Leave Your Legacy: End of Year Staff Traditions
Traditions are important, especially in a yearbook staff because we are like a family, bound together through this amazing class. If you have not started a few traditions of your own, it is never too late to start. We have recently started a particular tradition the past few years and so far, it’s become a staff favorite. While we do celebrate birthdays and deadlines with pizza parties and movies, we reserve a couple of activities for the end of the year.
In late May, we hang a piñata and I fill it with enough candy bars for each staff member, and I’m not talking about snack size bars or unknown brand candy. Whenever my grocery store has candy bars marked down, I take advantage and purchase Twix, Snickers, M&M’s, Hershey’s, Reese’s and anything else they would love. Each student has three chances to hit the piñata and when it busts open, they can only take one candy bar. Some years we do this outside, depending on the weather. If not, we hang it in the classroom.
After the piñata frenzy, we settle down to create our legacy art print. We all decide what type of artwork we want to create and one of my yearbook students makes a design with a sharpie. Students use an inkpad to impress his or her thumb to the design. After that, they sign their name on the artwork, thus leaving a permanent mark.
Whatever traditions you choose, make them memorable and meaningful. Your staff will feel they have left behind a part of themselves and a new staff will see that we are all in this together as a family.
“The art was really cool and I like that we leave it in the classroom so that later staffs can see who we were.” – Kobey
“I liked the piñata and the candy was the best!” – Rachel
“Traditions are important because they bring the staff closer together and leave a mark in our classroom for future staffs to see and enjoy.” – Elizabeth.
Maryville (TN) Junior HS
Alicia Peery Luttrell has been a junior high yearbook adviser for 18 years. She plays fiddle, penny whistle, and irish drum in a traditional Scottish band. She and her husband live in a Victorian home from 1896 with their two Scottie dogs.
- Leave Your Legacy: End of Year Staff Traditions - June 6, 2017
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