I now pronounce thee, staffer and yearbook

Staff manager, Camille Taylor, is seen handing out the golden rings to the rest of the yearbook staff as they each recite their vows. “My favorite part about the wedding was probably the ceremony because everyone actually gets rings after they finish verbalizing their vow,” junior Camille Taylor said. “Everyone puts their own twist on their vows based on their personality, whether they make it funny, more heartfelt, or somewhere in between. Its just a really creative way of acknowledging the importance of the book, which is why we marry it. I mean, marriage is a pretty big commitment. Plus it lets the staffers celebrate all the hard work theyve done so far.”

Staff manager, Camille Taylor, is seen handing out the golden rings to the rest of the yearbook staff as they each recite their vows. “My favorite part about the wedding was probably the ceremony because everyone actually gets rings after they finish verbalizing their vow,” junior Camille Taylor said. “Everyone puts their own twist on their vows based on their personality, whether they make it funny, more heartfelt, or somewhere in between. It’s just a really creative way of acknowledging the importance of the book, which is why we ‘marry’ it. I mean, marriage is a pretty big commitment. Plus it lets the staffers celebrate all the hard work they’ve done so far.”

Robin Ntankeh
November 21, 2018

UHSpress headquarters were lively Tuesday morning on November 13, as staffers and editors crammed the front wooden table with desserts, sugary drinks and hot entrées like macaroni and cheese. Staffers helped push back the long tables and chairs to create an open space for the ceremony and dance floor. Meanwhile, others smoothed down the creases in their clothes or reread their vows every five seconds. The traditional wedding celebration at UHSpress is not only a chance for the staffers and editors to commit themselves to the yearbook by “marriage”, but also solidify their positions within the club.

(From left to right) Fellow editors Cierra Stark, Emily Edwards, and Morgan Costner watch in admiration at the new staffers giving their vows and receiving their rings. "When everybody else was giving their vows I was thinking really hard, trying to come up with two extra lines to throw in at the end of my vows because I did them so last second that I didn't finish,” Cierra said.
(From left to right) Fellow editors Cierra Stark, Emily Edwards, and Morgan Costner watch in admiration at the new staffers giving their vows and receiving their rings. “When everybody else was giving their vows I was thinking really hard, trying to come up with two extra lines to throw in at the end of my vows because I did them so last second that I didn’t finish,” Cierra said.

“It made me feel good that I could make an actual commitment because yearbook really is a commitment to not only the staffers and members, but to the school because this book is so important,” sophomore staffer Moriah Lopez said. “I vowed to try my hardest at all times to meet the task required and never give up.”

Staffers not only dedicate and sacrifice their time to help capture memories for the entire school, but the student leaders take into account the works of their past yearbooks and continue to teach staffers how to improve.

 

(From left to right) Yearbook staffers and sophomores, Briahna Martin, Chloe Evers, and Natasha Sweet, laugh at joke being said by one of their fellow staffer members and proceed to slip on their rings when they recite the group vow. “So for yearbook, all you have to do is to work really hard,” Natasha said. “You have to spend time on it and with the wedding, that was kind of just a validation that you are going to do it and I thought it was really cool.”
(From left to right) Yearbook staffers and sophomores, Briahna Martin, Chloe Evers, and Natasha Sweet, laugh at joke being said by one of their fellow staffer members and proceed to slip on their rings when they recite the group vow. “So for yearbook, all you have to do is to work really hard,” Natasha said. “You have to spend time on it and with the wedding, that was kind of just a validation that you are going to do it and I thought it was really cool.”

 

“I want to, as a managing editor, train my staffers and aid them in their abilities.” senior Managing Editor Joseph Arquette said. “I want to try to incorporate a lot more people in this book, get better photos, try getting better stories and teaching all the people around me new and important things about how they can do that and have them teach me as well.  But as far as this book directly goes… I truly believe that by the end of the year, we’re going to be hearing some great news about our book. ”

The student leaders, or editors, within the club not only try to better the yearbook for the school, but better themselves and their skills along the way.

 

Senior and yearbook staffer, Alanna Schou, enjoys some of her favorite food during the after party as she hangs out with her friends. “It’s my first time giving vows to the book, but I think I really just have to keep myself on track and be the best student journalist I can be,” Alanna said. “I’m really hoping that I can make a really good spread for the book. I’m also hoping that I get my photography featured throughout the book.”
Senior and yearbook staffer, Alanna Schou, enjoys some of her favorite food during the after party as she hangs out with her friends. “It’s my first time giving vows to the book, but I think I really just have to keep myself on track and be the best student journalist I can be,” Alanna said. “I’m really hoping that I can make a really good spread for the book. I’m also hoping that I get my photography featured throughout the book.”

“I feel like improvement in the program starts with improvement in yourself,” senior co Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Jackson said. “I knew that I wasn’t great at photography, I wasn’t great at design… but I’ve gotten a little bit better at design now and I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better at photography,  even in the past three months. But I feel like… it just has to start with you. Look at examples of the work that’s out there already. If you don’t show what you want something to look like, it’s hard for a staffer or for anybody to know what you want.”

Not only do the students get to promise their all when making spreads or meeting deadlines, they discovered a new home  along the way.

“My experience this year has really been eye opening,” sophomore staffer Chloe Evers said. “Since the beginning of the year I’ve really grown so much. Not only as a staffer, but as a person. I no longer felt like a newbie just watching everybody else do their parts. It was a moment when I really had a place in the staff, and I was able to look around at everybody and be totally comfortable with them. Hearing everybody’s vows just made the atmosphere so positive and made me feel at home.”