The Crimson and Gold yearbook is now available for purchase by all students, after years of it being only available to graduating seniors. This new policy comes alongside a number of attempts to expand the yearbook’s presence this year, including the addition of an extracurricular yearbook club that runs alongside the already existing yearbook elective course.
Melissa Nakos, art and yearbook teacher, discussed this year’s changes. She said that having a yearbook photography club alongside the elective class allows students to take part in the creation of the yearbook.
Senior yearbook editors Madyson Middleton, Mikolas Taveras, and Wren Walston also spoke to The Classic about this year’s changes. Wren said that the new club has a specific focus on photography to help ensure that the final yearbook has more photos than previous years. She also said that they are working to add more quotes from students and faculty members in this year’s edition.
“We’re trying to really focus on having students and faculty [share] perspectives,” Wren said.
Ms. Nakos discussed why they made the decision to open yearbook sales to the whole community as opposed to seniors alone.
“The yearbook doesn’t just have seniors in it,” she said, adding that other students might want to buy a yearbook to memorialize a particularly important year for them, or they might have graduating friends or even relatives and might want to have the yearbook as a keepsake.
Madyson said that making the yearbook open to everyone “is a good idea because a lot of people might want that memory from high school, even if it’s not ‘their yearbook.’”
Some freshmen, sophomores, and juniors said that they looked forward to being able to purchase the yearbook, describing it as a good chance to have a keepsake from their high school years.
Junior Ethan Ben-David said that knowing a number of graduating seniors makes purchasing the yearbook more appealing. “Although it is pretty expensive, I think it will be worth it due to all the nostalgic memories,” he said.
Freshman Taha Alam said, “I think everyone getting this yearbook this year is a great way to remember each other and have the people close to heart through a memorable book.”
“Students would want to admire the memories of all the years they attended THHS, not only their senior year,” said junior Abdullah Khan.
Two seniors said that they thought the yearbook should remain open to seniors only. Mikolas said that he understands this sentiment but believes it is worth making the yearbook available to all nonetheless.
“I am a little bit partial to senior exclusivity as well,” Mikolas said, “but I think [it’s important] to bring the school together as a whole.”
At least three students who spoke to The Classic said that the $85 price tag was too expensive and made them less likely to pre-order the yearbook.
“I don’t want to pay that much, …and I don’t feel like I’ve been in this school long enough to need one,” freshman Tristan Lyner said.
According to Ms. Nakos, a number of freshmen and juniors have pre-ordered the yearbook, but no sophomores have yet. Pre-orders are due by January 15.
