In these unprecedented times, we find comfort in the small things. In honor of #ThankfulThursday, Balfour advisers and representatives share what they’re grateful for.
We were overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support. We’ve chosen a few to feature here, you can see the entire list at the Balfour Advisers Facebook group or in this cute 10-page supplement we made. Yes! We had that many answers.
“I am grateful for Dropbox and laptops with enough memory to run Adobe CC so my kids can finish the book from home. I’m also grateful for a server I can take home, a tech dept that lets me decide what to get, and yearbook kids who are still working.” – Anne Hayman, Arlington High School, Arlington, WA
“I'm grateful that we finished the yearbook the day before our spring break started (which turned out to be our last day of school) and all we had to worry about yearbook-wise was changing an index spread to a COVID-19 spread on the final proofs. SO grateful for amazing editors who helped get coverage from home.”
–Kim Lynch, Brenham High School, Brenham, TX
“I’m thankful for my students who care enough to help me improve the program for next year and sell our remaining books.” –Stephanie Cox, Woodcreek Middle School, Houston, TX
“I'm thankful for my advisers working tirelessly to make this book amazing for their students. And for the advisers who are keeping me involved with finishing their book... and giving me something design-related to do, rather than only checking email! I'm grateful for being home with my sweet little bug! It's amazing to see her learn and grow, and hear all of her new words. Plus, I get snuggles with Lennox often throughout the day!” –Jenny Holmes, Balfour Ohio Representative
“I am grateful for Zoom meetings. Sometimes it's more of a check-in for my students, but the ability to still each other face-to-face is needed more than anything right now. Having those meeting allows my staff to feel a sense of normality in a very non normal time.” –Bekah Vest, Cypress Ridge High School, Houston, TX
“I am grateful for how my entire staff worked together to gather everything they could for finishing pages before our school closed. I am grateful for the amazing [reps] Ali Schroeder and Whitney Baker and their continuous support through all of this craziness. I'm grateful for [AE] Catherine Simoneaux and her attention to detail and her infinite patience. I am grateful for the Balfour Tech support team and their help with problem solving. I am grateful for my district allowing us to have a few laptops for some of my students without technology. I am grateful for all of the inspiration from fellow Balfour advisers, giving us great ideas and solutions. I am grateful for Kel Lemons and her tireless efforts to support us in every way she can.” –Stephenie Conley, Bellevue East High School, Bellevue, NE
“I’m grateful for [AE] Carol Collier because she is a powerhouse. I could not complete the book this year without her.” –Kyla Scelzi, Davidson Middle School, Crestview, FL
“I’m grateful for my rep who reaches out, Lauren Schwartz, and checks to see how we’re doing both personally and with the book. I’m thankful for the weather. Washington State is keeping kids and teachers sane with a beautiful spring. We’re out here with our laptops in the garden and loving it! (For the record, that’s not normal until mid-summer.) I’m grateful for a company that cares about their customers and is never more than a phone call away with ideas and inspiration.”
–Annie Green, Glacier Peak High School, Snohomish, WA
“I'm incredibly blessed and thankful for a creative, dedicated and persistent yearbook staff! This year we bonded, we laughed, we cried, we overcame every obstacle thrown in our path and they created one of the best books I've ever seen! Though they are little, they are fierce!” –Caron Peck, Riverdale High School, Murfreesboro, TN
“I can reach out to them through text, email, Zoom, whatever and they will be there to give advice, ideas, kudos, or a funny gif! I love that even though we all want to be great individually, we will always share our ideas, lessons and opinions to help each other to be great as well. I’m very thankful to be a part of such a wonderful group!” –Paige Hert, Cedar Park High School, Cedar Park, Texas
“I am grateful for my rep, Carolyn Oldham, who is also my good friend. She helped me off many ledges this academic school year; we went from no tech to remote online all tech. I finished my eighth and final book on time with the help of my incredible staffers! They are seniors so they will have a 2020 yearbook!” –Cheryl Boyda, Souderton Area High School, Souderton, PA
“I couldn’t get through this without adviser friends who know exactly what I’m going through. There is no one who understands quite like another adviser.”
–Hayley Booth, Dickinson High School, Dickinson, TX
“[Rep] Susan Fearnside and that March 16th final deadline—I hated it originally, but it saved us! Book done!” –Melissa Reagan, Deer Valley HighSchool, Glendale, AZ
“I’m SO grateful for my yearbook staff, 100% of whom continue to work despite being forced to meet online for a month now! No other teacher in my school has reported that level of engagement. My students even created a video for my birthday since they couldn’t honor me in person! I was in tears listening to the nice things they said and thinking about them being so thoughtful from afar.” –Christa Daugherty, Big Spring High School, Newville, PA
“I am thankful that my dedicated staff finished the book two days early. This allowed us to spend our last day before break relaxing and enjoying each other’s company, not realizing we wouldn’t see each other again this year.” –Teresa Zemaitis, Dixie Hollins High School, St. Petersburg, FL
“Incredibly grateful for Milani Arguelles, my rep. She is a genuine friend, and she was invaluable before the shelter in place. There were many times that she saved me from going insane. Her hard work and dedication makes everything go so much smoother. I love her to pieces!” –Nichelle Wright, Hurst Junior High, Hurst, TX
“I’m also grateful for my silly students who keep sending me photos of their pets.” –Katherine Sands, Duiett Middle School, Spring, TX
“I am grateful for my Balfour family, especially my rep, Steve Ferguson, who came in like Super Steve, as he always does. I’m also grateful for my EIC who kept fighting right on till the end, our Super Woman!” –Candace Gilbert, Seminole High School, Seminole, FL
“I’m grateful that we took the time to build our social media presence over the last few years. We spend every opportunity making sure students and parents know to follow us. When we had to go to finishing the book remotely, we were so grateful we could reach more than 6,000 people We also still hear from our alumni on social media. Makes my heart happy that we are part of the information cycle and are valued by the campus as a force to mobilize.” –Jennifer Rodriguez, McAllen High School, McAllen, TX
“Grateful for my yearbook reps Scott and Tami [Stalcup]! Always willing to lend a hand and teach me so many useful tips and tricks! They motivate me to want to do more and get this yearbook moving to where it should be!” –Suzanne Rubenstein, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, VA
“I’m super thankful for an amazing staff of eight high schoolers who worked diligently from home the week after our spring break (aka ‘spring break 2.0’) to get our yearbook finished…all from home! This was my first year as adviser and I think I’m broke in now!” –Christie LaRue, Temple Christian School, Fort Worth, TX
I’m so thankful for my awesome rep, Tara Hays. She is so encouraging. I’m grateful that my dedicated yearbook staff attended our school’s spring sports events instead of putting it off. We had pictures of every single sport!” –Kathi Wright, Northgate High School, Newnan, GA
“A little more time to get my yearbook finished!!” –Allison Cooper, Day Middle School, Temecula, CA
See all 55 gratitude remarks in our thankful thoughts supplement.
