Page 43 - Jostens Yearbook_Adviser Guide

PROS WHO KNOW

BLENDED COVERAGE
Chronological coverage has been a blast for my staff to work with for the past four years. We used
Blended coverage is a something-for-everyone approach that combines lifestyle, academic and club coverage on to know exactly what was going on each spread before school started, locking us into covering
each spread, enhancing the book’s overall appeal to students of diverse interests. Spreads can simply be time-
based or thematically unified. However, the staff must make sure it is all-inclusive with regard to people, groups, clubs that didn’t ever meet or do anything interesting, or topics that didn’t feel relevant or exciting.
activities and events. We found ourselves setting up our yearbook the same year to year—until we started chronological
coverage. Now, we are able to cover events, topics, and trends that pop up, so the book feels much
A topical index, in addition to the people listing, is helpful in assisting readers in finding subjects of personal more of a representation of the year. We like the opportunity to gather every two weeks to discuss
interest. It also becomes a checklist for the staff so they can be certain they are covering all activities and events. what’s happening, what is important to cover, and how we can cover it from a unique angle. With
these discussions, we are also much more aware of who and what we are covering, and who and
what we still need to cover. It feels like the way a real newsroom or magazine would function, and
it teaches us to keep our eyes open and be curious about what’s happening around us every week.

SPREAD BLENDS
COVERAGE:
Football
with hairstyles

Ava Y. Butzu
Grand Blanc High School, MI
Grand Blanc High School, MI
West Forsyth High School, GA
There is no one right way to do chronological coverage. Our book used to be weekly chronological,
but it now includes both event-based and seasonal approaches to topics. Some layouts feature
Chronological coverage helps meet a single sport or club; others include more variety. We love chronological coverage because it’s
authentic—the stories are never the same from year to year.
publisher deadlines, leading to livelier

coverage and less stress.

CLUB CUES

Chronological coverage can prove quite beneficial to clubs working with seasonal staff members. While production
still requires some year-long staffers, having a greater number of students working seasonally to cover particularly
busy sports seasons will help designers by giving them the content they need to complete their pages.
Brenda Ward Field
Glenbrook South High School, IL
Glenbrook South High School, IL

42 SECTION 2.3 CHRONOLOGICAL COVERAGE