Yearbook Will Satisfy You and the Art Elective

The yearbook staff, advised by J.R. Cusick, is an amazing option for incoming tenth graders to take as a fine art. Not only is yearbook a class to take to earn your graduation requirements for a fine art, but it is a class where you can be treated as an adult and learn multiple life skills.

The class itself has such a positive vibe and there is so much happy energy when you enter the room, perfect for anyone who enjoys fun time while still getting work done. Cusick teaches the class multiple things about life.  Although Cusick was forced into teaching this job twenty-four years ago, he now loves and really enjoys it.

“I treat you like an adult, I give you a ‘here is your job, this is what you are responsible for’, I don’t micromanage you, you have to manage your time and I’ll make you a better photographer,” said Cusick, when asked what the core benefits are of taking this class.

When you first enter the room it is clear everyone in the class has a great relationship. All the students are doing their work, talking and laughing together while still finishing everything they need to finish.

Laila Najem, a senior in the class even said “My favorite thing about this class is Mr. Cusick”. The connection between the students and Cusick, or the “King of Shade”good, fun detail , is very evident and heart-warming.

“You can honestly talk to him about anything, he even helped a out a kid in class with his relationship problems” said senior Adamari Gonzalez. Cusick makes the class very enjoyable, but when works needs to get done, he makes sure it gets done.

“It’s not just a class, we’ve all developed a really good friendship here,” beginning student Gabe Aburto said. Aburto also revealed that the class has deadline parties and when the staff isn’t making the yearbook, they are enjoying each other and watching movies.

The greatest thing of all that comes from this class is “the ability to make something for the school that they can hold onto forever and look back on” said junior Raven Gutierrez.

Joe Chaides, yearbook expert and representative from IYBKS, the company that produces the yearbooks, said that when the yearbook comes out “the general population looks for photos of them and their friends” for yearbook students, that isn’t the case.  “They are looking for pictures or pages that they worked on. They are looking for the blood, sweat and tears, that went into building that page, that’s where their memories are focused.”

This class is an amazing option for students who want to continue schooling in college. This class looks great on transcripts, colleges love to see that these people can be creative and make something for many people. Yearbook staff also gives you the opportunity to be published at such a young age, which isn’t an opportunity that you can get all the time.

The class does has a hierarchy with different roles, editor- in- chief, layout editor, photo editor and social media editor. All these roles can be filled by anyone and to be in the class all you really need is to be able to try new things, let your creativity flow. There are 16 Apple computers in the classroom, occupied by the hardworking staff who creates the yearbook.

These students make the yearbook from scratch and work all the way into late Aapril to make sure it is perfected. The class is super rewarding at the end of the year, seeing students pleased with the yearbook is a good feeling because you made the book yourself.

“The bottom line is, I want to make this class fun and enjoyable for these students” said Mr. Cusick.