Yearbook

Falcons' Eyes
Being falcon-eyed means having exceptional perception. Peregrines have focal points on each of their retinas which resemble telephoto lenses! Not only can falcons see things exceptionally clearly, but their eyes also allow them to see ultraviolet light which most other species cannot. The falcon is also our school's mascot; hence, the inspiration for our club's name: we strive to see things clearly, yet in a different light, through the eyes of all Falcons. 

Our Cover 
The creation of a yearbook is an intricate process. There are multiple steps that need to be taken before reaching the final product is printed. First, our team had to decide on a theme; a trend; a pattern. We decided on "unity within community and diversity." Our team felt this theme reflected the close-knit family-feel of St. Joseph while simultaneously honouring the many unique individuals that make our school community the wonderful place it is. Each of us started with blank pieces of paper in front of us and began sketching designs for our cover inspired by our theme. Araya Cripps' design caught everyone's eye and became the foundational draft of our cover (featured left). Her vision was that all varieties of Falcons should be represented on our cover. We decided to pull photos from an assortment of places in order to create a mosaic out of the mascot that unites us. Our back cover was a play on the a"cross"tic poem, uniting the words "community" and "diversity" in the spirit of our book's theme. Next, our Lifetouch advisor Jason Braaksma organized a web conference with graphic designer, Riley. We were able to see what she had created based on our sketch and provide feedback in real-time. It was an inspiring experience for the members of our team to see how much skill, patience, and attention to detail it takes to create graphic art. The result of this was our Quarter Sketch (featured below, left). Coming closer to the deadline, we continued to send photos to Riley who then sent us the third draft of our cover. This version (featured below) did not live up to our vision, so we sent it back with some requested changes. Mikayla, another designer, took our suggestions into account and created the final version of our cover which you see on all of our books. We hope you love it as much as we do  

Getting REALLY creative... 
Once our cover was designed, it was time to get to work on organizing our book. Although 108 pages seems like a lot to work with, they fill up fast. It is important to be strategic with the order and flow of pages. We believe a yearbook should have a near "magazine feel." This is where the Ladder Diagram comes in. The Ladder is where each page is delegated a purpose. As you can guess, ours had to shift significantly in order to compensate for lost content due to school closures. Although this was not an easy task, we knew we couldn't give up. Our yearbook was more important than ever. We lived through a moment of history that will not soon be forgotten. As your yearbook team, we remained dedicated to capturing the memories of the 2019/2020 school year. We just had to get REALLY creative... And that's where you came in! We asked, and you delivered. Through our Falcons' Eyes website, we gathered much of the content we needed to make this book what it is. It wouldn't have been the same without your help and flexibility. You helped ensure this yearbook will serve as a time capsule for future generations of Falcons and ourselves. Thank you, Falcons!   

Our Team 
As you can see from this spread, a lot is involved in the making of a yearbook. Therefore, it is crucial to have a dedicated, well-rounded team. This year, we had three teacher advisors, eight page builders, two photographers, and one student editor. Each role requires unique skills and management of various responsibilities. The students you see below were all volunteers who graciously dedicated their time to the creation of our book. Before school closures, we met every Thursday for an hour after school. After school closures, we continued to meet every Thursday via Google Meet. Our team members this year were ingenuitive, encouraging, and talented. Our book was born out of their minds and hearts, and that's why it turned out so beautifully. Be sure to give them kudos if you see them around!  

Interested?
If you want to play a part in creating the 2020/2021 yearbook, please connect with any member of our team. Keep an eye out for Falcons' Eyes posters announcing our start-up meeting in the fall where you will learn more about the various positions available, complete an application form, and meet your potential team! All levels of experience are welcome.