Hudson Reporter Archive

Inside those glossy pages

For most editors of a high school yearbook, recognition of their 400-hour commitment largely remains unknown as the student body pores over a year’s worth of captured moments and inscribes their names and inside jokes within the last pages.
But for Weehawken High School’s 2010 Zenith yearbook editors-in-chief, Jennifer Alfonso and Veronica Nunez, their hard work won’t just be relegated to a dusty shelf in a high school student’s bedroom. Instead, people nationwide will be able to catch a glimpse of some of their best spreads and even use them for inspiration.
Late last year, Zenith advisor Francesca Amato received a letter that the yearbook was the only New Jersey-based yearbook selected to be included in the 2010 edition of Walsworth Publishing Company’s Possibilities publication, an annual showcase of the country’s best yearbook designs.

The layout

As suggested by the name, the publication highlights the impossibly good layouts displayed in the company’s yearbooks over the previous year, but also serves as an idea generator for future yearbooks.
The 288-page hardcover book shows examples of outstanding theme development, design, writing, and photography.
Yearbook staffs across the country use the publication by Walsworth, the only family-owned yearbook publishing company in the United States, as the gold standard for their inspiration.
The 2010 volume of Possibilities features 623 examples from 187 yearbooks – a very small percentage of its customer base.
Work appearing in the book is also displayed at regional, state, and nationwide conventions and workshops throughout the year.
To see other outstanding designs chosen, go to www.walsworthyearbooks.com.

Winning designs

In the Oct. 22 letter of notice, Amato learned that her last year’s staff had actually won two coveted spots in the publication.
Their “masquerade” spread on pages eight and nine as well as their fashion spread on pages 10 and 11 were chosen as examples.
Amato, now in her fifth year as advisor, noted that while the yearbook has won awards in the past, this is the first time that Zenith has appeared within the sample pages of Possibilities.
“I watched the hard work and dedication these students and their adviser put into creating this yearbook,” said Lauren Romano, the Walsworth yearbook sales representative for the school. “Not many people produce a book in less than a year, never mind that these were students who had other classes and obligations during that time.”
The staff starts working in August and meets frequently throughout the year to produce Zenith.

Where credit is due

Amato credits their feat to the dedication of last year’s “two amazing editors,” Alfonso and Nunez, who led a staff of 10 to produce 2010’s award-winning yearbook.
“[Alfonso and Nunez] took care of everything themselves…the theme, the idea, all original,” she said.
Ms. Michele Giorgio’s Mass Media class also contributed to the success of the book by providing copy.
“[They] always came through with good articles and ideas,” Amato said.
Deanna Cullen can be reached at dcullen@hudsonreporter.com.

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