Morris school yearbook earns national recognition

Vicky Klukkert, The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y.
·2 min read

Mar. 9—For the second year in a row, the cover of the Morris High School yearbook, the "Morrisanian" has earned design recognition from Jostens, a yearbook publisher.

The 2022 cover was featured in the Jostens Look Book 2023, Morris Central School's yearbook advisor Julene Waffle said. The Jostens Look Book celebrates the best in yearbook design and inclusivity, she said. It contains a collection of the chosen yearbooks' "creative themes, cool covers, beautiful designs, relevant coverage of school events, meaningful storytelling and stunning photography," a media release said. The yearbook staff of Ethan Franklin, Carissa Richards, Hannah Wist, Tatiana McAdams, Aislinn Ray, Noah Burlison and Kelsey Chase was also recognized in the book, she said.

"That cover was a team creation," Waffle said. "From the colors to the design, students worked together to design it. I am really proud of our yearbook staff for their creativity, teamwork and originality."

Waffle said the yearbook "is a full-color book that strives to recognize our school's history as well as local, country and world culture."

According to the release, the "Morrisanian" was one of 479 yearbooks selected from nearly 1,000 yearbooks submitted for judging. The 2023 panel of judges, composed of nationally recognized scholastic journalism professionals and award-winning yearbook advisers, selected the best examples of yearbook spreads and covers to make up the 320-page Look Book. The yearbook staff received a copy of the book, a commemorative pin and a banner from Jostens in recognition of the achievement. Yearbook staffs around the country look at the Jostens Look Book to come up with ideas for their own yearbooks, the release said.

This year's staff of Joshua Benjamin, Ethan Franklin, Garrett Aikins, Madeline Schiller, Lincoln Waffle, Rachel Hill, Justine Norton, and returning members Carissa Richards, Hannah Wist, Tatiana McAdams and Aislinn Ray hopes for similar honors next year, Waffle said.

In addition to being recognized for its cover, the "Morrisanian" has been picked for other awards by Jostens, the release said. A spread design was recognized in 2015. It earned an honorable mention for storytelling in 2019. It was honored for a sports spread design in 2019. It was honored for a photograph in 2020.

The first Morris school yearbook was printed in the early 1800s, Waffle said.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.