Camille Sides, a co-editor of Above and Beyond, works on yearbook layout during class. Sides was editor of last year’s yearbook, along with Gwendolyn Apgar, and Annie Goetz, which was just named a finalist for the National Scholastic Press Association Yearbook Pacemaker awards. Photo by Janelle Germanos.
Although they’ve faced multiple snow days this year, staff members of Above and Beyond, Robinson Secondary School’s high school yearbook, are well on their way to completing the 2014 edition.
“Snow has definitely been a huge challenge this year,” said Sarah Gaulke, an editor of the high school yearbook.
The staff’s dedication and hard work are evident through their production schedule, which includes a great deal of class time and Saturday work sessions.
This year, the publications were recognized for their work. Above and Beyond, along with Robinson’s middle school yearbook, Sentry, were named finalists for the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) Yearbook Pacemaker awards at the end of February for their 2012-2013 yearbooks.
The contest, which received 368 entries, is judged by journalism educators and professionals.
Camille Sides, Gwendolyn Apgar, and Annie Goetz were editors of the 2012-2013 edition of Robinson’s high school yearbook recognized for the award. Mary Kate Foley and Sara Goetzinger were editors of Sentry, Robinson’s middle school yearbook.
“I was a little surprised, but we worked really hard. I’m glad we were recognized,” said Anna Rozelsky, an editor for the high school publication.
Camille Sides, a senior who was editor of the yearbook last year as well as this year, said she was also somewhat surprised when she heard the news.
“One of the judges called our book ‘a feast for the eyes.’ The award has always been a goal,” Sides said.
Yearbook is a popular elective at Robinson, with two classes set aside just for the high school publication. Above and Beyond has four editors, with two in each class.
“I’ve come out of my shell as editor. I didn’t see myself as a leader before,” said Sides.
Pat Hinman, who serves as advisor for the middle and high school yearbooks, calls her staff the “unsung heroes” of the school.
“This is really a behind-the-scenes job,” Hinman said. “Most students don’t really think about how the yearbook is made. They just expect one at the end of the year. Nobody realizes how much work it is.”
The class is more demanding than the typical elective, Hinman said.
“At the beginning of the year, I always tell the kids: ‘We have 124 blank pages-it’s your job to fill them,’” she said.
Students in the class must be responsible and committed, as deadlines are important to ensuring the yearbook is published.
In addition to yearbook, many of the students, including the editors, are in advanced classes and participate in sports.
“Yearbook is my main focus,” Sides said.
Several editors, including Sides, said that having Hinman as the advisor has made the class enjoyable.
“She is just so passionate about what she does,” Sides said. “I’ve gone on a lot of yearbook-related trips with her, and am going to California with her this year for a convention. I wouldn’t do that with just anybody.”
Hinman says her job is really to be a facilitator between the students and the rest of the school.
“The most enjoyable part is working with the students,” she said.
Despite all the days off from school due to snow making the process a little hectic, the yearbook will be coming out at the end of May.
“The pages still have to be completed, no matter what,” Hinman said.