Gillett HS yearbook earns recognition

COVID-19 presented additional challenges to publication

Gillett High School’s yearbook program has been named a Jostens 2020 National Yearbook Program of Excellence.

Jostens describes itself a the leading producer of yearbooks and student-created content. The Program of Excellence recognizes engaging yearbooks that reflect a broad representation of the student body while helping students develop 21st century skills such as communication, collaboration, and information and communication technologies literacy.

Gillett’s award-winning yearbook program was led by Kalli Christensen, Erin Edwards, Samantha Kahler, Kira Lucht, Tani Lucht, Isabella Matczak, Andrew Rost, Jenna Woelfel, Ava Woodke and Stephanie Yoast under the direction of yearbook adviser Keri Hicks.

“The process of putting together a yearbook is a very involved and time-consuming process,” Hicks said. “These students not only put in class time, but most of them also put in many hours outside of class for designing, taking photos, interviewing people, gathering statistics, sales and meeting with classes and teachers about content to be put in.”

The pandemic added an extra layer of challenge to the process, Hicks said.

“Surveys needed to be written, sent out to students/teachers and then processed to figure out how we were going to give the best quality yearbook to represent the 2019-20 school year,” she said. “Isabella Matczak played a key role in working from home the last few months to be sure the yearbook was finished in time and in an appealing way. Throughout the year, the staff worked diligently to be sure that all students had an opportunity to be well represented in the yearbook.”

Jostens’ National Yearbook Program of Excellence Awards are presented twice a year, in spring and in fall based on the yearbook’s arrival date at the school. The award was presented to the Gillett High School yearbook program for achieving the defined criteria in each of three following categories: creating an inclusive yearbook, generating school engagement and successfully managing the yearbook creation process.

“Especially this spring, Jostens is proud to recognize those individuals who have acted as wonderful stewards by creating an exceptional yearbook for their school and community,” said Tammy Whitaker, Jostens vice president and COO of the Yearbook Division. “These schools did an exceptional job on multiple levels, despite the challenges presented by Spring 2020.”