The Renaissance/Yearbooking Report Podcast

The Yearbooking Report, Late March 2023

For yearbookers it's time...for the BIG FINISH. The end of the school year is approaching and there's plenty to do, for both now and looking to the future. Distribution, organization, student leadership, planning for next year, etc. 

 

New Jostens Ambassador Marci Pieper, a recent JEA Lifetime Achievement Award winner, goes over many ideas and strategies she used during her decades long tenure in Missouri. Take notes, you'll get some new inspiration here!

The Yearbooking Report, Mid January 2023

Continuing our theme episodes this season we'll call this The Motivation Report. Many advisers report kids just not working hard this year, and in some cases it may be the adviser! What to do to get your group doing their best work?

Listen to a conversation with yearbooking legend Margaret Sorrows, now a Jostens Ambassador and the former 36-year multi award winning adviser at Bryant HS in Arkansas. Margaret shares her expertise on yearbook but also on motivating young people to tell the stories, take the photos and create a great yearbook THIS year. 

And even if your staff is doing fine the wisdom from Margaret is worth a listen for any adviser. Be ready to take notes from a master...

The Yearbooking Report, Mid November 2022

Your yearbook staff is probably very busy with page designing right now. But WHAT designing? HOW are you designing? and WHY those choices? Listen to a fact filled interview with Rick Brooks of Jostens, a nationally known design concept expert. Be ready to take notes as Rick offers ideas, advice, trends and inspiration on the FEEL of a yearbook theme and look, not just on the cover but throughout your book. For any level of yearbook - it's time for a real upgrade!

The Yearbooking Report, Early October 2022

It's the PHOTO Episode with great ideas, advice and inspiration from veteran freelance photographer and photo instructor Mike McLean. This one goes a little long because Mike has so much great information and stories to share, all tied to improving your photography this year. Get ready to take LOTS of notes...

The Yearbooking Report, Late August 2022

Welcome back to a new school year - and we're ready no matter what challenges may come. Are YOU ready? This episode will help you get there with great advice, ideas and inspiration from guest Sarah Nichols, one of the top student journalism advisers in America and president of the Journalism Education Association (JEA.)

Listen for thoughts on effective student leadership and organization for yearbook, as well as thoughts on student journalism today and education in general. This is an hour that will help any yearbook adviser to get the new year off to a good start!

The Yearbooking Report, May 2022

Happy End of School Year and Summer Break! But it never quite ends, does it? And active use of social media is one easy way to stay in touch with your audience all year long from wherever you are. 

 

Listen for great ideas and insights from Kristen Johnson of Jostens Social about WHY to use social media, HOW to use social media and all the basics. Plus find out about the cool new Jostens student influencer program - yes, earn while you post about yearbook and more! Great advice here for folks who are social media rookies to veterans, no matter who you work with. 

The Yearbooking Report, April 2022

We're all looking ahead to the end of this challenging school year - but then we're concerned for the future, not of yearbooking but for education in general. Students and teachers are struggling, and schools may need years to rebound. What to do?

This episode feature comments and insights from Sara Sausker, Jostens yearbook pro who recently became a leader of the Jostens Renaissance effort. Renaissance could be the game changer for every school looking to make that rebound - and yearbooking can be an integral part of that. We'll toss out some challenging opinions and stats, but then also offer some answers. Be ready to take notes!

 

Find out more about Renaissance at www.jostensrenaissance.com.

The Yearbooking Report, February 2022

What does the future hold for education, and for yearbooking? Especially - WHO will handle the effort, advisers or students? And WHERE can these people be found? The issue of recruiting for next year and the future is a key one for every yearbook staff.

Listen to a great conversation with Jostens Creative Accounts Manager Lizabeth Walsh who offers great ideas and advice, but also pulls no punches. Liz offers some realistic views on how to get your staff for next year, which could include new advisers as well. Take plenty of notes on many parts of yearbooking and get some much needed inspiration from Liz. And yes, it's not too early to start planning for next year; in fact, this year's it's imperative to start NOW...

The Yearbooking Report, December 2021

It's halfway through the school year but not too late to try some new creative design ideas with your yearbooking effort. Get ready for a LOT of them with insights from Jostens Creative Design Manager Rick Brooks. What's hot and trendy, how has the pandemic affected design, what are some new cool cover treatments, and much more - you'll be taking notes on what's popular with design for this year and next year!

The Yearbooking Report, October 2021

In a year of continued challenges, covering people and getting student reactions to news happening around them can be two big keys to a successful yearbooking effort. Yearbooks are always about telling stories, and this episode of TYR features great ideas and insights from veteran adviser Mitch Eden from Kirkwood HS in Missouri. Hear how his staff reports on Kirkwood students with their thoughts and feelings on a host of topics, both hard news and softer features. It's time to "timestamp" this school year, one like no other, and telling stories in the yearbook and elsewhere is the way to do it. Plus get some other ways to tell those stories beyond the pages of your book.