After about eight months of taking photographs of school events and interviewing multiple students, the 2011-2012 yearbook staff has arrived at the last chapter of their masterpiece. Taking on the theme Prerogative, this school year’s yearbook will highlight the various preferences of individual students and staff members.
“Everyone is different,” Photo Editor Cristina Martinez said. “They make their own choices and they do what they want to do.”
With only three returning staff members from the previous year, the Editor-in-Chief Gabriela Martinez, Photo Editor Cristina Martinez, and Design Editor Karissa Prudhomme had their work cut out for them. During the summer camp held at California State University, Long Beach, and a few summer meetings, these three took advantage of the time to train their new members and to also learn more about the new faces they would be spending a great amount of time with.
“It was difficult because there were only three of us and we didn’t know how they would respond to us teaching them,” the Photo Editor said.
In addition to only having three returners, every section also dealt with their own pool of problems. Because these Vikings were unfamiliar with each other, it took a while for them to become comfortable with their new acquaintances. But despite a few setbacks, the group quickly got accustomed to their new surroundings.
At first it was a bit confusing getting used to the entire lingo and understanding what they where talking about,” the Co-Photo Editor Adam Sosa said. “Despite the few returning staff, everyone got along and got the hang of what to do; they have been able to teach us everything we need to know.”
The group demonstrated their ability to work together and get their jobs done as they successfully overcame six plant deadlines with their publisher. Without the knowledge of how easy or stressful being a part of this group would be, a few were struck by the great load of work that awaited them at every deadline. But in the end, the finished product proved to be worth all the stress.
“The best part is getting the book and seeing everything come together,” the Editor-in-Chief said.
In a staff with only 22 students, six of those being photographers, the whole group completed every page of the yearbook. So much hard work and dedication has been put into every section that the Editor-in-Chief has so much pride in having a team of high school students who put so much effort and passion into their craft. As the school year comes to a close, pages of memories will be entering the gates of Downey High. After almost a school year worth of perfecting the yearbook, the Vikings will now have a book to look back on as they reminisce on their high school year.
