Keep the yearbook staff’s morale high as the work gets going

Keep your staff motivated and feeling good about their work. Do that by telling them and telling others. Reminding them of the good job they are doing will help overcome those challenging times when things are not going right, or a deadline is approaching and there is too much work. Some of these ideas might help.

• Create staff songs, select team mottos, find a publication mascot and design staff T-shirts.

• As the students are documenting the school year in photos, remember to have them take pictures of each other as they work. The images will make a great video slideshow at your banquet at the end of the year, and you can take the best and frame them as gifts to the students.

• Come up with 100 ways to say, “Good job!” You can think up the first 50, and have the staff brainstorm the rest. Use these frequently in class. Put these on slips of paper in a jar, and pull one out as needed.

• Tell the world what the students are doing. Use daily announcements, the school newspaper, news releases to the local papers, and letters or emails to parents.

• Get a scrapbook and place photos of journalism students in it, as well as copies of items such as award certificates, letters from readers and notes from graduates.

• Remember food. Have treats to celebrate staff birthdays, holidays, getting drivers’ licenses, deadlines, getting a part in the school play or anything else they want to celebrate. Recruit parents to bake and buy.

• Instill staff pride, and promote yearbook sales, with a showcase display. Use several yearbooks from last year, showing the cover and interesting spreads. Display books from five years ago, 10 years ago, and even the school’s first yearbook. If it is sale time, include a sign reminding students to buy a yearbook.