As a high schooler, I was super involved in clubs and extracurricular activities. With swim and speech practice and meets, choir and band concerts and festivals, student council, national honor society, FBLA, and drama, I was always busy and on the go – and I wouldn’t change a thing! I had fun, made so many memories, and learned skills that still help me in both my every day and professional life.

Part of my positive experience in each activity was my passion for what I was doing. Part of it was the friendships I made in each group. And part of it was the advisers who gave so much of their time and energy to make sure I was having these great experiences.

I’m getting a new and exciting opportunity at my new school this year. I am taking over as the yearbook teacher/adviser!

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I am both anxious and eager for this upcoming year. I’ve never been an adviser before, and I want to make sure that my students get the same fun, meaningful, and positive experiences that I got from my high school activities.

A few weeks ago, I attended a yearbook conference hosted by the publishing company I’ll be working with. I learned so much about the ins and outs of creating and selling a yearbook (and I got a fun shirt, water bottle, and tons of candy – truly, what an event!). Now, I need the students to come back so we can get to work creating the 20^th anniversary copy of our yearbook!

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While I (not so patiently) wait, I’m looking for a little advice:

• when you think about or look over your high school yearbook(s), what are things you like about the book? what are things you would change about or add to the book?
• when you were in high school, what are things that advisers did for you that you still remember or appreciate? what are things you needed from an adviser that you didn’t get?
• if you are (or were) an adviser (especially yearbook!), how did you balance those tasks with your normal teaching and life? and what are things you would suggest for a new adviser just starting out?