Being on your school's yearbook staff can be a thankless job. You spend nine months putting your blood, sweat, and tears into producing a book that's meant to capture in word and in image the heart and soul—the very essence—of what it was to be alive in 20[insert year] at [insert name of president/inventor/local millionaire] High School. During that time, your friends complain because you always have to miss after-school Slurpee runs for edit meetings, your classmates complain because you reschedule the photo for the American Philatetic Society society three times, and your advisor complains because you still haven't turned in that layout for the In Memoriam page for Rocky the Rooster, your school's late mascot.
We at SparkLife know the sacrifice and dedication it takes to put together a yearbook because we, dear Sparklers, were on the yearbook staff. In a two-part series, we take a closer look at this odd group of people.
Editor-in-Chief: The Alpha of the group, this EIC, likely a senior, takes yearbook verrrrry seriously. He/she rose through the ranks from lowly freshman staff writer to Man/Woman in Charge with the intention of putting out The Best Yearbook This School Has Ever Seen. He/she has attended yearbook camp several times and already has a summer internship lined up at the local newspaper. He/she wants to be a magazine editor or a documentary filmmaker. The EIC wanders the halls muttering about deadlines and ladder diagrams.
Managing Editor: The EIC's second-in-command, the Managing Editor is really just doing this because it looks good on his/her transcript. Princeton likes to see extracurriculars.
Photographer: Identifiable by the Nikon slung always around his/her neck, the photographer is really a frustrated artist. He/she would rather be taking pictures of interesting things like flowers and clouds and rusted things, which is part of the reason he/she is always late for group photos. He/she recommended shooting the whole yearbook in sepia tone, but was promptly shot down by the EIC. He/she cannot stand to hear the word "cheese" one more time. In fact, he/she can't stand to eat the stuff anymore thanks to yearbook.
Art Staff: We're not calling them slackers *cough* but the art staff is generally the least reliable, though most creative force on the yearbook team. They are responsible for 4 out of 6 of the theme ideas. You might consider them glorified doodlers, but if it weren't for them you wouldn't have a flipbook at the bottom right hand corner of your yearbook.
Business Staff: These guys are no-nonsense. The yearbook doesn't just pay for itself, people. Ads! We have to sell ads! The bigger the better! Eternally frustrated by their underappreciated role in producing the yearbook, the business staff will not hesitate to remind you that while you're playing with layouts in your air-conditioned computer lab, they're out there pounding the pavement. You will work for these people one day.
Sports Editor: This would-be jock was suckered into being the Sports Editor after having been sidelined for the season by Mono. He/she only loosely associates him/herself with the rest of the yearbook staff. He/she is perpetually late turning things in but is your only hope for getting the athletes to participate.
To be continued...
Are you on your yearbook staff? Are we getting it right? Let us know!
Aaaannnd....have you voted for your favorite yearbook finalists yet? If not, what are you waiting for??
Related post: The SparkNotes Yearbook Awards: Inside the Judges' Office, Part 1
Topics: School
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