You may assume that the yearbook staff starts working on the book in the fall, but the theme development process begins almost a whole year before the book’s release.
As the school year ends, yearbook advisors begin the application process for their school’s next editor staff. From this point, applicants must think of what their goals are for the next yearbook.
Being named editor-in-chief, I knew the first yearbook of Memorial High School had to be fitting for our unique situation.
When coming up with the theme of this yearbook during the summer, I went blank many times. How do you make a theme that will encapsulate the first year of a school that you’ve never even been to? After lots of brain-storming, I figured out the perfect theme.
I referenced the definition of the adjective “Maverick” and found words along the lines of “free, non-conformist and individualist,” words that I believe sum up this inaugural year well.
Then I researched the animal maverick. A maverick is usually a form of cattle that does not carry a brand.
Both definitions of our mascot were perfect. It fit the meaning behind our mascot while also leaving room to explore the opportunities our school has ahead of us.
In the summer, two of the editors and I went to Gloria Shields, a journalism skill-developing workshop in Dallas. There, we cultivated a plan for our book and its theme: Unbranded.
We came up with a blueprint for the order of our book and we worked on our visual/verbal theme. Our verbal theme plays on the title by using the prefix (un-). Usually (un-) is used to describe something lackluster or negative, but in our book it bolsters the individualism of our school.
For our visual theme, designers represented our town’s forward momentum by the use of line art throughout the book. Finally, on the cover, you see a simple sketch of a Maverick looking forward with pride and confidence.
This book started its journey in July of 2024 and was completed in April of 2025. I am so excited to share with all of you the months of work Maverick Media has put into this project.
Come grab your copy of Unbranded in room C209, starting Tuesday at 7 a.m.
