This is my fifth year as a yearbook advisor and, in five years, I have learned a few things about cameras, kidlets, and online publishing programs.
I have also learned a few things about t-shirts.
You see, in the junior high universe, personalized t-shirts are right up there with in-class pizza parties, free candy, and snow days. Kidlets have been known to join clubs, run for office, and try out for sport teams just to get a t-shirt with their name and/or nickname on the back.
On the yearbook staff, we start planing our t-shirts during the first week of school. The shirts serve the dual purpose of advertising the book and unifying the staff. Every year I have a goal to get the shirts designed, ordered, and picked up before the first parent-teacher conference in October. And every year I end up handing out the shirts the week after Thanksgiving. The kids are always really sweet and understanding about it, never once suggesting that the back of my shirt should read "Slacker".
This year's staff is very unique because it is made up entirely of girls. It has been interesting to see the differences in the yearbook creation process without a male presence. Somehow, between the giggling and hair braiding, those girls have managed to get more done on this book in one quarter than some previous staffs have done in three.
And because this is a very unique staff, they needed to have a very unique staffer designation. After advising groups of Yearbook Jedi, Yearbook Ninja, and Yearbook Minions, I thought it would be fun to emphasise the femininity of this year's staff by calling them Yearbook Princesses.
They thought that was 50% of a good idea.
We ordered the shirts in two colors, lime and candy pink. We also requested that the nicknames on the back be printed towards the bottom of the shirt to better accommodate the 90% of our staffers with long hair. And because the Ninja Princesses are, in fact, princesses, we are delaying our staff photos until they can finish their matching tulle tutu's.
I have to admit, the kids aren't the only ones who are fond of the t-shirts. I always put some serious thought into the nickname that will grace the back of my staff shirt for the year. This time I decided to go with a moniker that makes me smile, even though the majority of the kids don't get it.
Now, if you will excuse me, I have to Google "How to make a tulle tutu."
Previous yearbook shirt posts...
4 comments:
In High School this process migrates to hoodies but the importance is still the same. I always intend to have order forms ready the first day of school but it never happens. There is much dickering about designs, colors and options. Zip or no zip? Hood or crew neck? Sassy junior fit or regular unisex fit? In regards to princess ninjas...this year I asked the elementary kids what they were going to be for Halloween. It was as if someone had loaded Halloween staples into a bag and kids would just mix and pair them at will. How else do you end up pirate princesses, zombie princesses & Avenger princesses? Advisor Who ;) I approve.
Man, I wish we had cool t-shirts for clubs I was in during junior high and high school... I distinctly remember the yearbook staff wearing their normal clothes while handing the yearbooks out - I think it would have been a better idea to have matching t-shirts for them. And I adore your nickname.
I love their t-shirts! I love the colors. Now why isn't Aubrey making a tutu? ...or why hasn't she asked her mom to make her one??? I'm the queen of making tutu's. I just made Brianna one for her costume this past Halloween so I know she know I know how. Strange kid. :/ Anyway, YOU! Slacker!!! I don't think so.
nice. i like "advisor who," too.
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