BHS Yearbook Class Meets Challenges, Goals, Commitment to Community

Students in the Yearbook class are working on something that they believe will have a real, lasting impact on others. Jocelyn Willsey, senior, is the Design Editor for the Yearbook. She said, “It's fun to create the yearbook and know that you will look back on it. We have to be the ones who make it look good for the whole class.”

 The class forces the students to take on new roles. Editor Marcella Labras, senior, is in the difficult position of overseeing her classmate's work. “I have to make sure they stay on task and that all the little stuff gets done. Sometimes it's tough because I am friends with most of the people in the class.”

 Four editors split their duties by assignment. Editor Angela Franzese, senior, is the business manager and Nick Melvin, senior, is the sports editor, but all of the students in the class take their assignments seriously, and all are intently focused on the success of the book.

 Teacher Rebecca Lacey said, “It's not a school project, it's not pretend. They have to figure out how to get past the personalities and work together as a team to create a genuine product that represents the entire Bethel community. They are creating a historical document. It's something to think about for them.”

 All of the students seem to take that responsibility very seriously. Stephanie Forese said, “It's exciting. You have to know everyone; you are doing everyone's ads, photos and stuff.”

 Sean Langdon, sophomore, agreed and said, “It's kind of cool seeing all the ads with people I know personally.” Pointing at a photo and an ad on the computer screen, he made his point by saying, “That's my neighbor!” 

The class is an exercise in organization. Eric Bott had to go through 100 folders to find a photo, because the one he needed could have been in any of them. He ended up doing work at home and after school. Bott said that the big thing he has learned has been time management. “When I realized how much I had to accomplish, I had to work harder.”

 The seriousness with which the students approach their tasks is evident throughout the class. Editor and Business Manager Franzese is working hard to keep the budget balanced. She is in charge of ad sales and making certain that the students adhere to the budget.

 With all of the funding coming from ads from family members and businesses, teacher Lacey said, “We need as much financial support from the community as possible. We totally run on ad sales to build the book we want.”

 Besides learning valuable life skills, the students are also faced with the poignancy that many of them are preparing to leave for college and that this is the last big project they will work on together before they leave.

 Marcella Labras, editor, said that for her, leaving high school will be bittersweet. Her parents will be moving to Brazil, and Labras will stay in the US to attend college. “It is hard to believe that everything is going to change. I don't know if I am ready for such a big change.”

 On the other hand, Jocelyn Willsey said that she is more than ready to go. Her college choices are in San Diego and Florida, but she has no fear of going far from home. “I am so ready to go to college,” she exclaimed emphatically and with a big smile.