JULY 31-AUGUST 4 [VIRTUAL]

WHAT THEY LEARNED:

“Cover what happens, NOT what’s canceled.” 

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“The first thing I learned is to not cover what has already happened, but cover what is happening at the moment; that’s a yearbook story is worth telling. In addition, my team learned to step out of comfort zones. It isn’t about having one representative share our thoughts and ideas, but the entire class engaging with one another so that we all are on the same page, and are ready to share the information verbally and visually.” 

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“Pro talks - researching before interviewing and the TIME it takes to do that.”

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"Growing and investing in social media presence and connection is also going to be huge. Combining this with the idea of how we can help be of service to our school community. In a completely non-traditional year, the yearbook staff and social media can be a place to connect and invest in community and culture. Not only does it help actual community building during the school year, but it will be mutually beneficial and allow us, in theory, to gather some great and varied coverage."

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“I learned that we are definitely going to need to learn how to take more environmental photos at people’s houses. Everybody on staff is going to need to be a photographer."

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“I learned how to utilize crowdsourcing and how specifically to get better responses from students virtually. I also learned how to better manage a staff through learning how to advise them on their work and how to keep them motivated, all to ensure that our workflow doesn’t suffer.”

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“Story, Words, Pretty... In that order. In everything that we do, including graphics, layouts, and mods. I think I finally understood the power of the verbal theme.”

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“I really enjoy the typography classes. We will definitely be using certain aspects in our book this year. I also enjoyed spread layout course. It showed me the variety that can exist within a spread.”

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“I learned a lot from all of the Learn and Earns/Fast Track sessions that have made me understand yearbook a lot more. I also found new ways to promote the yearbook through social media and through eDesign/eShare. I will also be sharing everything I learned in my photography class and the camp curriculum book.” 

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“I loved the emphasis on alternative coverage concepts. I think it will really invigorate the program."

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“I learned a lot about mods, the way to properly create spreads, captions, incorporating a cohesive theme, how to take the right kind of photography for a yearbook, and a lot of important information about interviewing and having a good conversation.”

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“Interview tips (having a conversation, better questions, etc.) and diversity in yearbook photography.”

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“We learned how schools implemented a color palette to their book which we plan on using in this upcoming year. Another thing we learned is the different ways a chronological book can work, which we plan on doing. Also better ways to use a camera and to take profile photos.” 

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“Communication is key and we editors can’t rely on the EIC to know everything.... Every editor should have confidence in knowing what our theme is.”

“I wasn’t sure that there would be a variety of topics we could cover in the yearbook because of quarantine. However, by the end of camp, I learned how to find inspiration and brainstorm many, many ideas that I could share with my yearbook team!!”

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“Remember the importance of telling the full story on a spread— the photography track re-emphasized this.”

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“We should focus on covering people not things.”

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WHAT WE STUDIED

In this extraordinary year, we designed a special on-line experience using Zoom to help staffs plan and design their 2021 books. We split up our time between 20-minute presentations, 5-minute skill builders, theme coaching, school work sessions, student assignments, prizes, Q&A discussions and roundtables.

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Primarily, staffs worked together on a theme packet, presented at the end of the workshop. Theme coaches guided staffs through a process, answered questions and gave feedback along the way.

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There were fun activities along with our Discord channel to help kids connect with each other and our TA staff.

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WHAT THE CLASSES LOOKED LIKE:

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THEME TALK

20 minute presentations each morning on theme-related tasks to help build the Theme Packet

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LEARN AND EARN

20-minute presentations on all things yearbook, ending in an assignment with the option for prizes.

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FAST TRACKS

5-minute skill builders that finished with an assignment. Students then joined a 30-minute discussion to get more ideas and feedback on their work.

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ROUNDTABLES

Evening discussions facilitated by our staff on grading, crowdsourcing, coverage beyond the school calendar and building relationships remotely.

PRO-TIPS

Interviews with professional journalists, designers and/or photographers, some of whom may have gotten their start in high school yearbook.

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PHOTOGRAPHY TRACK

Special courses were available for photographers to learn about their digital cameras and how to use their phones for the best photo results.

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INTRO TO YBK

Those brand new to staff found instruction for building a spread, writing stories and taking photos.

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