By Maya Gomez and Linda Wang

Editor in Chief and Humor Editor

With the final due date for purchasing the 2023 yearbook having just passed, the LGHS Yearbook class is spending the remainder of the school year putting finishing touches on the book, fine tuning individual spreads, and making sure everything comes together smoothly. One of the Editors-in-Chief, LGHS senior Kennedy Connors, recounted the process of creating the yearbook this past year, giving El Gato readers a sneak peek into the 2023 release. 

Connors explained that while the 2023 Yearbook is set to release in late May, Yearbook students’ final due date for their last few spreads is Mar. 17. For the remainder of the year, the “Chief Team” consisting of Connors, Dylan Schmidt, Shannon Northcott-Comer, and Rania Dudum, plan to work with advisors Doug Garrett and Emily Christie to polish the product before distribution and create supplement pages that will reflect Spring events at LGHS. 

Upon revealing the 2023 Yearbook theme –– “This Feels Like…” –– Connors maintained, “We really want to incorporate how it feels to be on campus and be a student here in the warm environment that is our high school.” Students have incorporated the theme into their spreads, creating unique titles including “This Feels Like Chemistry” and “This Feels Like A Club.” In addition to the quirky theme, the book will also introduce a brand new feature: the Student Spotlight. Throughout their Student Spotlight section, Yearbook staffers highlight students who have made a significant impact on the community. At the beginning of the year, they asked that LGHS teachers suggest students who should receive a spotlight in the yearbook, as Connors noted, “students that perhaps are typically humble or shy and may not receive enough credit.”

With each press cycle lasting roughly four weeks, yearbook students have been utilizing their class time to gather content for their spreads. The Chief Team goes into each press cycle by grouping different students together in the hopes of creating new relationships between staffers. Throughout the four-week cycle, such groups conduct interviews, attend school events, take pictures, and connect with teachers to collect as much information as they can.

Reflecting on the class’ hard work, Connors stated, “There’s so much work that goes into [the process]. There [are] so many different pieces. I like to think this book is an amazing representation of our school.” Connors added, “Even though the yearbook class is only 40 kids, we are constantly talking to teachers, taking photos, and interacting with the school as a whole. And that’s what I love. I hope that people can take away a sense of community and hard work while looking over the yearbook this year.”