The Yearbooking Report Podcast

As another school year begins, it also means the start of another yearbook effort. And that can be overwhelming - SOOO much needs to be done. What can be done right from the beginning to get things off to a good start?

We put that question to Liz Walsh, a Creative Accounts Manager for Jostens Yearbooks and a former award winning adviser. Watch as Liz gives us several great ideas on organizing your staff, how to plan well, thoughts on page designing, and much more.

No matter if you prefer the buffalo or the elephant (you need to listen to understand,) here's an episode to help any yearbook adviser and staff at any level.

As another school year winds down (YAY!,) things have a habit of just slowing down or stopping. That includes yearbook work, and it really includes doing some preparing for next year's effort and looking to improve.

For our final podcast of the 2025-26 school year we talked to Tina Cleavelin, a Creative Accounts Manager for Jostens Yearbooks. A 37-year yearbook veteran, Tina gave us great advice on what to look out for, the value of attending a yearbook camp, and things for any staff to do better next year.

We also tackled subjects like dealing with a death at school, what AI can and SHOULDN'T do for yearbook, the real importance of having a theme and more. Enjoy the listening!

What are some concerning topics in the yearbook world today? A lot, right?

We had a great chat with yearbooking veteran Jim Jordan, Special Consultant for Walsworth Yearbooks and formerly a 35-year adviser in California. Listen to a terrific back and forth on issues like adviser stress today, why design is so difficult (and how to solve that,) how will AI figure in the yearbook future, and much more. 

If you are one of the many advisers considering quitting yearbook for next year, hear Jim's advice on why you are NEEDED and how to handle stresses today. It's an hour of talk, many tips and some laughs among our yearbooking tribe - you are not alone...

Let's be honest, most yearbooks at all levels are just picture books. When it comes to yearbook writing - well, not interested.

Yet yearbook writing is a crucial part of any good yearbook. Words fill in the blanks that the pictures don't tell us, and that's a LOT.

We talk with award winning adviser Justin Daigle of Brighton HS in Colorado about the need for writing, why kids seem to hate it so, what writing to add, how to do it and much more. Also the Vice President of the Journalism Education Association, Justin was the National Yearbook Adviser of the Year in 2024.

When we look at good yearbooking we see a 50-50 proposition: 50% creating the book and 50% marketing and sales. Yet for most yearbook advisers it's probably more like 90-10...or less. Yet if you make an awesome yearbook but few people buy one - you've failed.

What is good yearbook marketing? Why is it so important? And how can any staff really get attention for their efforts (that's marketing) that leads to sales success?

For this episode we went for a company person, in this case Shaun Stapleton - he's the VP of sales and marketing for Entourage Yearbooks. Listen to our wide ranging conversation on the what, why and how for any yearbook adviser working with any company. This one is a bit long but it is filled with insights, inspiration and ideas. Never too late to get started with new efforts to promote your book and boost your sales.

Pictures will always be the #1 element of any yearbook - but what KINDS of pictures? Just random snapshots, or those that tell a story just by looking at them?

From our TYR archives we went back to a great interview with Mike McLean, a professional freelance photographer and trainer from Texas who has been helping yearbook staffs for many years. 

Listen as Mike goes through some basic steps to improve your photo shooting, along with in-depth information on lens usage, better lighting and more. Get some great advice for rookie photogs and also students/advisers who really want to up their picture taking game.

Advisers and staffs can't just do anything with their yearbook - some legal issues come into play. We run down the legal world and student journalism with Mike Hiestand, Sr. Legal Counsel for the Student Press Law Center in Washington, DC. What can be used from other sources? What is prior review and prior restraint? And a school got nailed for a $10,000 penalty? Yes, watch this rundown for things to try - and avoid...

Every yearbooking effort has a staff, even solo acts. Especially for student staffs, how to organize them to produce a great book every year? How to establish student leaders so advisers lower their stress without making every decision? We talked to Mike Simons of Corning-Painted Post HS in NY, one of the top advisers in the country, who shared great ideas and advice from his 20+ years at the helm. You'll be taking notes here... 

We start a new school year by looking at the state of yearbooking and student journalism in general today with a conversation with Gary Lundgren, associate director of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) and a longtime student journalism pro. How are things right now around the country? What makes a great yearbook, any level? How to use AI as part of a modern effort? Enjoy a great conversation for any adviser...

We discuss the future of yearbooking with one of the best, former award winning adviser Ava Butzu. Now a Jostens education specialist, Ava discusses some top yearbook issues as well as what to do in the final months of the school year.

And then we pull out the crystal ball to think about yearbook in the future - no book? Using Social Media. What about AI and how to use it right now and later. We dream some dreams for any level of yearbook, for rookie advisers to veterans. Great listening anytime but especially into summer break...