At Graded, the yearbook is more than just a publication—it is a testament to the community’s journey throughout the year. Each edition is the culmination of countless hours of student collaboration and creativity, woven together to create a keepsake every family receives at the end of the school year. With over 300 meticulously designed pages by the yearbook staff, the yearbook is a narrative of the highs and lows, the personal triumphs, and the shared experiences that define life at Graded.
The process of crafting a yearbook theme begins long before the first photograph is taken or the first spread is designed. The Design and Publication students, a group of 9-12th grade students who are interviewed and accepted into the elective class, are tasked with searching for a unifying concept that captures the essence of that particular school year and is pertinent for all community members. This year, the yearbook leadership team set out to create a theme that reflected both the fleeting nature of time and the deep impact of every moment. A series of brainstorms and moments of inspiration from discussions within the team on overarching concepts of nostalgia and change yielded the theme of Every Second Counts.
The team’s goal was not only to create a visually stunning publication but also to instill the yearbook with a sense of meaning and emotional resonance. Junior Gabriela Fleury, Assistant Editor-in-Chief and Senior Section Editor shares how the guiding questions the team asked ranged from “how do we visualize the passage of time?”, “how can the yearbook serve as both a record and a reminder of the moments that have shaped the community?”, and “how do we explore the concept of nostalgia in our visual style?” By exploring these questions, the team settled on a theme that emphasizes the unique and often overlooked “seconds” that define one’s experience at Graded, constructing a publication that feels deeply personal and universally relatable at the same time.
On Monday, October 7th, the yearbook staff advanced in the publication process by presenting their yearly external pitch to key faculty members, including division heads, the administration, admissions, and communications. This annual presentation aimed to unveil the 2024-25 theme and collect feedback to ensure the theme resonates with the entire Graded community. It was guided by myself as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief, alongside junior Valentina Lima, Communications Editor, and Gabriela Fleury.
“Last year, we focused on the things that deserve annotation in our community, and the idea of picturing ourselves, looking to the future. This year, we want to show appreciation for our past and our journey, focusing on the importance of every little moment,” Valentina announced, underscoring the shift in focus for the publication. “We chose this theme because we felt that time is a central part of our experience at Graded,” I explained during the pitch. To highlight how the theme can apply to each student regardless of grade level, I presented some examples: “As lower school students, we have the time to take advantage of the vast learning resources and playful experiences that the school offers. As middle schoolers, we have the time to explore our passions and engage in activities such as Thursday activities. As high schoolers, our time at Graded comes to a close amidst IB exams and college applications. To that end, we want to focus on the impact of every single second, moment, and day that makes up our Graded journey.”
Following the introduction, the team detailed how each yearbook section would incorporate the theme. For example, the photography team would focus on the impact of each photographed second. The journalism team, on the other hand, would explore the multiple facets of Every Second Counts and what it means to students on CWW, preparing for tests, or in sports. They specified how a modern retro style will be used to forge a visual language that bridges the gap between the past and present, as well as the decision to combine clean lines and structured elements with more spontaneous, hand-drawn graphics and filters to capture the essence of time’s fluidity.
Early versions of some Every Second Counts design elements
The yearbook team’s dedication to bringing Every Second Counts to life is evident in their approach to making a publication that captures the essence of the Graded experience. The creative process is a complex journey that begins with an exchange of ideas. As senior Carolina Clark, a staff member explains: “Our creative process is all about bringing ideas to the table and molding them together to form into one cohesive whole.”
Olivia Fleury, 9th grader, and staff member, shares how “the theme this year evokes a sense of nostalgia while mixing in elements of cherishing the present, to reflect the entire journey of being a Graded community member.” The choice of Every Second Counts as the theme, therefore, is not just about recognizing the passage of time but also about cherishing the moments—big or small—that have shaped the school’s identity.
The process of turning this conceptual theme into a tangible design is intense and packed with trial and error. Pedro Amaro, 10th grader and Design Leader describes the workflow as a layered experience that begins with setting the foundation: “The design process starts from creating the theme, then goes into creating elements based on that theme. We spend a few weeks in the sandbox to make sure we try out every single idea.” He mentions how experimentation is a crucial part of their strategy, stating that “once we’ve settled on some designs, we move into the design-intensive phase where we are constantly making new elements and tweaking ideas. Of course, it’s always important for us to be consistent with the theme, and that’s something that I’m always thinking about.”
The visual style of this year’s yearbook builds on these creative processes and breaks away from the conventional formats that have characterized previous editions. Senior Michaela Zorilla, another staff member, notes that “visually, we tried to mix the style up by staying away from the elements that have been used for many years, like perfect circles and a perfect grid format for the headshots, in favor of more unique shapes and irregular patterns,” emphasizing how this year’s aesthetic choices include a more free-form approach. This departure from tradition adds a fresh layer of visual interest, reinforcing the theme’s focus on the uniqueness of every second.
In the end, the yearbook team’s creative process is not just about design; it’s about translating a shared vision into a work of art that the entire community can relate to and take pride in. With the theme now established, the yearbook team is poised to continue their work on this ambitious project. The presentation marked not just the unveiling of a theme, but also the beginning of a journey that will make every second count as they create a publication that will be cherished for years to come.
Image Source: Sebastian Nosenzo for The Talon
