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Making memories
By LOGAN NEILL With deadlines just days away, Kristy Oakland and Elena Morales are in a mad dash to complete the final layout for the 40-page clubs and organization section destined to be part of this year's Central High yearbook. For the most part, progress has been steady up to this point, thanks largely to the extra hours the two juniors put into the section over the holiday break. But as the final push comes, so do the inevitable frustrations that come with having to rely on others to finish. They are still short some of the photos and club rosters that were promised to them weeks ago. Now they must scramble to gather everything together to make deadline. "It gets to be a real pain sometimes," says Kristy. "You beg for stuff over and over, and it's like they don't even care. But we're the ones who will get the blame if it's not done right." Joe Nicolai, Central High's yearbook adviser, can sympathize with her bewilderment. In the 24 years he has spent directing yearbook operations at both Hernando High and Central High, Nicolai has consoled many a student over lost photos, misplaced ads (and payments) and mangled spelling. "I've had kids break down and start crying over mistakes," says Nicolai. "There's a lot of pressure involved in putting together a yearbook. But learning how to take on responsibility is probably the best experience they get here." Indeed, January is often the toughest month of the school year for the staff of Bear Tales. Though much of the book is completed and ready for the printer, some pages (including the spring sports section) must wait until team photos are available later in the month. "I always tell them that it's an up and down business," says Nicolai. "Some days, you're going to be bored to death, other days you'll work your tail off." Because Nicolai prefers a hands-off attitude, students must learn to handle every aspect of the publication. From photography and writing to layout and design, every decision is theirs to make, good or bad. "A lot of people don't have any idea how much goes into putting out a yearbook," says senior Leah Andrews, co-editor of this year's edition. "But the only thing that matters to us is that they're happy with it when it comes out." Toward that effort, Leah and the rest of the yearbook committee voted to spend an additional $6,000 to make this year's 300-page annual especially grand. In addition to more than 60 full-color pages, the book will also feature an elaborately designed fold-out cover, something never done in previous years. "For seniors in particular, yearbooks are a way of leaving something special behind after you graduate," says Leah. "We want people to be proud of it for years to come, something they'll be proud to show to everyone." That attitude is also prevalent among the yearbook staff at Springstead High. For the past several months, the 39-member team designing this year's Talon have endeavored to complete the school's first ever digitally-produced yearbook. "I think it's something that kids will be real excited about simply because it's different," said Denise Ciccio, who along with Corrine Keiser is co-editor of the yearbook. The idea to go digital was suggested by the school's yearbook adviser, Todd Toomer, who decided that the computer technology would help save time and money in the production of the book. "Three years ago, they were still doing paste-ups in here and it was a mess," said Toomer. "The new software that's out now is very user-friendly. Any kid can use it." Working with integrated software specially designed for yearbook production, the staff was able to eliminate many of the laborious tasks of designing such a large publication. "Because everything is stored on disk, it's so much easier to find stuff when you want it," said senior Jason Hopkins, one of three students on the design team. "Sure, we've had only a couple of problems so far. But the time it saves is worth it." But while computers and software may have made yearbook production simpler, there are some things that are still just as hard as always. "Selling ads is still probably the hardest job there is," says Denise. "Not many people really like going out and trying to get money from businesses."
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From today's Hernando Times |
