Yearbook
k o o b r a Ye E SUIT
A R T EX
F O K O O B G
E M E H T
I B THE
S A E ID
F O K O O B G I
B E TH
S A E D I E A M R T E X E H
TYEARBOOK SUITE
Finding your yearbook theme is one of the most exciting parts of creating a yearbook. It’s one of the first major decisions the yearbook staff will make. The theme sets the tone for the entire year. It shapes the book, yet must be malleable enough to go with the flow of the school year. Think of the theme as your yearbook’s personality. The theme will show up in every part of the yearbook: the cover, endsheets, title, opening, closing and division pages. It will inspire your coverage. You want a theme that reflects the current year while representing or relating to all students at your school. Finding a clever theme is a bonus, but the primary objective is a means for telling the story of the year. Don’t sacrifice relatability for a catchy phrase. You may have something big happening at your school – like a new building or a major schedule change. This makes the decision simple – if it’s big enough to affect all parts of the school year, it is big enough to factor into your theme. However, most school years are largely the same, which can make finding a theme more difficult. You still want a theme specific to that year, that won’t blend into previous years’ themes.
1
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
VERBAL, VISUAL, CONCEPT, CHRONOLOGICAL
There are four main types of yearbook theme: verbal, visual, concept and chronological.
TYPES OF THEMES: VERBAL
THEME
Verbal themes are a traditional approach to theme. They use catchphrase expressions, popular phrases or plays on words.
“IT’S ALL GOOD” Lair, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, Shawnee, Kansas
VISUAL THEME
“OUT OF THE BLUE” Lion, McKinney High School, McKinney, Texas
2
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
Visual themes rely on colors, graphics, and fonts. This can be a stunning, eye-catching approach. The choice of bold versus muted colors, simple or conspicuous designs conveys the type of year without any words.
TYPES OF THEMES CONTINUED
CONCEPT THEME
Concept themes are based on an identity or psychological angle, but schools that use concept themes are taking a risk. When done well, concept themes can be amazing. However, they can easily become too serious or be difficult for students to relate to.
“ERAS” Trail, Norman High School, Norman, Oklahoma
CHRONOLOGICAL THEME
Chronological themes tell the story of the year sequentially. These books can be laid out season-by-season, month-by-month, or even week-by-week (although that level of specificity is best left to experienced teams). While it makes some coverage easier, the yearbook staff will need to figure out where certain academics or other “all-year” activities will fit in.
“ALL OVER THE PLACE” Legend, Boone High School, Orlando, Florida
3
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
THE CHOICE You can use choose a theme off the following list or simply use it for inspiration. Maybe one of these themes can be adapted to fit your school. The entire yearbook staff should be part of the decision. Break into small groups to discuss and brainstorm. Think about how different themes will play out through the entire book. Sketch out ideas for the cover. Write down possible names for the different sections. This list of themes included in this book are just a small sample of the possibilities. Be sure to check out the Finding a Theme section of Walsworth’s Yearbook Suite for tips on creating a unique theme.
“WE MAKE IT LOOK EASY” Eastern Lebanon County High School Myerstown, Pennsylvania 2017 Sigma
INSPIRATION: “ENLIGHTENED” Sometimes, a simple one-word theme can convey so many emotions, and express the ideas of growth and learning. It also opens up many visual possibilities for a yearbook staff’s designers to get creative.
4
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“REVEALED” Hinsdale Central High School Hinsdale, Illinois 2017 El Diablo
“THE INSIDE STORY” Here’s a theme concept that could really fit for a yearbook staff looking to dig deep and do a journalistic book with unique angles on traditional events and profiles on students who normally might not get covered in the yearbook.
“BENEATH THE SURFACE” Time to dig! Another theme that could fit well with a journalisticstyle yearbook whose staff has ambitions of exploring issues in its coverage or writing a few more in-depth student life pieces.
“WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR NAME” Imagine how inclusive your yearbook can be with a theme like this one. This idea fits perfectly at smaller schools where literally everybody does know everyone’s name. But think of the sidebars and packages filled with student quotes that would work well.
“FACES IN THE CROWD” Here’s another theme idea that allows your staff to get inclusive with the coverage and design. Imagine a cover design or treatments on spreads focused on the faces of individual students.
5
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“LOOK AGAIN” Timberview Middle School Fort Worth, Texas 2017 The View
“LIFE IS A STAGE” This idea works a couple of different ways. Your school days are a unique, formative stage of your life, and the yearbook is capturing it all. Or, the school year was the most recent “performance” by your school’s students on life’s stage.
“JUST GETTING STARTED” Start it up! This idea works for a new school, opening in its first year; or it possibly fits a school that has made some sweeping new changes.
“A CENTURY OF CHANGE” This is a simple, ideal theme for a 100th anniversary edition book, which perfectly encapsulates for the reader that so many memorable events have taken place in your school’s 100-year history.
“BREAKING NEW GROUND” Is your school moving to a new campus? Or possibly building a new football stadium, or new addition that represents an important milestone? This theme can be a representation of those changes.
6
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“BUILDING A LEGACY” Every class that comes through a high school thinks about what kind of impression they can make. A theme that uses a concept such as “legacy” could be appropriate for your year.
“CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE” This theme idea can be fun and interactive. Your staff could get creative with the copy and coverage. Here’s one way – try writing in second person point of view.
“IN THE HOUSE OF (SCHOOL COLOR/MASCOT)” It’s your house! Yearbook themes that show school spirit and pride are always popular. This idea automatically lends itself to a fun cover design with the mascot or creative use of school colors on theme pages.
“CONTROLLED CHAOS” Even a normal school year is typically filled with lots of action and plenty of interesting stories. Some years become flat-out chaotic and building your theme around that idea will create some fun design and photography opportunities.
“THAT FEELING WHEN” Palo Alto Senior High School Palo Alto, California 2017 Madrono
7
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“ON A MISSION” This theme concept carries a powerful message and inherently lends itself to bold design. If the message fits your school and your year, it gives your staff a chance to focus on moments of dedication from students, teachers, teams – any individuals or groups in your school.
“ON OUR OWN” We got this! Here’s another theme idea heavy on school spirit, letting the world know that your school and students were independent and ready to take on the world.
“WE ARE” Sherwood High School Sandy Springs, Maryland 2017 Leaves
“SIMPLY THE BEST” Any staff would have fun playing around with this idea in a year where their sports teams dominated on the field, their clubs were active and students excelled in the classroom.
“BEYOND THESE WALLS” Life for students is about more than what happens inside the school hallways. If you want to expand your scope to focus on the stories that took place outside of school, try an idea like this one.
8
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“PERSPECTIVE” Carl Albert Middle School Midwest City, Oklahoma 2017 The Titan
“ALL EYES ON US” The yearbook captures your school’s memories during a specific moment in time. This theme tells your readers that for nine months, your school community was the center of the universe.
“BELIEVE” Sometimes, a yearbook theme doesn’t need to be a cute, catchy phrase. One powerful word does the trick. “Believe” is open-ended enough that your staff could shape it to mean whatever you want.
“FAIRY TALES & LEGENDS” This light-hearted theme opens up lots of fun design possibilities, and is the kind of idea that could fit very well with a middle or elementary school book. You want to use dragons and knights? Do it.
“THE POWER OF ONE” Your readers will get a sense of the dedication and altruism of your school with this theme. Focus on personal, individual stories.
“FIRST CLASS” Proud of how your school is top notch at everything? Use this theme to express it. This phrase could also be used to describe the opening of a new building or campus.
9
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“RIGHT ON TARGET” Keep it steady! Did your students keep it together and stay focused on their goals? Your designers could do some fun theme elements using a “target.”
“REACH FOR THE STARS” Are the students at your school always reaching out to grab their dreams? Then the yearbook staff should be doing the same thing with a theme like this.
“ONE LAST IMPRESSION” This theme would be good for a school that’s about to close. Whether it’s closing because a new building was constructed, or students will be dispersed to existing schools, students will be thinking about the mark they’ve left and that the school left on them. Everything that happens in that school is being done for the last time.
“LIFE IN THE MIDDLE” An appropriate theme for a middle school, “Life in the Middle” opens up room to explore the transitionary stage most middle school students feel themselves to be in – caught between elementary and high school, childhood and teenage years.
“AS WE KNOW IT” Crescenta Valley High School La Crescenta, California 2017 Talon
10
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“WE ARE EVEN IF YOU DON ’T SEE IT” Del Campo High School Fair Oaks, California 2017 Decamhian
“LIVING THE DREAM” Yearbook staffs frequently take a common phrase or saying and turn it into a theme. “Living the Dream” would allow your yearbook to focus on the good things happening in the present, while also talking about students’ plans for the future (their dreams).
“A LION ’ S TALE”
This theme utilizes a school mascot while evoking a sense of pride and adventure. It lends itself to storytelling, whether the story of the collective group or the experiences of individual students.
“BEAR FACTS” A play on words that easily incorporates the school mascot. Don’t be afraid to have some fun with your theme.
“THROUGH THE EYES OF A (MASCOT NAME)” Another theme that uses a mascot to unite the group, this theme lends itself to the stories of individual students.
11
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“OH, THE PLACES WE ’ VE BEEN!”
By alluding to the beloved classic by Dr. Seuss, this theme introduces a sense of whimsy while allowing for reflection.
“SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT” Students talk. Why not keep a record of what they’re discussing? This will give a good sense of what the year was like and provide fond memories for students who look back. You could even have teachers share the snippets of conversation they overhear in the hallway – it could bring in some interesting contributions!
“WE GOT THIS” Gulliver Preparatory School Miami, Florida 2017 Raider
“ONCE AGAIN ... LIKE NEVER BEFORE” While some school years stand out, many are similar to the previous year. This theme acknowledges that reality, but encourages the yearbook staff to seek out the unique aspects of the year. You’re still in the same school, but the people and experiences are different.
“WE THE PEOPLE...” This theme has layered meaning. It’s patriotic, unifying and allows for a focus on the people of the school.
12
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“A SECOND GLANCE” This theme asks the reader to see beyond the surface, to who the students really are. It allows for the opportunity to tell the stories of students you might not know. Perhaps a student at your school is a world-class athlete in an obscure sport. Maybe a student came to the United States as a refugee when they were very young. This theme allows your staff to seek out and report those stories.
“FOR THE RECORD” This popular saying is used to indicate you want something noted or remembered, which makes it a great theme. You are telling the story of the year, and what goes in your yearbook will be used to help people remember many years from now.
“IT TAKES ALL KINDS” This theme focuses on inclusivity. Many different types of people attend your school, and every person contributes something unique to make the school year what it is.
“YOU HAD TO BE THERE”
“EVOLVE” Rancho Cucamonga High School Rancho Cucamonga, California 2017 Túkwet
13
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
This theme focuses on the students during this year. What are they experiencing this year? Find fun and unique ways to tell their stories.
“WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?” Things never work out quite the way they were planned. This theme allows you to explore the differences between expectation and reality.
“UNFILTERED” Woodland Junior High School Fayetteville, Arkansas 2017 The Round-Up
“MAKING THE CONNECTION” There are many ways to explore this theme. You could look at peoples’ connections to the school, to each other, to their goals, or to life now and in the future, for starters.
“ONE DAY AT A TIME” This would work well as a calendar theme. Unless you’re experienced with chronological themes, you don’t want to go day by day; that would be overwhelming. If you’re following the school year by season or month, you could create spreads focusing on a single day. You could talk to students about their experience during a normal school day, on big days like graduation, or a combination of the two.
“SURVIVAL GUIDE” Here’s a theme that lends itself to fun. Turn to maps, prepper handbooks and apocalypse scenario guides for design inspiration. You could focus on how students “survive” the year and even ask them to share advice!
14
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“SHINE BRIGHTER TOGETHER” “EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED”
Timber Creek High School Fort Worth, Texas 2017 The Creek
This is another way to look at “reality versus expectation.” How do students prepare for the unexpected? How do they plan for surprises?
“OUT OF THE ORDINARY” Is your school having an exceptional year? Are your sports teams, clubs or academics always outstanding? This is a good theme to show off those accomplishments. Conversely, having an unusually bad year would also work with this theme, but tread carefully. There are ways to avoid hurt feelings and use positive coverage angles.
“OUT OF HAND” The school year is filled with excitement. This theme is built around that energy. Make sure you have a photographer at events where people will be in high spirits. Your spread design would lend itself to bold colors and fonts.
15
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“EVERY SECOND COUNTS” This theme would allow you to focus on “moments,” like the instant that decides the outcome of the big game or that second before the bell rings in class. This would work well as a chronological theme.
“180 DAYS” This is the number of days many schools are in session. You could adjust this number to fit your school. This is a fun and simple take on a chronological theme.
“A TWIST ON TRADITION” This theme is a neat way to focus on a difference being made this year. Look for change that’s happening. Whether it’s something major, or the small nuances of day-to-day life, focus on what’s different. However, beware the trap of looking too much to the past – this yearbook is the story of the present year.
“BREAKING TRADITION” Explore what sets the year apart from previous school years. This is a good theme for a year with big changes, especially when something is being physically broken, such as the replacement of an old wing of the building.
“DEFINITIONS” Brookfield Central High School Brookfield, Wisconsin 2017 Legend
16
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
Find More Walsworth eBooks We hope you enjoyed the content provided in this eBook. You can get even more great tips from yearbook experts in Walsworth’s additional eBooks, which can be found at walsworthyearbooks.com/ebooks. Walsworth is among the top four yearbook printers in the U.S., and is the only American family-owned publisher of yearbooks. As a leading provider of resources for yearbook advisers, Walsworth’s focus is making the yearbook creation process easier and more successful for our schools. Learn more by visiting us at walsworthyearbooks.com.
A R T EX
F O K O O B G
E M E H T
I B THE
S A E ID
F O K O O B G I
B E TH
S A E D I E A M R T E X E H
TYEARBOOK SUITE
Finding your yearbook theme is one of the most exciting parts of creating a yearbook. It’s one of the first major decisions the yearbook staff will make. The theme sets the tone for the entire year. It shapes the book, yet must be malleable enough to go with the flow of the school year. Think of the theme as your yearbook’s personality. The theme will show up in every part of the yearbook: the cover, endsheets, title, opening, closing and division pages. It will inspire your coverage. You want a theme that reflects the current year while representing or relating to all students at your school. Finding a clever theme is a bonus, but the primary objective is a means for telling the story of the year. Don’t sacrifice relatability for a catchy phrase. You may have something big happening at your school – like a new building or a major schedule change. This makes the decision simple – if it’s big enough to affect all parts of the school year, it is big enough to factor into your theme. However, most school years are largely the same, which can make finding a theme more difficult. You still want a theme specific to that year, that won’t blend into previous years’ themes.
1
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
VERBAL, VISUAL, CONCEPT, CHRONOLOGICAL
There are four main types of yearbook theme: verbal, visual, concept and chronological.
TYPES OF THEMES: VERBAL
THEME
Verbal themes are a traditional approach to theme. They use catchphrase expressions, popular phrases or plays on words.
“IT’S ALL GOOD” Lair, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, Shawnee, Kansas
VISUAL THEME
“OUT OF THE BLUE” Lion, McKinney High School, McKinney, Texas
2
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
Visual themes rely on colors, graphics, and fonts. This can be a stunning, eye-catching approach. The choice of bold versus muted colors, simple or conspicuous designs conveys the type of year without any words.
TYPES OF THEMES CONTINUED
CONCEPT THEME
Concept themes are based on an identity or psychological angle, but schools that use concept themes are taking a risk. When done well, concept themes can be amazing. However, they can easily become too serious or be difficult for students to relate to.
“ERAS” Trail, Norman High School, Norman, Oklahoma
CHRONOLOGICAL THEME
Chronological themes tell the story of the year sequentially. These books can be laid out season-by-season, month-by-month, or even week-by-week (although that level of specificity is best left to experienced teams). While it makes some coverage easier, the yearbook staff will need to figure out where certain academics or other “all-year” activities will fit in.
“ALL OVER THE PLACE” Legend, Boone High School, Orlando, Florida
3
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
THE CHOICE You can use choose a theme off the following list or simply use it for inspiration. Maybe one of these themes can be adapted to fit your school. The entire yearbook staff should be part of the decision. Break into small groups to discuss and brainstorm. Think about how different themes will play out through the entire book. Sketch out ideas for the cover. Write down possible names for the different sections. This list of themes included in this book are just a small sample of the possibilities. Be sure to check out the Finding a Theme section of Walsworth’s Yearbook Suite for tips on creating a unique theme.
“WE MAKE IT LOOK EASY” Eastern Lebanon County High School Myerstown, Pennsylvania 2017 Sigma
INSPIRATION: “ENLIGHTENED” Sometimes, a simple one-word theme can convey so many emotions, and express the ideas of growth and learning. It also opens up many visual possibilities for a yearbook staff’s designers to get creative.
4
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“REVEALED” Hinsdale Central High School Hinsdale, Illinois 2017 El Diablo
“THE INSIDE STORY” Here’s a theme concept that could really fit for a yearbook staff looking to dig deep and do a journalistic book with unique angles on traditional events and profiles on students who normally might not get covered in the yearbook.
“BENEATH THE SURFACE” Time to dig! Another theme that could fit well with a journalisticstyle yearbook whose staff has ambitions of exploring issues in its coverage or writing a few more in-depth student life pieces.
“WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR NAME” Imagine how inclusive your yearbook can be with a theme like this one. This idea fits perfectly at smaller schools where literally everybody does know everyone’s name. But think of the sidebars and packages filled with student quotes that would work well.
“FACES IN THE CROWD” Here’s another theme idea that allows your staff to get inclusive with the coverage and design. Imagine a cover design or treatments on spreads focused on the faces of individual students.
5
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“LOOK AGAIN” Timberview Middle School Fort Worth, Texas 2017 The View
“LIFE IS A STAGE” This idea works a couple of different ways. Your school days are a unique, formative stage of your life, and the yearbook is capturing it all. Or, the school year was the most recent “performance” by your school’s students on life’s stage.
“JUST GETTING STARTED” Start it up! This idea works for a new school, opening in its first year; or it possibly fits a school that has made some sweeping new changes.
“A CENTURY OF CHANGE” This is a simple, ideal theme for a 100th anniversary edition book, which perfectly encapsulates for the reader that so many memorable events have taken place in your school’s 100-year history.
“BREAKING NEW GROUND” Is your school moving to a new campus? Or possibly building a new football stadium, or new addition that represents an important milestone? This theme can be a representation of those changes.
6
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“BUILDING A LEGACY” Every class that comes through a high school thinks about what kind of impression they can make. A theme that uses a concept such as “legacy” could be appropriate for your year.
“CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE” This theme idea can be fun and interactive. Your staff could get creative with the copy and coverage. Here’s one way – try writing in second person point of view.
“IN THE HOUSE OF (SCHOOL COLOR/MASCOT)” It’s your house! Yearbook themes that show school spirit and pride are always popular. This idea automatically lends itself to a fun cover design with the mascot or creative use of school colors on theme pages.
“CONTROLLED CHAOS” Even a normal school year is typically filled with lots of action and plenty of interesting stories. Some years become flat-out chaotic and building your theme around that idea will create some fun design and photography opportunities.
“THAT FEELING WHEN” Palo Alto Senior High School Palo Alto, California 2017 Madrono
7
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“ON A MISSION” This theme concept carries a powerful message and inherently lends itself to bold design. If the message fits your school and your year, it gives your staff a chance to focus on moments of dedication from students, teachers, teams – any individuals or groups in your school.
“ON OUR OWN” We got this! Here’s another theme idea heavy on school spirit, letting the world know that your school and students were independent and ready to take on the world.
“WE ARE” Sherwood High School Sandy Springs, Maryland 2017 Leaves
“SIMPLY THE BEST” Any staff would have fun playing around with this idea in a year where their sports teams dominated on the field, their clubs were active and students excelled in the classroom.
“BEYOND THESE WALLS” Life for students is about more than what happens inside the school hallways. If you want to expand your scope to focus on the stories that took place outside of school, try an idea like this one.
8
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“PERSPECTIVE” Carl Albert Middle School Midwest City, Oklahoma 2017 The Titan
“ALL EYES ON US” The yearbook captures your school’s memories during a specific moment in time. This theme tells your readers that for nine months, your school community was the center of the universe.
“BELIEVE” Sometimes, a yearbook theme doesn’t need to be a cute, catchy phrase. One powerful word does the trick. “Believe” is open-ended enough that your staff could shape it to mean whatever you want.
“FAIRY TALES & LEGENDS” This light-hearted theme opens up lots of fun design possibilities, and is the kind of idea that could fit very well with a middle or elementary school book. You want to use dragons and knights? Do it.
“THE POWER OF ONE” Your readers will get a sense of the dedication and altruism of your school with this theme. Focus on personal, individual stories.
“FIRST CLASS” Proud of how your school is top notch at everything? Use this theme to express it. This phrase could also be used to describe the opening of a new building or campus.
9
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“RIGHT ON TARGET” Keep it steady! Did your students keep it together and stay focused on their goals? Your designers could do some fun theme elements using a “target.”
“REACH FOR THE STARS” Are the students at your school always reaching out to grab their dreams? Then the yearbook staff should be doing the same thing with a theme like this.
“ONE LAST IMPRESSION” This theme would be good for a school that’s about to close. Whether it’s closing because a new building was constructed, or students will be dispersed to existing schools, students will be thinking about the mark they’ve left and that the school left on them. Everything that happens in that school is being done for the last time.
“LIFE IN THE MIDDLE” An appropriate theme for a middle school, “Life in the Middle” opens up room to explore the transitionary stage most middle school students feel themselves to be in – caught between elementary and high school, childhood and teenage years.
“AS WE KNOW IT” Crescenta Valley High School La Crescenta, California 2017 Talon
10
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“WE ARE EVEN IF YOU DON ’T SEE IT” Del Campo High School Fair Oaks, California 2017 Decamhian
“LIVING THE DREAM” Yearbook staffs frequently take a common phrase or saying and turn it into a theme. “Living the Dream” would allow your yearbook to focus on the good things happening in the present, while also talking about students’ plans for the future (their dreams).
“A LION ’ S TALE”
This theme utilizes a school mascot while evoking a sense of pride and adventure. It lends itself to storytelling, whether the story of the collective group or the experiences of individual students.
“BEAR FACTS” A play on words that easily incorporates the school mascot. Don’t be afraid to have some fun with your theme.
“THROUGH THE EYES OF A (MASCOT NAME)” Another theme that uses a mascot to unite the group, this theme lends itself to the stories of individual students.
11
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“OH, THE PLACES WE ’ VE BEEN!”
By alluding to the beloved classic by Dr. Seuss, this theme introduces a sense of whimsy while allowing for reflection.
“SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT” Students talk. Why not keep a record of what they’re discussing? This will give a good sense of what the year was like and provide fond memories for students who look back. You could even have teachers share the snippets of conversation they overhear in the hallway – it could bring in some interesting contributions!
“WE GOT THIS” Gulliver Preparatory School Miami, Florida 2017 Raider
“ONCE AGAIN ... LIKE NEVER BEFORE” While some school years stand out, many are similar to the previous year. This theme acknowledges that reality, but encourages the yearbook staff to seek out the unique aspects of the year. You’re still in the same school, but the people and experiences are different.
“WE THE PEOPLE...” This theme has layered meaning. It’s patriotic, unifying and allows for a focus on the people of the school.
12
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“A SECOND GLANCE” This theme asks the reader to see beyond the surface, to who the students really are. It allows for the opportunity to tell the stories of students you might not know. Perhaps a student at your school is a world-class athlete in an obscure sport. Maybe a student came to the United States as a refugee when they were very young. This theme allows your staff to seek out and report those stories.
“FOR THE RECORD” This popular saying is used to indicate you want something noted or remembered, which makes it a great theme. You are telling the story of the year, and what goes in your yearbook will be used to help people remember many years from now.
“IT TAKES ALL KINDS” This theme focuses on inclusivity. Many different types of people attend your school, and every person contributes something unique to make the school year what it is.
“YOU HAD TO BE THERE”
“EVOLVE” Rancho Cucamonga High School Rancho Cucamonga, California 2017 Túkwet
13
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
This theme focuses on the students during this year. What are they experiencing this year? Find fun and unique ways to tell their stories.
“WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?” Things never work out quite the way they were planned. This theme allows you to explore the differences between expectation and reality.
“UNFILTERED” Woodland Junior High School Fayetteville, Arkansas 2017 The Round-Up
“MAKING THE CONNECTION” There are many ways to explore this theme. You could look at peoples’ connections to the school, to each other, to their goals, or to life now and in the future, for starters.
“ONE DAY AT A TIME” This would work well as a calendar theme. Unless you’re experienced with chronological themes, you don’t want to go day by day; that would be overwhelming. If you’re following the school year by season or month, you could create spreads focusing on a single day. You could talk to students about their experience during a normal school day, on big days like graduation, or a combination of the two.
“SURVIVAL GUIDE” Here’s a theme that lends itself to fun. Turn to maps, prepper handbooks and apocalypse scenario guides for design inspiration. You could focus on how students “survive” the year and even ask them to share advice!
14
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“SHINE BRIGHTER TOGETHER” “EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED”
Timber Creek High School Fort Worth, Texas 2017 The Creek
This is another way to look at “reality versus expectation.” How do students prepare for the unexpected? How do they plan for surprises?
“OUT OF THE ORDINARY” Is your school having an exceptional year? Are your sports teams, clubs or academics always outstanding? This is a good theme to show off those accomplishments. Conversely, having an unusually bad year would also work with this theme, but tread carefully. There are ways to avoid hurt feelings and use positive coverage angles.
“OUT OF HAND” The school year is filled with excitement. This theme is built around that energy. Make sure you have a photographer at events where people will be in high spirits. Your spread design would lend itself to bold colors and fonts.
15
Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
“EVERY SECOND COUNTS” This theme would allow you to focus on “moments,” like the instant that decides the outcome of the big game or that second before the bell rings in class. This would work well as a chronological theme.
“180 DAYS” This is the number of days many schools are in session. You could adjust this number to fit your school. This is a fun and simple take on a chronological theme.
“A TWIST ON TRADITION” This theme is a neat way to focus on a difference being made this year. Look for change that’s happening. Whether it’s something major, or the small nuances of day-to-day life, focus on what’s different. However, beware the trap of looking too much to the past – this yearbook is the story of the present year.
“BREAKING TRADITION” Explore what sets the year apart from previous school years. This is a good theme for a year with big changes, especially when something is being physically broken, such as the replacement of an old wing of the building.
“DEFINITIONS” Brookfield Central High School Brookfield, Wisconsin 2017 Legend
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Yearbook Suite Extra | The Big Book of Theme Ideas
Find More Walsworth eBooks We hope you enjoyed the content provided in this eBook. You can get even more great tips from yearbook experts in Walsworth’s additional eBooks, which can be found at walsworthyearbooks.com/ebooks. Walsworth is among the top four yearbook printers in the U.S., and is the only American family-owned publisher of yearbooks. As a leading provider of resources for yearbook advisers, Walsworth’s focus is making the yearbook creation process easier and more successful for our schools. Learn more by visiting us at walsworthyearbooks.com.
