In an unconventional year, the yearbook staff determined the book that provides its permanent, historical record should reflect the same. This week, it is announcing the 2020-2021 theme and cover for The Creek yearbook.
The theme is “Well What Happened Was…”, a nod to the popular phrase that precedes a long, drawn-out story, especially those that involve complications.
“If somebody was telling a story of what happened this year, that’s what I feel like they woudl start off with,” Julian Mayo said. “A lot has happened this year. To talk about all of it would take some time.”
The cover features a black-and-white illustration by clubs and organizations editor Katie Cooper. It is the first cover to be illustrated and lack color on the cover, at Caney Creek. The inspiration came from the whimsical, silly-yet-dark nature of Shel Silverstein’s childrens poetry and illustrations including in “Where the Sidewalk Ends” and “Falling Up”.
“I was trying to capture all the things that happened in 2020 and overwhelming everything, piling on top and crumbling,” Cooper said. “I wanted to make it look like it was a lot happening.”
There will be more illustrations throughout the book, as well as unconventional coverage that plays off the illustrations and more informal theme title.
The yearbook staff also created a new way to reserve books considering the economic strain many families are feeling. The Reserve Now, Pay Later Plan allows anyone to sign up to receive a book through Feb. 1, but must pay before delivery. This allows individuals and families to get a yearbook through partial payments rather than paying in full at time of reservation.
“We felt the biggest hurdle for many families was having to pay all at once,” adviser Stephen Green said. “Many parents and guardians ask if there is a way to pay in payments, but there wasn’t a way to do that until this year. We can’t financially lower the price of the yearbook, so we hope this system allows everyone to be able to get a yearbook and pay what they can, when they can.”
Reservations can be canceled through Feb. 1, but cannot be removed from accounts after that date. Students and families can still reserve yearbooks through the school webstore or Balfour.com. The Balfour site requires payment in full, but also includes accessories like dust jackets, nameplates, bookmarks, stickers and more.
This year, the staff will also have a summer delivery. This means yearbooks will be delivered in June or July rather than May.
The staff had no choice last school year but to go with a summer delivery because of the time needed to finish the yearbook remotely after the Covid pandemic started. However, feedback from the new system ended up being more positive than expected.
“We were able to include a lot more than before,” Green said. “We can now include prom, graduation, class rankings, and more of the spring sports season, among others. Before, we had to only include the very beginnings of all those spring sports and academic contests. Now, we can cover the whole season.”
Green said the staff is working on a way to allow seniors to have a way to sign yearbooks before they leave for college and work.
“Signing a yearbook is an important part of high school memories,” he said. “We are sensitive to that, so we’re looking at a few different ways to let a student have pages signed now and added to their book later. There are other schools that do this, so we’re looking to see what options work and which don’t.”
Yearbooks started the year at $60 and are now available for $80. Once yearbooks are delivered, the price will increase to $90 for any extras the printing factory sends.
“If there’s any year to get a yearbook, this is it,” Green said. “This is the year we’re going to talk about for the rest of our lives.”
For more information on purchasing a yearbook, visit theprowler.con/yearbook.