MV Yearbook Staff started working in August on building Vernois 2022 in the VPG headquarters, Room C114.

To learn more about the preview of Vernois 2022 and the work behind the production, I interviewed Ireland Rushing, Co Chief photographer, Gabby Halbach,  Co Business Manager, and Hunter Schoenrock, C0-Editor in Chief.  They all serve on Vernois Yearbook staff in different jobs and share their knowledge about the upcoming year and plans.

A high school yearbook is the best way to preserve many of the flashbacks and memories of a student’s high school years. Every yearbook is different and unique.  Asking the staff members about their feelings and first impressions about the upcoming yearbook, Rushing mentioned “I think we’re going to have a really great yearbook.”

“We have a huge staff this year, with amazing ideas,” Rushing added.

Schoenrock said “I feel like we’ll achieve great things this year.”

“[I hope that] this year is going to be one of the best,” Halbach mentioned.

Time schedules are mostly the basis of planning something out.  Schoenrock said  “We are hoping that it will be done late May or early June.”

Rushing also mentioned “We all have our own personal goals and due dates.”

Having a good working atmosphere is really important. “I’m really happy, we have a great staff team,”  Rushing said.

“Every person brings a lot to the table,” Rushing added.

Schoenrock stated “We have a great team this year and I’m looking forward to creating an amazing piece.”

Our yearbooks these days have a lot of content. They serve a lot of different  themes and topics. Sometimes there are sections that get a little more focus than others.

Bringing up the question about focusing in the upcoming yearbook, Halbach said “Last year we messed up on a few things, so we try to focus on these. We also want to focus more on business. So we’re doing some things we did last year to include more people.”

Rushing mentioned “ We’re thinking about doing a competition where someone gets featured in the yearbook.”

“We got a lot of ideas to pop up,” added Rushing.

Guidelines with a specific routine and order prevent chaos in every working process. Taking a closer look at the working routine at Vernois Yearbook, Schoenrock said “ First we have to come up with the idea for the spreads, then we create the templates for the spreads, we put the templates into the website, attach images and quotes. After we do all that we have the final product.”

“We have a lot more that goes into that, but that is the basis,” Schoenrock added.

Halbach also mentioned “First we start selling ads, for getting some money in.”

The budget for Vernois ’22 is roughly $33,000.

“We do have some meetings during the weekend and also some planned trips where we visit businesses and we sell ads to them so we can raise money for the yearbook,” added Halbach.

The yearbook is the best way to get back into the past year, and for maintaining moments of deja-vu. But how long do students have to wait to get their yearbook.

Rushing answered, “Usually in the first month of the next school year, because we have to cover graduation which is by the end of this summer.”

If deadlines are met, Vermois ’22 is slated to arrive by late July, in time for pick-up from graduates before heading off to school or training.

The work behind a yearbook is different than it might seem. A lot of different jobs with different tasks are needed to put a good yearbook together. Some people might ask themselves if they need to have any experience to become a part of it.

Asking the staff members about it, Schoenrock said “ I’ve been a member for almost a full year.”

“I have been in the yearbook staff for four years now, since I’ve been in high school,” mentioned Halbach.

“I only started this year, so it’s been a couple of months,” said Rushing.

To get a better look at what specific jobs are needed, Rushing, Halbach and Schoenrock gave some information about their specific part in the crew.

“I’m the chief photographer, and I get photos and I transfer them to the computer and put them in the spreads. I’ve been in photography for ten years now. That’s my main qualification.” added Rushing.

Schoenrock said “I’m the Editor in Chief. I made the structure for the yearbook.”

He also added “I make sure everything is flowing as it should. I have experience in photography, writing, interviewing and leadership.

“I’m the business manager and for that I have to sell ads and campaign the yearbook. I have a lot of experience in business obviously. Quite a bit also in quoting and building the spreads, all that fun stuff,” mentioned Halbach.

Halbach also added “I have experience communicating with people and getting along very well.”

Staff members noted buying last year’s Vernois ’21 yearbook. It was made with a lot of effort.

So support the efforts of the Vernois ’22 team and order a copy at Jostens.com, linked on the MVTHS website.

“It’s  going to be fantastic and different,” Schoenrock said.

Halbach added “If you’re interested in anything, design on computers or typing, business, photography and even just interviewing, come visit the yearbook. You would be surprised what we are actually doing. Come check this out and buy our yearbook.”