This week’s Tuesday Tip is all about spotlighting the amazing winners of the Balfour Spreads Contest. A huge thank you to everyone who entered—we loved seeing your creativity in action!
📸 Reminder: There’s still one week left to enter the Balfour Great Shot Photo Contest. Don’t miss your chance to showcase your best photos—submit yours here!
Winners of the Balfour Spreads Contest!
Single Entries:
1st Place: Sarah T. -Venice High School, Venice, FL
"PBIS Pets brought such a fun vibe to our school this year and I feel like I was able to capture that on this page with the cutouts of student's collections and the pet cutouts are so cute." - Sarah T.
2nd Place: Christina H.- The Nueva School, San Mateo, CA
"I started this spread right after my first cross country season ended, and I was determined to give this gritty sport the light it deserved. Previous yearbooks had not really given our sports an opportunity to shine, so I made sure to go bold and bright. I'm also proud of how the modules reveal another side to the team that most people wouldn't know, especially the profound sense of community and spirit that's fostered over the season." - Christina H.
3rd Place: Connor H. - Portola High School, Irvine, CA
"As this is our second year creating the “What You Missed” page, I aimed to provide well-rounded coverage of everything missed in the spring. This is my favorite spread because it includes a variety of content of student life, arts, and athletics.
This year’s volume doesn’t feature certain events, like competitions or trips, as their own pages. I used this spread as a great opportunity to highlight those stories in a mini-format. Another reason I love this page is the experimental design I used, specifically the cutouts and background. We’ve never had a spread with a full background photo before, and I wanted to try something new. It's a stylistic choice, enhancing the book. Showstoppers for me are always going for bold and new choices. Each section has a color block with cutout photos layered over the background image, creating a dynamic look.
These two design elements helped define the spread as a "showstopper" with fresh visual ideas while still delivering strong content. Since the yearbook is also a historical record, I made sure to include important facts and figures. Students can refer back to it for dates, playoff runs, dances, and more. The amount of detail is something I can testify to and shows the design and copy strengths within my page." - Connor H.
Group Entries:
1st Place: Jennifer R. - Keswick Christian School, St. Petersburg, FL
"This is my favorite yearbook spread from the 2024-2025 Crusader yearbook because it encapsulates the theme of our book, "Make Your Mark." With this theme we wanted to include spaces where students could write in their own responses to different events from the school year. For this spread, there is a notebook paper scrap graphic where students may write in their favorite memory from the high school retreat." - Jennifer R.
2nd Place: Paulency M. - Suncoast High School, Riviera Beach, FL
"Our favorite yearbook spread is this one because it perfectly conveys the thrill of senior customs as well as the realities of school transitions. Seniors display their childhood backpacks and themed attire in the "Senior Strut" package, which showcases the creativity and fun of the first day. The excitement of the event is brought to life by the design and colorful pictures. The article "Stepping Up Security" also discusses how the introduction of metal detectors has caused a significant change in daily routines. The spread strikes a mix between fun moments and serious concerns by incorporating student viewpoints." - Paulency M.
3rd Place: Tianjiao W. - Mandarin Immersion Magnet School, Houston, TX
"This spread deserves to win because it thoughtfully captures both the spirit of student leadership and the vibrancy of our school community through dynamic design and purposeful storytelling. The layout strikes an engaging balance between bold visuals and meaningful content, drawing the reader’s eye across the pages while maintaining clarity. We intentionally blended candid moments and posed portraits to showcase the authentic energy of our Student Council and NJHS members in action, highlighting their dedication to building school culture. The creative use of geometric elements and playful pops of color adds visual interest, reinforcing the theme of youthful energy and leadership in motion.
Furthermore, the integration of student voices through quotes provides a personal connection for readers, making the spread more than just a record of events—it becomes a celebration of student perspective and achievement. Each text box and photo was carefully curated to not only inform but also inspire future student leaders. Additionally, the thoughtful layering of graphics around the “NHS” letters creates depth and movement, guiding the reader naturally from one section to the next. This spread exemplifies our goal as yearbook creators: to tell the story of our school year in a way that feels alive, inclusive, and reflective of our students’ efforts. It’s a vibrant, well-composed tribute to the leaders who shape our campus, and I believe it stands out as a model of both design excellence and community storytelling." -Tianjiao W.
Join Us for the 2025 Adviser Workshop!
Mark your calendar: June 18–20, 2025, in St. Petersburg, Florida! Get hands-on training in design, writing, and photography, plus expert tips to kickstart your 2026 yearbook. Don’t miss the Book Grab, spirit competitions, and more.
