This year has been a whirlwind for everyone, but especially so for the Yearbook Board members who are working hard to put our memories together. In years past, creating the yearbook has still been a challenge, but less so when everyone was in school at the same time. The combination of having fully-remote students and hybrid students has made taking everyone’s photograph incredibly difficult. On top of that, our yearbook staff has been tasked with photographing sports and other events that have been much less prominent as a result of the pandemic. To get a better understanding of what the Yearbook Club really does, Lindsay Schwartzman, Editor-in-Chief, and Board member Madison Muoio give us their insight.
According to Muoio, putting the yearbook together this year has been different than years past. She says, “Covid hasn’t allowed us to put in many activities that you would normally see in the yearbook, such as pep rallies. This year’s pictures look a little different considering everyone must be in masks. Despite all of this, the yearbook still looks amazing!” The book will include pieces from school staff members, sports, senior statistics, and many other components, despite covid. Lindsay Schwartzman gives us an example of the adaptations she and club members have had to make. She explains, “By thinking creatively, we have been able to replace pages intended for homecoming and our annual fashion show with pages filled with photos of pets and popular community locations.”
Both Schwartzman and Muoio have been members of the yearbook staff since freshman year. When asked about her experience being part of the board, Muoio says, “I have had a very informational and fun experience on the Yearbook Board.” She says her favorite part of the job is, “taking pictures of everything that goes on in the school. I love seeing students come together and eventually have them be able to see some special high school moments when they look back at their yearbook.” Lindsay’s favorite aspect is, “getting to work collaboratively with my peers to solve problems and achieve goals.” Schwartzman joined the club with the belief that she would have a chance to express herself artistically and offer something special to her school community, and feels this opportunity has allowed her to fulfill her goal. The Yearbook Club is not like other clubs in the sense that all members are working together to meet deadlines and complete assignments in order to create the finished product for all of us. Schwartzman states that as Editor-in-Chief, her most challenging task is meeting these deadlines and making sure all of the small details are accounted for throughout the book.
Overall, the yearbook takes a lot of time and effort to compile. Schwartzman gives us her perspective; “To create the yearbook, the staff needs to design layouts and incorporate photos and captions to represent the story of 2020 to 2021. Club members need to use a variety of resources to create special memories for Blind Brook students.”
Both have agreed that their experience this year as club members has been positive. Although covid has created unforeseen challenges, the end result will definitely be worth it thanks to their hard work, along with the rest of the staff. Overall, it is safe to say that our yearbook is in great hands! We will be able to look back on an unforgettable year.