On Valentine’s Day, Susannah Keneda urged her fellow advisers to share the love for their yearbook reps. Here’s what happened on the Balfour Advisers Facebook group. This post originally ran in the Spring 2019 issue of Balfour’s magazine Elements.
“Hey Balfour yearbook advisers, how about we show some love to our Balfour reps? I am so thankful for Milani Arguelles every day. Think how much harder the process would be without our reps!” –Susannah Keneda, Bedford Junior High School, Bedford, Texas
“Jim Anderson is the best. I couldn't ask for more in a rep or a friend. He always has my back. His whole team is awesome!” –Kari Riemer, Hendrickson High School, Pflugerville, Texas
“Kerri Kuykendall Smead—love, love, love this smart, funny, tons-of-fun rep.” –Sara Dacus, Northwood Middle School, Renton, Washington
“Shout-out to my rep, Ed Patrick. And Stewart Moore, my account executive, is also fantastic.” –Christa Daugherty, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania
“How can I pick just one? Love them all. The Houston office is the BEST. Mary Beth McIver, Ryan Almon, Hal Schmidt, David Miller. Then there are some from the past that I still love—Catherine Iden and Michael Parker.” –Sue Blackmon, Klein Forest High School, Houston, Texas
“What would I do without Whitney Baker?! Winning!” –Mindy Ann Thierolf, Wamego High School, Wamego, Kansas
“Heidi Schahn is the best! I’m not sure if our book would ever go to print without her.” –Jade Joseph, Princeton High School, Princeton, Minnesota
“Steve Ferguson goes above and beyond. Thank you, my friend, for more things than I can voice.” –Kelli Lipe, Charlotte High School, Punta Gorda, Florida
“Heidi Schahn is always willing to help me out!” –Shari Nelson, Hill City High School, Hill City, Minnesota
“My cover wouldn’t have gotten done this year without my rep Stephanie Hinson and of course the amazing Suebee Manning!” –Stephanie Cox, Ross Sterling Middle School, Humble, Texas
“Catherine Iden is the BEST! Those who don’t have the privilege of working with her are truly missing out on a fabulous woman. Over the years, she has become a dear friend of mine and I couldn’t imagine my work life, or personal life, without her! Love you, Catherine!” –Catherine Faught, McKinney Boyd High School, McKinney, Texas
“Shannon Hart is the best in the biz! She’s thorough, thoughtful, always on top of things...everything this (relative) newbie could ask for!” –Andrea Obranovich, Robbinsdale-Cooper High School, New Hope, Minnesota
“Mary Beth McIver—the best yearbook partner I could ask for. I would not be able to do this crazy job without you. Thank you for helping me grow professionally in my past eight years as an adviser and for going above and beyond year after year.” –Lori Reichardt, McCullough Junior High School, The Woodlands, Texas
“Sending much love to our crew, Debbie Vaughn, Neva Hand and Jayme Quick. Our yearbook lives would be so much harder without you. Also, sending love to Hal Schmidt. Thank you for always talking Debbie into letting you spend a couple days in the summer with our staffs in NE Texas. We love you guys!” –Paige Dyer, Whitehouse High School, Whitehouse, Texas
“Tami Stalcup and Scott Stalcup are amazing! They are so empathetic and willing to do whatever is needed to help us have success!” –Susan Spaulding, Summit Christian Academy, Yorktown, Virginia
“Stephanie Hinson is my current hero and motivator! And Mary Beth McIver will go down in history as the person who kept me sane during my first two years of advising. Love you two so much!” –Elizabeth Solomon, Summer Creek High School, Houston, Texas
“Carla Gonzalez is the best there is. We are lucky to have her and I am lucky to call her my friend.” –Teresa Espinosa, Moreno Valley High School, Moreno Valley, California
“Susan Fearnside has helped me since I started doing yearbook in 2009. She’s always there when I have a question or issue.” –Matt Bohnert, Saguaro High School, Scottsdale, Arizona
“Rob Rathbun helps me keep my sanity through it all! Huge thanks to him and Robert Porter!” –Karla Shotts, Englewood High School, Englewood, Colorado
“Jim Anderson and Morgan Tuggle are amazing. Also, have to give a shout-out to Debbie Vaughn, Jayme Quick and Neva Hand. I know their customers are blessed to have them. Actually, I haven’t met a Balfour rep that isn’t top-notch.” –Mikyela Tedder, Rouse High School, Leander, Texas
“Thankful for Ryan Almon! Always there to help us, calm us down, cheer us on and guide us. We couldn’t do it without you!” –Dawne Sanders, First Colony Middle School, Sugar Land, Texas
“Ryan Almon has saved my life more times than I can count. Heart of gold and he makes me smile. Stacy Mehrens took care of my crazy self for four years when I was in another district—and I will always love her!” –Danielle Bell, Foster High School, Richmond, Texas