Are you all done with nothing to do? Post-yearbook, here are three projects to keep your staff engaged and on task.
If you finished your yearbook, we hope you took a week off to celebrate, relax and have fun with your staff. After that, it’s time to get back to work.
1. Visualize 2022 ideas.
It’s never too early to start on the next theme! Gather your staff and brainstorm ideas, design covers and pages, and share the resulting work. Here are suggested procedures, project requirements and evaluation forms for a yearbook theme project.
2. Write thank you notes.
The book couldn’t have happened without some crucial people. Challenge each of your staffers to write three thank you notes. (This is an ideal project to have ready for Teacher Appreciation Week, the first full week in May.) Consider requiring one of those notes to go to a fellow staffer. That could lead to a really fun and (happy) tearful day of sharing.
3. Create portfolios.
An extensive project, this assignment can help staffers build their college resumes and recognize the quantity and quality of their work. Students can showcase their writing, design and photography skills, possibly even showing before and after designs. As part of the project, students could highlight other tasks and responsibilities, and provide a self-evaluation of their work. Spend a few days presenting the portfolio and possibly using the resulting grade as the yearbook final. Another possibility is to focus strictly on a photo portfolio.
Still need ideas?
Here are 16 more end-of-the-year assignments, focusing on photography, typography and design. From staple cities to font fashion shows, there are some innovative ways to keep staffers engaged. Have fun!