Recruiting Yearbook Staffs

Photo by Madelyn Williams

RECRUITING YEARBOOK STAFFS Methods to the Madness

RECRUITING YEARBOOK STAFFS: METHODS TO THE MADNESS When does yearbook recruitment begin? Now – no matter when you are reading this. You should always be on the lookout for students who would do well on the yearbook staff. Talk to students individually and look for opportunities during the year to tout yearbook to groups of students. However, the big ramp-up to getting students to take yearbook class or join yearbook club occurs about a month before students sign up for next year’s classes, usually from January to March. Your aim should be to inform students about the opportunities that await them on the yearbook staff, with the goal of getting them to sign up. If yearbook is a club, you still want to convey the same message. A student who wants to join yearbook club needs to think about their course load to make sure they will have time for this extracurricular activity. For successful recruitment, this eBook will explain: • Types of students needed • Methods for recruiting those students • The recruiting process

• How to select the best candidates • Ways to announce next year’s staff

RECRUITING YEARBOOK STAFFS

2 METHODS TO THE MADNESS

“ Recruitment occurs all year! We set up tables at freshman orientation in the summer, open house in the fall, our CTE recruitment fair each winter and the community breakfast in the spring. We also showcase superior student work outside my room prior to the 8 th grade tour day in the spring. As future freshmen tour the school, we invite them into our classroom to check us out and ask questions.”

Emily Pyeatt-Arnold, CJE Adviser, Aledo High School Aledo, Texas

“ The more purposeful I was about recruiting throughout the year and specifically in January and February, the better the next year went. The hard part is that you have to recruit for the next year while you are in the thick of producing THIS YEAR’S book. You want to not have to work at it, but the next year can be a disaster if you don’t.” Jim Jordan

Walsworth Yearbooks Special Consultant and former national award-winning adviser at Del Campo High School, Fair Oaks, California

“ We have an English electives showcase each year where we each get five minutes to talk about our class. I have students go up and talk for me… how much they love yearbook and how much it means to them.” Lori Leonard, NBCT Adviser, Sherwood High School, Sandy Spring, Maryland

Photo by Madelyn Williams

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TYPES OF STUDENTS NEEDED You don’t want your yearbook staff to be comprised only of students who all have 5.0 GPAs on a 4.0 scale. So, which students are the best to be on yearbook staff? There are certain characteristics and talents to look for in students that would indicate they would make a great member of the staff. • Do you have prerequisite classes for yearbook? If so, you know which students did well and whether they would be a good fit. • Find and consider students who do well in marketing class or DECA, general art classes, technology, business and students with great school spirit. • You want students with good grades, but look for students who are trustworthy, friendly, dependable, organized and know how to meet deadlines. • Yearbook may be just the place for that student who has not missed a day of school in two or more years and turns in all assignments on time. • Your staff should reflect the makeup of your school’s student body. Find out the percentages of students by gender, ethnicity and economic status. Also seek students who represent a cross section of number of sports, clubs and grade levels. Remember, yearbook is competing with AP classes, sports and jobs. Explain the fun benefits of being on yearbook staff, such as: • Being in the know about what’s happening at school • Improving your high school resume • Getting published • Food • Making great friends • Learning skills for success in high school, college and career, such as leadership, time management, communication, business, organization, writing, design and photography. • Free pass to sporting events Recruitment benefits from an award-winning yearbook program with a great reputation for excellence and fun. If your program does not have that reputation, begin by working to get administrators and counselors on board with helping you create such a program.

TYPES OF

STUDENTS NEEDED

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“ I have Intro to Journalism classes that are a prerequisite for yearbook, so I make my pitch during that class. We do a simple yearbook project and it helps me see who really has natural potential.” Russ Hembry Adviser, Bishop Kelley High School Tulsa, Oklahoma

“ I also taught AP Language and Composition. So I would take any student who was doing well in my class. I always knew who the great writers were. One year, I recruited the very best writer in the class. I knew she would be perfect to write the theme copy for next year’s book. She was, and she did. What she wrote for the Decamhian was truly amazing. Find those stellar writers and aggressively recruit them!” Jim Jordan

Walsworth Yearbooks Special Consultant and former national award-winning adviser at Del Campo High School, Fair Oaks, California

“ The more you can recruit the right students, the better the publication will be, and the better the publication is, the more you will attract the right students! It’s what I call the ‘awesome cycle.’ Getting the administration and counselors on your side is the best place to start. Make them see that your goal is to create a journalistic program, and that you need the right kids to make that happen. Most counselors and even administrators don’t totally understand what we teach in yearbook and what it takes to make a great publication happen, so start by sharing those things with them. Explain what the students learn and what they are responsible for and how serious the class actually is, despite the parties and games we often play. This will get the counselors on your side and when students are searching for electives, they will know what types of students to funnel towards the yearbook class.” Sabrina Schmitz, CJE, Walsworth Yearbooks Sales Representative and former award-winning adviser

Photo by Nathaniel George

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METHODS FOR RECRUITING STUDENTS

A good program attracts good students. If you are in the process of trying to build your yearbook program, invite students to be in on creating a legacy at your school. Where do you find students who might be interested? • They will be in any prerequisite class for yearbook. • Check with photography, art and tech teachers for students who enjoy taking pictures, understand color and other design elements or love creating on the computer. • Check with marketing or business teachers for students who show a flair for marketing and advertising. • Check with English and creative writing teachers for writers. • Ask counselors for student recommendations. • Ask other teachers for recommendations of students who are creative, organized, always on time and always at school. • Ask current yearbook staff members for recommendations. If you allow freshmen on your staff • Aim recruiting materials specifically at them. After a few years of being on staff, they will be good leaders their senior year. • Attend the curriculum night at the middle or junior high feeder schools and be among the high school teachers and club sponsors explaining courses and organizations before students sign up for classes • Ask 8 th grade teachers for reccomendations

Get the word out in a variety of ways that you are looking for yearbook staff members for next year. 1. Create recruiting materials. Use posters, flyers, stickers, locker notes and social media graphics around school and on the yearbook’s social media accounts. You can create your own or use Walsworth’s recruiting materials. 2. Use video . Have students create a recruitment video. Air it on your school’s daily announcements and on your yearbook’s social media. Get broadcast students to assist, if you have a broadcast class at school. 3. Send emails to teachers and guidance counselors. Ask them to send you the names of students who excel in their classes or who are dedicated to their studies and involved in school. 4. Have current yearbook staff brainstorm. Let your staff come up with names of students to invite to apply. Tell them to think about students in their classes who seem creative and engaged. 5. Host meetings and set up tables. Hold an after-school meeting to explain the yearbook process to interested students. Make sure you have a table at the sign-up for classes night at the feeder middle school or junior high. 6. Set up booths. If your school holds an electives fair, set up a booth. Show past yearbooks, explain any awards that have been earned and hand out flyers with job descriptions. Use the recruiting materials that Walsworth provides or create your own. You can even have Walsworth create a customized banner for you, like the one pictured for Burges High School in El Paso, Texas.

Photos courtesy of Burges High School

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“ Yearbook (and newspaper) students at First Flight High School have to take the Intro to Publications elective first, so recruiting for the production classes actually begins in eighth grade to make sure kids are interested in what they can do in high school. Each March before scheduling starts, I head over to the middle school and visit with the eighth-grade ELA teachers for about 15 minutes. I take my newspaper and yearbook EICs and we talk about how fun the classes are and how beneficial they are (being involved in the school, looking good on college apps, etc.). That leads a good crop to sign up for the prerequisite.” Steve Hanf

Adviser, First Flight High School Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina

“ We talk to English teachers, art teachers and InDesign/Photoshop teachers and have them recommend students they think would be successful in yearbook. We also talk to yearbook staff members and get recommendations from them. Then we send out cards that say, ‘Somebody’s been talking about you…’ Inside it says, ‘And it was all good.’ Then there is a note that talks about the benefits of being on staff and that it’s hard work, but that the satisfaction of an awesome product makes it worth the hard work, etc. The note is signed by one of the yearbook staff members. (Interesting note: students seem to be more excited about being recommended by a yearbook staff member than a teacher. Who knew?!)” Susan Massy Adviser, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School Shawnee, Kansas

“ Middle school students are invited to attend the (annual electives) fair to see what the campus has to offer. They can be helpful in recruiting students

and getting them excited to join journalism. However, we have had more luck actually going to the two schools and speaking with eighth graders. My students put a video together that shows the process and images from NSPA convention trips. It works because we have their attention and don’t have to compete with other programs. It gives my students something to do as a project after the yearbook is done. But electives fairs give future high school students something to think about when it comes to getting involved.” Pat Monroe Former adviser, Burges High School El Paso, Texas

Photo by Haley Dougherty

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THE RECRUITING PROCESS Before recruitment begins

Decide whether you want all students who want to be in yearbook to fill out an application or just the editors and managers. Then, create or edit application and teacher-recommendation forms so they are available to hand out once recruiting begins. An application process will accomplish several things. • Students who apply usually will be serious about yearbook. • The applications let you get to know a little bit about the students if you don’t already know them. • On the application, ask the student to show it to parents.They may realize their child would not be a good fit for yearbook, or can talk to them about what the commitment will mean. • Do not accept students who turn in their applications late. That may mean they can’t make deadlines. Never say never, but there better be a great reason they missed the deadline. Students interested in being on the yearbook staff at Westminster Christian Academy in Town & Country, Missouri, fill out an application in Google Forms created by Scott Vonder Bruegge, the adviser. He said he tasks current staff to recruit students beginning in December. The online form is available on the first day of second semester, and he selects students based on staff recommendations and the applications, which require two teacher recommendations. You can create your own application or use the one Walsworth has online. You can also use the teacher-recommendation form from our “New Advisers Field Guide to Yearbook,” part of our Yearbook Suite curriculum. In the month prior to the course sign-up deadline 1. Announce recruitment. Hang posters around school and share social media graphics and the recruitment video. 2. Deliver notes to students. Make students feel special by having staff members deliver hand-written notes or recruiting cards, inviting them to apply. These can be given to the students recommended by teachers, counselors and current staff members. 3. Conduct an interest meeting. Set a time and day after school, during lunch or other time that might attract students, or hold more than one meeting. Have the current editors explain how the yearbook is created and the types of students needed to produce it. 4. Schedule speaking engagements. Have editors go to English, art, marketing or other classes to explain why it’s great to be on yearbook staff. Also, consider having a student who was hesitant about joining but loves being on staff speak to classes. 5. Make applications available. Make it easy for students to pick up the application and teacher-recommendation forms.

PROCESS THE RERUITING

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“ Everyone who takes Intro is eligible for yearbook or newspaper unless they really messed up — failing grade, major attendance issues, plagiarism/ fabrication offense. There is no official selection process. Students simply tell their guidance counselor which staff they want to work for and sign up for that class.” Steve Hanf

Adviser, First Flight High School Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina

“ We have a multi-page application kids MUST complete with teacher recommendations. We often have 80-plus kids register for the class, so applications also weed out the kids. The ones who really want it apply.” Marne Hade Adviser, Northwest High School Jackson, Michigan

“ As far as how to present this to students, I always referred to yearbook as a ‘work hard, play hard’ environment. We only get to have as much fun in yearbook as we do BECAUSE we work so hard all the time. I also explain to them that this isn’t just signing up for a class, but we want people who view this as their job. They need to take it seriously and realize that people are paying their hard-earned money to have their work, and that their work will be seen by hundreds and even thousands, so it is not something to take lightly.” Sabrina Schmitz, CJE

Walsworth Yearbooks Sales Representative and former award-winning yearbook adviser

Photo by Brooklyn Hilmes

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HOW TO SELECT THE BEST CANDIDATES

1. Review applications. When applications are turned in, write at the top the date they returned it. This may help if it’s turned in late, since you may not want students who can’t make deadlines. When reviewing applications, look for: students who are overbooked with classes, clubs, sports and jobs; why students want to join; cross reference with teacher recommendations. 2. Conduct interviews. Schedule 30 minutes per interview. Allow 15 minutes for the interview and 10 minutes for a discussion about the applicant between the editors and you. That allows a five-minute downtime before the next interview. 3. Make selections. If yearbook is a class, you need to decide who you want on staff so they can sign up for the course. It’s good to select editors in the spring so they can start working on the next book. You can fill other positions any time between spring and fall. You might want to wait until the fall to see how students perform. Have this year’s editors conduct the interviews with you for next year’s editors. Here are some questions to get started. Think of more that relate to your yearbook and ask some fun questions. • What did you like the best/least about this year’s book? • Explain your vision for next year’s book. • Explain your vision for marketing and promoting next year’s yearbook. • Chipotle or Taco Bell? • Explain how you would lead and give direction to people who are your peers. Give an example.

• How do you plan to manage deadlines? • As a leader, will you be able to attend workshops and work nights? • How do you see your yearbook duties fitting in with your other commitments? • Do you know how to bake brownies? • How would you handle this situation? (Give them a hypothetical situation and ask them to talk you through how they would handle it, such as plagiarism, a conflict between two staff members or an angry parent.) • Do you know the words to the “SpongeBob SquarePants” theme song? There are reasons you may want to interview students who will be regular staff members. It may depend on the secondary roles within your staff’s organization, or you want to figure out where a student would fit in. If yearbook is a club, you might want to interview all applicants. Here are some questions to ask general staff members. Ask some of the previous questions but swap out some for these questions: • What personal strengths would you bring to the staff? • Describe your impression of what it is like to be on staff. • Do you have any concerns about selling ads? • Describe a situation in which you did something to help a “team.” • Can you complete work independently under deadline? • Describe your attitude under pressure.

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“ We start eliminating the easy things – didn’t fully complete an application; doesn’t meet academic and attendance requirements; can’t fit it in the schedule, etc. Then we look at who is left from our list.” Marne Hade Adviser, Northwest High School Jackson, Michigan

“ Once registration is complete, we have a meet-and-greet party in the spring. At that time, I distribute editor applications.”

Emily Pyeatt-Arnold, CJE Adviser, Aledo High School Aledo, Texas

“ Students apply only for editorships. Enrollment in yearbook class is open to a point. Sixty people signed up for the yearbook class this year. We cut it to 48 based solely on English grades. Later, we make cuts based on performance at semester and suggest that these students might find another class more enjoyable/more productive/better fit.” Susan Massy Adviser, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School Shawnee, Kansas

“ For the very most part, they are selected when they’ve met criteria and enroll. Shortly after enrollment ends, I start meetings to let them know what to expect for the following year and expectations and commitments. I have a couple drop following those meetings. I don’t know if it was because of those expectations, but I got notification that they had changed classes. Even so, I figure it’s better that they drop ahead of time, rather than get into class and find out they can’t meet the expectations.” Russ Hembry Adviser, Bishop Kelley High School Tulsa, Oklahoma

Photo by Jaxon Nash

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WAYS TO ANNOUNCE NEXT YEAR’S STAFF Make it an honor to be selected. Do that by announcing who has made the yearbook staff for next year. • Make a colorful poster with the names of next year’s staff and post it outside the yearbook room. • Make a video for the daily announcements and social media. • Post the names on your yearbook social media pages. • Create formal announcement cards, candy-grams or “I made the yearbook staff” pins and have this year’s staff hand-deliver them. Lastly, be sure to send thank-you notes to everyone who helped you with recruiting, such as teachers and counselors. For more information on any part of the recruiting process, go to: • The replay of our webinar, “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, How to Recruit the Best Yearbook Staff of All” • The Recruiting Primer • “New Advisers Field Guide to Yearbook,” which also has application and teacher-recommendation forms • Ready-to-go posters, flyers and more, plus a sample application • The blog at walsworthyearbooks.com and read articles about recruitment.

“ “We have a secret meeting to announce the new editors. The previous editors hand down some item that has been useful or meaningful to them as editor.” Susan Massy, Adviser, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School Shawnee, Kansas

WAYS TO ANNOUNCE

12 NEXT YEAR’S STAFF

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