Yearbook theme for high schools

THEME& COVERAGEThe theme is the plot of the novel. The coverage is the novel.

By Bradley Wilson, PhDbradleywilson08@gmail.com

bradleywilsononline.net©2013

YOU’REPART

OF THESTORY

• Historical record• Journalistic exercise• Public relations tool• Educational experience• Business experience

Maybe it’s all of the above, but in what order?

WHAT IS A YEARBOOK

The theme unifies the book. It gives a purpose to the book and a plan for every spread. The theme should sparkle with creativity and should allow the staff to highlight unusual aspects of unusual

events.

THE THEME

THEME DEVELOPMENT

Develop theme onCover

EndsheetsTitle pageOpening

Division pagesClosing

Last page SidebarsFolios

Not in every headline

• Make an inventory of all pertinent facts about the school.

• Circle facts on the list that stand out.• Note similar items.• Identify key words.• Identify key concepts.

THE CREATIVE PROCESS — BRAINSTORMING

• Using the key words, generate a list of catch phrases & concepts.

• Consult other students, teachers, yearbook experts for additional phrases or concepts.

• Check out magazines, billboards, CD covers, TV graphics for ideas.

THE CREATIVE PROCESS — BRAINSTORMING

• Develop verbal possibilities

• Brainstorm phrases that mean the same thing as your theme.

• Brainstorm phrases that spin off key words in your phrase.

THE CREATIVE PROCESS — BRAINSTORMING

SCHOOL PRIDEBetter YetFor All the Right ReasonsFirst & ForemostYou Can’t Ask for Anything MoreEnough SaidCan You Top This?One Better

THE CREATIVE PROCESS — BRAINSTORMING

Theme: OneSchool: Springstead High School Mascot: EaglesColors: Red, White & Blue1,876

Play on name of schoolwhatchamacallie (McCallie HS)Still Waters Run Deep (Stillwater HS)A League of OUr Own (Ohio University)South of the Border (Southview HS, 6 miles S. of MI border)Every Day is St. Patrick’s Day (St. Patrick’s HS)ahs (Abilene HS) Not Your Typical Hooker (Hooker HS)

THE CREATIVE PROCESS — BRAINSTORMING

Theme: M & MSchool: McNeil High School Mascot: MavericksColors: Blue & GreenPopulation: 3,200

Consider significant events A piece of cake (anniversary)XXX-rated (30th anniversary)A Full House Beats 3 of a Kind (9th grade added) First Class (1st graduating class)Pay atTENtion (10th anniversary)Doubletalk (schools merge) Fine Mess (construction)

THE CREATIVE PROCESS — BRAINSTORMING

Theme: enROUTESchool: Oviedo HSEvent Theme:School Remodel, Year 3

This school has endured complete demolition & reconstruction for three years

Theme: Moving OnSchool: West Orange HSEvent Theme:School remodel

This school being remodeled

Consider location Don’t blink (small, one stop light)Hitting the High Spots (on a hill)What’s the Catch? (on a lake) Who’s on First? (on first St.)Outstanding in Our Field (in a field)

THE CREATIVE PROCESS — BRAINSTORMING

Theme: First & CentralSchool: Little Rock Central HSMascot: TigersColors: Gold & BlackPopulation: 2,553

Theme: Hoover at the CenterSchool: Hoover High School Mascot: PiratesColors: Orange & Black

Consider mascot or colorsFrom Ray to Z (stingrays)Good Knight!We Speak Pirate Miners Allowed (the miners)Great Scot! (Scottish highlanders)A Horse of a Different Color (Mustangs)

THE CREATIVE PROCESS — BRAINSTORMING

Theme: Bleed Black &GoldSchool: Hawamba High School Mascot: IndiansColors: Gold & Black

Compare and ContrastNow Look What You’ve Done!Inside OutThere’s One in Every CrowdFirst, the Good NewsWhat Next?Try Not to StareWhat’s Gotten into You?

THE CREATIVE PROCESS — BRAINSTORMING

Theme: there’s a FIRSTtime for everythingSchool: Maclay School

Why the theme: First time the school had a football team, field and was rated number one in the district for academics

Have funIt’s Not Easy Being GreenIt Takes All KindsYour Guess is as Good as MineDon’t Even Think About It!We Know You’re in ThereFor a Good Time CallSo?

THE CREATIVE PROCESS — BRAINSTORMING

Theme: Domin8School: New Smyrna Beach Middle SchoolMascot: ChargersColors: Green & GoldPopulation: 1,299

Theme: It’s About youSchool: Florence High SchoolMascot: EaglesColors: Red & White

Theme: me. you. we. School: Trinity HSColors: Red & WhitePopulation: 1,564

This theme also presents the individual experience vs. the group experience

Theme: i School: Oak Grove HSColors: Green & WhitePopulation: 1,310Notice that this theme emphasizes the individual warrior, the “I,” but the picture behind the “I” is the student population

Sweating it outKirkwood High SchoolKirkwood, Mo.H.L. Hall, adviser1991

Compare and ContrastNow Look What You’ve Done!Inside OutThere’s One in Every CrowdFirst, the Good NewsWhat Next?Try Not to StareWhat’s Gotten into You?

LET’S TRY IT

Compare and ContrastNow Look What You’ve Done!Inside OutThere’s One in Every CrowdFirst, the Good NewsWhat Next?Try Not to StareWhat’s Gotten into You?

LET’S TRY IT

unique original

one and onlyTHE (whatever)

differentstand alonestand out individualspecial

one of a kindjust for you singled outauthentic

nonconformist

rebel limited editionshort supply innovative

singleinventivevisionaryartistic

extraordinarybizarreatypical

particularpeculiarquirky

idiosyncraticcharacteristic

eccentricodd duckcreative exotic

dominantdiversealone

all by myselfdesigner

oddextremesoff beat

non-matched weird

oppositionalclashingdeviantdefined

exclusivepersonalizedunparalleledoutstanding

indescribableincomparable

mystic unsurpassed

EXPLORE THE MESSAGE OF THE THEME

What are other ways you can say “there’s one in every crowd”?

Apply verbal possibilities• Word Spin-offs• Alternate Word Spin-offs• Concept Spin-offs

THE CREATIVE PROCESS — BRAINSTORMING

Theme: There’s One in Every CrowdOpening:Student Life: Academics: Sports: Organizations: People: Ads/Community: Closing:

SINGLE WORD SPIN-OFFSUsing the word “one,” come up with possible section spin-offs

What are phrases that use “one”?One and all

One and onlyOne and the same

One at a timeOne by one

Then the next oneOne for the books

One for the record booksOne good turn deserves

anotherOne in a thousandOne in a hundredOne in a million

One jump ahead

One move aheadOne of these days

Wear more than one hatWith one hand tied behind

your backOne of those days

One upOne way or another

All in one breathAll in one piece

As oneAt one fell swoopDo you one better

Every last one

Go in one ear and out the other

Go you one betterHole in one

In one ear and out the otherJust one of those things

Kill two birds with one stoneLike one of the family

Off to one sideOn one handPull a fast one

Six of one and half a dozen of the other

EXPAND ON WORDS

Theme: red & whiteSchool: Camden Fairview High SchoolEnrollment: 849

The visual (ampersand) drives the theme development

Rule 1- Bloom.

Theme: OUR OWN beatSchool: Bellaire HS

Note how the theme logo is a visual representation of a sound What graphic elements will be used for visual development ?

What graphic elements will be used for visual development ?

Notice the repetition of background

Theme: NOISESchool: Lovejoy HS

Again, note how the theme logo is a visual representation of a sound

What graphic elements here will be used for visual development ?

Theme: me. you. we. School: Trinity HSColors: Red & whitePopulation: 1,564

EFFECTIVENESSDoes it apply to your entire school community?

APPLICABILITYWill it cover the ups & downs of the school year?

APPEALWill students relate to the theme?

• Does the theme copy specifically and interestingly spell out how the theme fits your school on all the theme pages?

• Is the theme unique to this school, this year?• Does the theme have graphic appeal?• Are good quotes used in the theme copy?• Does each copy block add something new to the

theme?

THEME PROCESS

Theme: FACE ITSchool: Olympia HS

Mascot: BisonColors: Blue, Black & White

Population: 1,564

The staff created stickers for every buyer and their sticker would show through the die-cut area replacing the mascot.

Theme: We Are ConnallySchool: Connally HSEvent Theme:School pride theme

Theme: Inspi(red)

School: Bishop Kenny HS

Mascot: Bison

Colors: Red &White

Endsheets begins the story

Theme: In the DetailsSchool: Red RaidersColors: Red and blackPopulation: 1,299

First senior class. School is three years old

WingsArrowhead Christian Academy

2009

• What do you think?• Can you have a themeless book?• Chronological books

Don’t do a theme because someone tells you to; do it because it’s right.

WHY HAVE A THEME?

Sketch and/or mock-up• Cover• Endsheets• Title page• Opening and/or closing• Division pages• Folio• Inside pages

THEME PACKET

By Bradley Wilson, PhDbradleywilson08@gmail.com

bradleywilsononline.net • Twitter: @bradleywilson09

©2013