Yearbook is a constant here at Loy Norrix. Many students have posed for club or team photos or given interviews while they’re at lunch, but what about the students who produce the yearbook?
What is it like to be the one taking those photos and asking the questions, to be the student reporter designing the pages of the book that will be purchased by hundreds of students come spring?
Yearbook is a three trimester class that evolves through the year.
“It’s a regular class for the first six weeks … after that for most of the rest of the year it’s making the yearbook,” said English teacher and yearbook advisor Brianna English.

The class itself is described as being stressful, but enjoyable, and unlike any other class at Norrix. Yearbook students must apply to be in the class and get teacher recommendations. They must be willing to work in a team and committed to making tight deadlines. If you’re afraid to talk to people, it’s not the class for you.
“[Deadlines] are about once a month,” said English. Students are met with regular deadlines to have pages or sections finished, so that they can have the yearbook assembled on time in early Spring before prom and graduation at the end of the year. This means taking photos, taking interviews, and making layouts on time, every time.

“It’s completely completely done by like mid to late April which is why stuff like Prom and Graduation can’t make it into the yearbook,” said English about the deadline for the yearbook.
As a result of the deadlines at the end of the year to get pages in for printing, the yearbook sometimes looks a little weird.
“If you ever open up your yearbook and some of the pages look a little different it’s because they’re printed separately and pasted in,” said English.
With deadlines due so regularly, the students are often cramped for time and even stay later after school to continue working at least once a week. These deadlines and time crunches being the main cause of stress within the class are only a problem sometimes, depending on the group of students present that trimester and which deadline they’re trying to meet.
Meeting the deadlines can be a difficult task. English said, “We spend time after school at least once a month. I spend multiple hours after school editing everything.”

The class functions more like a workplace than a classroom: students have individual tasks to do and not a lot of lessons take place.
“We call it more of a staff than a class,” said senior Gaberiel Lubbers.

Ms. English says that what she needs most from those in her yearbook class is students who will work on a team and commit to meeting the yearbook deadlines. Even with the sometimes stressful conditions, unusual classroom environment, and the dedication the class requires, the students who make up the yearbook staff still recommend it as a good class to other students, provided that those students are prepared for regular deadlines and staying after school.