Polk County High School page featured in 2011 ‘Gotcha Covered Look Book’

Polk County High School’s yearbook, “Images: In Our Own Way,” has been recognized for excellence and featured in the “2011 Gotcha Covered Look Book, Volume 9.” Jostcns’ “Look Book,” published annually, is a collection of spreads and photos from outstanding yearbooks and their creative themes, cool covers, dazzling designs, relevant coverage, storytelling copy and action-packed photography. The “Gotcha Covered Look Book” features the extraordinary work of yearbook staffs and advisors from around the world and is a popular resource for yearbook advisors and staffs seeking creative design and coverage ideas, trends and inspiration.

The “Images: In Our Own Way” yearbook was created by Tyler Toomey, Tayler Picone, Jamie Miller, Jacob Johnson, Ashley Parker, April Queen, DJ Green, Kate Vining, Lorena Ferrand, Ericka Berg, Dalton Wells, Brook Pierce, Shelby Ramsey and Savannah Thornburg under the direction of Katherine McCraw, Polk County High School’s yearbook advisor.

“I was floored,” said Katherine McCraw, Polk County High School’s “Images: In Our Own Way” yearbook’s advisor. “Once I recovered, I was so excited for my students to win because of all their hard work and their diligence paid off!”

The Polk County High School’s “Images: In Our Own Way” yearbook was one of only 400 yearbooks selected from over 3,000 submitted to a panel of judges that included nationally recognized scholastic journalism professionals and award-winning yearbook advisors.

Yearbooks are school tradition and culture, capturing stories and events for each student. Yearbooks are unique in that they are created by students for students to connect with friends, teachers and their school and quickly become a permanent way to share those stories for decades. The “Images: In Our Own Way” yearbook is a great example of the inclusive quality of yearbooks and chronicles what is most relevant to this year’s school community.

“Yearbooks capture once-in-a-lifetime stories and events while showcasing yearbook staffer’s incredible design, photography, and journalist talents that ensure that these stories will be remembered for generations,” said Gary Lundgren, Jostens senior program manager/education. “Yearbooks remain incredibly popular to students and entire school communities as a way to share and tell school traditions and experiences. The yearbooks selected for the Jostens “2011 Gotcha Covered Look Book” reflect the sophistication and relevance of yearbook programs.”

Katherine McCraw and her yearbook staff received a copy of Jostens’ “2011 Gotcha

Covered Look Book” and certificate from Jostens to recognize their outstanding achievement.

Polk County High School has won many first, second and third place spots in photography, design, layout, graphics and writing at state competitions. Students also win individual awards yearly at state competitions. Entrees are chosen by each individual student from their product portfolio. These overall awards have a range of 16 schools in PCHS’ division. The yearbook staff is also part of the NCSMA, Journalism Educators Association, North Carolina Scholastic Media Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association.