your photography. What are Yearbook Captions? Captions are concise descriptions or explanations accompanying photographs, serving a crucial role in preserving memories and enhancing the overall storytelling …
Editor-in-chief was not my original title. My adviser sat me down on my living room couch to tell me the EIC quit two weeks before school – my adviser happens to also be my dad. As the assistant editor, I needed to step up. We spent the last two weeks of summer on our MacBooks modifying the former editor’s theme, …
From Clippy the Microsoft paper clip to Grammarly to Photoshop, you have probably used artificial intelligence more than you know. Your Netflix queue, online shopping recommendations and Siri all rely on AI. Though it concerns some industry professionals, the reality is we have been using AI for years without realizing it. The adoption of AI programs in yearbook production marks …
Updated by Walsworth Yearbooks Pictures are worth a thousand words, but the stories within them are incomplete without captions. Captions are easier to write once you know the formula, and yearbook advisers are telling us they would like more training materials for their staffs on topics such as caption writing. Walsworth is listening, and has responded with a caption-writing lesson, …