Blog 26: Senior Project Reflection

Here's to the end of senior year!

1. I am just really proud of my two hour presentation in general. I loved the way that I set up the room, and I loved that people seemed to legitimately enjoy it. Everyone actively participated in my presentation, and I'm proud of how everything came together at the end. 
In addition, the thing that I am most proud of from my senior project is the yearbook. After all of our ups and downs, we made a really solid yearbook, and I could not be happier.

2. a.) For my two hour, I would give myself an AE. I truly believe that I went above and beyond with my presentation.
    b.) For my senior project, I would give myself a P+; I put a lot of time and effort into every aspect of what I did throughout these last nine months.

3. I think that my mentorship really worked. Mimi is so helpful to us, and she pushed us through a lot of obstacles that we encountered, and she helped us to overcome them. Having her to answer my questions and work with us was the most valuable resource that I could have asked for.

4. If I had a time machine, I would go back and do some more research, and really think about the answers that I gave for my exit interview more. Don't get me wrong; I definitely thought about how I would answer the exit interview questions, but I wish that I would've thought a little more.

5. The senior project was great. Not only did I get to research in depth a topic that I already love, but I got points for it! Through this project, and some of my downfalls as an Editor in Chief, I learned how to be a better leader. I thought I was a good leader until I had a ton of yerd pressure shoved onto me. I realized that my leadership abilities had cracks, and through some of my mistakes, I learned what NOT to do in the future. It helped me become a more well rounded individual. Now, I know what my strengths are as a leader, and what my weaknesses are. Therefore, I can plan accordingly for all of my future leadership positions, and adjust in order to be the best that I can be.

Emma, Out.

So, the yearbooks came. And then they were distributed. Which means it's the end for me. I'm all done. It's so strange to think about. Every year, the book would come out and we'd all giggle, and it was ok because we always had next year to make another book. But, I'm all done with that. No more yearbook for me. Ever. At all. I know they aren't perfect, but there was a lot of hard work and love put into those books. I hope that everyone enjoys them and understands that it is no small task to create a yearbook.

So, goodbye high school, and goodbye yearbook. You will be missed. Love, Emma.

OH. EM. GEE.

Please excuse the ridiculous headline of this post. But it's appropriate, I swear.

MIMI BROUGHT US TWO YEARBOOKS. TWO LOVELY, PRINTED, SHINY YEARBOOKS. DO YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND HOW INSANE THIS IS? IT'S MORE INSANE THAN ANYTHING EVER.

Well, at least for me. It was such a huge part of my life for so long, and it's suddenly done. Over. Bye forever. FOREVER. It's totally surreal. I mean, how did that even happen? Well, goodbye yearbook. 

Excuse me while I go cry in the corner.

Blog 25: Mentorship

Literal
This is my mentorship log! 
Contact: Mimi Orth
              626.798.1680
Interpretive
The most important thing that I gained from my senior project is a greater work ethic, and leadership skills that I didn't have before. Now, some of my leadership skills clearly were not effective, so I learned from those mistakes. I was in a position in which everybody looked at me for guidance, and it was scary at first, but it is something that I wouldn't have learned from had I not participated in yearbook like I did. 
Applied
Through the creation of the book, I was really able to examine everything that I did, and how I could do it to the best of my abilities. Now, the whole point of a yearbook is to capture memories of the school year so that the student body can look back at them as much as they'd like. I couldn't create a book that they wouldn't like! So, we had to all sit down as a staff and discuss it. Making the book really just reinforced all of my ideas about the answers to my EQ. I have truly learned so much this year.

2013-2014 Editors, what what!

Tomorrow, we're having editor interviews for next year. I'm excited! It'll be interesting to sit on the opposite side of that table. I know that these potential editors have the capacity to create an incredible book next year. I'm legitimately squirming with anticipation. I can't even wait to see what this next yearbook is going to be.

Huzzah for the iPoly Globe!

Blog 24: Exit Interview Questions

(1) What is your essential question?  What is the best answer to your question and why?

My EQ is "What is the best way to create a yearbook that reflects your student population?" My best answer is theme, because that is the backbone to the whole book. If you've got a great theme, it opens up the option of a highly successful yearbook.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

Hours and hours at Yearbook Camp spent working on our theme really just showed me that it really is all about the quality of the theme. In addition, I have spent so much time looking at yearbooks, and the ones that don't succeed are often the ones without a good concept.(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

We have a lot of technical difficulties, and Mimi helped us solved those. Also, a lot of my staff and some of my editors were not motivated. I tried to get them to work a little harder, but sometimes they didn't want to have it. It was frustrating, to say the least. It generally just ended up being Mr. Strand and I working on stuff after school, and we got it done.

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

Mimi Orth (my mentor), and the YBK: You Better Know Editor's Handbook. Mimi obviously just knows anything and everything about yearbook. And if she doesn't, she'll either find out for you, or figure it out right then and there. She's super patient, and very talented. I honestly don't know what I would've done without her. The handbook was kind of like Mimi when she wasn't there. It helped answer a lot of questions, provided inspiration, and fun, creative ideas for yearbook.

(5) What is your product and why?

Well, obviously, I have a yearbook. However, I learned a lot from this experience. And not just from my successes, but from my mistakes as well. I learned how to be a better leader, and definitely acquired new skills in many aspects.

Yerd Herd

We like to think we're clever.

Because we are.
Obviously.

2014 Interview

1.  Who did you interview and what house are they in?
Bryan Posada, South

2.  What ideas do you have for your senior project and why?I was thinking about doing something on jujitsu  or something about music, specifically playing bass. Jujitsu because I've done martial arts ever since middle school, and so I really like jujitsu even more. And during the summer before my freshman and sophomore year I took lessons and then I stopped because of school, so I want to do it again. Music because I started in middle school. I taught myself how to play bass in middle school. And I stopped playing it in sophomore year, but I could then do that all over again.

3.  What do you plan to do for your summer 10 hour mentorship experience?
For bass, I could get lessons. Or if not, I could try and teach someone how to play. And for jujitsu I could find some students younger than me or below my rank so that way I could teach them.

4.  What do you hope to see or expect to see in watching the 2013 2-hour presentations?I want to know how to get started. And how it's supposed to look; how good quality presentations look. Also, what are mistakes that people usually make?

5.  What questions do you have that I can answer about senior year or senior project (or what additional information did you tell them about senior year or senior project)?
"Is it harder than everyone says, or is it just the same?"
It's not that hard. If you pick a topic that you're really passionate about and that you really love it, and it sounds like you have two really good ideas, it's not hard; it's really fun. And it gets exhausting, because it is sixty hours of service learning and you have to do your interviews and do your presentations, but if it's something that you really really like, it's fun! It's fun to learn about it.

Blog 22: Three Column Chart

And here it is!

Check it out!

I got a copy of the yearbook cover today! I squealed a lot.

Yerds.

noun: a bunch of sleep deprived, caffeine addicted font snobs, who are borderline crazy, and much more witty and attractive than you.

Or so says our sweatshirt.

So, what now?

What am I supposed to do for a month and half while I wait for the books to come? WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?

I mean, it's not like I can work on the book. Because it's done. I literally don't know what to do in elective while everyone else works on their "Fakeline" project, and what is this nonsense about having lunch with...people? I'm used to a lunch date everyday with my beloved Mothership computer. Being social is so strange to me; I didn't really have time for it before.

I'm kind of conflicted. On one hand, I'm absolutely stoked that the book is done and the craziness is over for me forever. But on the other hand, how do you say goodbye to something that's been such a big part of your life for the last four years? It's totally bizarre. I love having down time to actually eat lunch, but I also miss editing copy and laughing at some of the horrible pictures in our Photo Library. It's definitely bittersweet. Very much bittersweet.

Most importantly, I need to see the book. I NEED TO SEE THE BOOK. 

Blog 21: Independent Component 2

 LITERAL
(a) I, Emma Seyffert, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.
(b) My best source was Elissa Fultz who was the Editor in Chief last year. She helped me calm down and relax when all I wanted to do was curl up in a corner and cry. She gave me a lot of great advice, and it was nice to get some reassuring words from someone who has been in my shoes.
(c) Here is my work log!
(d) Basically, for my second independent component, I completed the 2012-2013 yearbook! We finished the last 16 spreads. We spent a lot of time running around to get last second photos and quotes. It took hours and hours and hours to finally complete the book, and we did it! And it looks pretty darn good.

INTERPRETIVE
I usually spend at least ten hours in the yearbook room per week. It wasn't exactly difficult to reach 30 hours. A lot of work goes into making a yearbook, and even when we finished one thing, there was always more to be done. Here are a few of the last spreads that we completed for the book. Enjoy this sneak peek!

This is the Fullerton Festival spread

This is a spread about Pang's lab

This is the senior mentorship spread

This is the winter formal spread

APPLIED 
While completing the yearbook, the editorial staff played a vital role. I noticed that when our staff was doing the best that they could, everything went smoothly. However, when people got lazy, it was much more rocky. It confirmed my second answer that and editorial staff plays a huge role in the book; it's basically a team sport! You can't play soccer by yourself, and you can't complete a yearbook by yourself.

ANNOUNCEMENT.

guys. GUYS.

The yearbook is done! Yay!



But wait...what now?

Blog 20: Three Column Chart

Here's my three column chart!

Oh. My. Gosh.

     So, I was just being super productive with my Thursday afternoon, and I came across this blog. Am I obsessed with it? That would be an understatement.
     I have literally been sitting here for the past 15 minutes laughing my head off at the accuracy of all of these posts. Every last one is perfection.
     Yerds rule.

Blog 19: Senior Project and ESLRs

• I think that I have excelled as an effective user of technology.

•  Over the course of the yearbook making process, I've become so much better at working on a computer. I've managed to learn how to run InDesign and some of Photoshop. I have also become better at using a camera while taking pictures for the book.

 Ok, so, I didn't exactly design this, but I put in the pictures and  copy, messed with the headline, put in the cutouts, and re-sized the mod. Trust me, it's a lot more difficult than it looks.

Blog 18: 2-Hour Meeting Answer #3

1.  What is the best way to create a yearbook that reflects your student population?
2.  A really solid and committed editorial staff is extremely important to the success or failure of a yearbook.
3.  First off, the editors come up the whole theme of the yearbook. That in itself is absolutely huge. Second, they assemble the book. Photo editors choose the pictures that are decent, copy editors make the stories good, and the design editors make it look pretty on a spread. Lastly, without an editorial team that is committed to the book, nothing is ever going to get done.
4.  Talking to Elissa Fultz really helped me to see this. Also, from personal experience, I've put two and two together, and discovered that you need a strong editorial team to truly succeed.
5.  I plan to break down what everyone does individually step by step, and kind of put myself in their shoes.

Blog 17: Interview 4 Questions

1. What is the best way to create a yearbook that reflects your student population?
2. How can you tell if you've accomplished that?
3. What is the best way to make sure that good captions get written for each spread?
4. This time is CRAZY right now in yearbook; how do you stay sane?
5. How do you keep your editors sane?
6. I've noticed that there's more complaining than actual work getting done; how do I change that?
7. What do I do with my staff when all I want to do is work in the back and finish deadline?
8. How can I get my editors to spend more time in the classroom to work?
9. Lots of times, I end up working in the classroom alone with Strand; that's lame. How do I get everyone else to give up lunch and after school time, too?
10. How do I effectively prioritize my time to get backed up work finished?
11. Deadlines are always SO late; any suggestions to get the last one in on time?
12. ImageIn is having a problem; do you know any work arounds?
13. What is the best thing to do with your staff when the yearbook is done?
14. How do you even start choosing editors for next year?
15. No one wants to be EiC next year; they're too scared. How do I change minds?
16. How can I finish the year off with a bang?
17. We need to break a bunch of bad habits we've made; how?
18. What is the best way to effectively train staffers and editors for next year?
19. How can I help them so they don't make the same mistakes that we did?
20. When the book is done, do I cry, or do I laugh?

Blog 16: 2-Hour Meeting Answer #2

1. What is the best way to create a yearbook that reflects your student population?
2. The second answer to my essential question is testing the theme with the students at your school, and gauge their reactions.
3. Students will not buy a book if they don't like how it looks. In addition to that, people want to look back at this year fondly, and they can't do that if the book doesn't reflect it well. Finally, a yearbook is supposed to be for YOUR school; not to impress anyone else, and not to win awards. Without the approval of your peers, the book isn't going to matter.
4. For my third interview, I talked to Elissa Fultz who was the EiC last year. Through the conversation that we had, it really cemented that idea in me what Mimi Orth has told me previously. Then, Cynthia Schroeder, the EiC for 20120-2011, came by to visit us, and in THAT conversation, the same idea came up. There's got to be some sort of theme here, right?
5. I plan to continue my study of answer two by showing select people some spreads that we've already completed (I've already shown a few) and gauge their reactions to the book. I will also do my best to keep the theme consistent throughout the rest of the book, so that it's one cohesive package.

Blog 15: Independent Component 2 Approval

1. For my second independent component, I'm going to complete the yearbook! Wooo!
2. Honestly, I already work for at least 10 hours on the yearbook during a regular school week. However, when we come in on the weekends, we generally end up working for about an additional eight hours. Therefore, it won't be difficult for me to meet the 30 hour minimum.
3. The completion of the yearbook relates to my EQ by finishing the actual book that the student population is waiting for. These kids have already experienced the year, and this book had captured most of  it for them to relive as much as they so choose.

Blog 14: Independent Component 1

Literal
(a) I, Emma Seyffert, affirm that I completed my independent component that represents 30 hours of work.
(b) My mentor is Mimi Orth. She can be reached at:

morth@herffjones.com

(626)798-1680

(c) Here are my hours!

(d) For this project, I worked with my designers, adviser, photographers, and mentor to complete the cover and endsheets for the 2013 yearbook. We had to retake the picture several times and argued over the design for hours and hours.

Interpretive

These two aspects of the yearbook are arguably the most important pieces of the whole project. They are the first and last things that everyone is going to see while looking through this book. They either catch eyes, or turn them off, and make them not want to get a book.

here's the cover!

Applied

This helped prepare me for the details and time that it was going to take to make the rest of the book. When things went wrong with the internet, the uploading process, or packaging our files, it helped to clarify what exactly it was that we were going to be doing for the rest of the year. We made mistakes early in the year, so that we could learn from them and not make them again.

Blog 13: 30 Minute Lesson Plan

I'm excited for my 30 minute presentation!

Blog 12: Third Interview Questions

1. What is the best way to make a yearbook that reflects your student population?
2. What else do you think could answer this question?
3. How do you come up with a theme to reflect the students best?
4. How do you know if it's well received?
5. How do you define reflect?
6. How do you please everybody?
7. Is it possible to please everyone in some way? Why or why not?
8. How do you put aside your own personal thoughts to make a book that the students will like more as a whole, even if you don't agree?
9. What is the hardest part of the process?
10. What are some tips for including everyone at school in the book?

Blog 11: Mentorship 10 Hours Check

1.) My mentorship is carried out wherever Mimi is. That means that it can be in Strand's classroom when she comes to help us out with our book, or at Walnut High School for a design workshop. It really just depends on what we're planning on tackling for the day.
2.) Mimi Orth is my contact.
3.) I've worked for a total of  15 hours and 42 minutes with my mentor.
4.) In a nutshell, we created the first deadline for our yearbook. Mimi helped us get everything organized, and solved a lot of the technical problems we were having. She taught us a lot of ways to tighten up our designs, and just helped the spreads look better than they would have without her.