It was the spring term of my sophomore year when I first joined the yearbook program here at SEHS. At the time, there were only three other kids in the class, a sophomore named Abby Langan-Forbes and two seniors. As one of three students committed to returning to the program the following year, I was set to be an associate editor. Unfortunately, responsibilities to IHS got in the way of Abby’s ability to join the yearbook class, and as a result, I became a co-editor-in-chief, alongside Clare McDonald. 

Over the summer between my sophomore and junior year, Clare and I attended a yearbook conference in strives to develop a yearbook theme. We settled on Get Out There South, a play on words to encourage students to get involved in our community. Our first year as editors-in-chief was a huge learning curve. Very few yearbook members, besides us, returned. Despite almost all the students being new to the class, and/or freshmen, for the first time in almost a decade, the yearbook was turned in on. The program was on the upwards trend and had gained momentum within the halls of the school. The cover of the Get Out There book was hand designed by a cover artist, which provided the wow factor when distributed. This set the expectations high for the 2023-2024 school yearbook.

During the spring of 2023, the yearbook program attended a yearbook workshop put on by our publisher, Jostens. Starting with a blank sheet of paper, our ideas were no longer containable as they began to flow onto the paper. The creative minds unleashed were able to develop our theme for this year, which you can find teasers for outside of Room 3. Throughout the past year, the yearbook program has doubled in size. New staffers have provided a consistent backbone to getting the book completed on time while returning staffers brought their expertise to help others learn the ins and outs of the program. Alongside Clare and Abby, I helped lead the yearbook program for a second year. As a team, we were able to expand coverage, specifically in our student life section, in order to increase the number of pages in the book. Even with the new schedule and meeting every other day, the yearbook was turned in on time for the second year in a row. This was thanks to the hard work and dedication of the staffers who put in countless hours to get their pages done. Without their hard work, this book would not have been possible. So, to all of the staffers, thank you. Thank you for all of your hard work, it does not go unnoticed. Clare and I are immensely proud of you. We never could have done it without you, all of you.

As Clare, Abby, and I graduate from high school, the yearbook program will have new leaders next year. Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, Olive Ponto Deegan and Phineas Loch will take over as editors-in-chief for the yearbook. Both of them have been in the yearbook program for two years and have proven themselves to be fearless leaders. The yearbook is going in the right direction: up. I am proud of what this program has grown into, and I can’t wait to see the program continue to grow. I am confident in the leadership skills of Olive and Phin, and know this program will only continue to grow to new heights.

Let’s put something on the record, the state of the yearbook program is strong. The state of the yearbook is strong and will only be getting stronger. The yearbook is in good hands.

By Elliott Hunt