To most people, the yearbook is just a collection of headshots and awkward smiles, something you look back on once in a while in an attempt to reencounter past moments and memories. But, do Graded students truly understand the importance of the yearbook? It’s not just a book, it’s a time capsule.
It’s common to take everyday life for granted… The fashion, the phones, the events. But, life slowly changes a bit more each year, and we need a way to document that. Take Graded’s yearbook from 2000: black and white print, no iPhones, huge computers, low rise jeans, and chalkboards. Without it, we would have no record of what student life at Graded looked like 25 years ago. Now imagine it’s 2050, and a student is flipping through our yearbook pages and seeing our hallways, teachers, trends, events, and clothes… they will be able to step into our shoes for a moment, seeing how we experience Graded; and that’s the yearbook’s magic. More than just nostalgia, those pages are a piece of history that’s forever frozen in time. It’s a way for students to remember who they were and how they expressed themselves.
When asked to describe the yearbook’s importance, Ms. Trajtenberg, the teacher and head of the team stated that it’s a “publication for and by the students that captures the most important moments of the year in a creative and unique way, so future generations can look back and know what happened that year at Graded”. As a current student under Ms. Trajtenberg’s guidance, I’ve observed the process firsthand; from students uploading pictures to brainstorming creative designs during class. Student voice isn’t just encouraged, it’s essential.
Yearbook editor of production, Sebastian N. (12th grade), adds “We’re lucky to go to a school where our yearbook is created entirely by students, from the initial concept to the design to the writing. It’s exciting to lead this kind of publication that will go out to every Graded family and that will serve as a record of this year’s culture, trends, and events.”
The focus of this year’s publication is to capture every aspect of a Graded student’s life in this period of time. While we view our fashion, technology, classes, activities and many other components of our lives as our norm, one day they will evolve and change. Consequently, the one place we’ll all be able to look back on to see records of how we lived in each year of our school lives is the yearbook.
That’s why the theme for the 2025-2026 publication is For The Record. Before diving into pictures, articles or designs, students brainstormed how to outdo past publications and their themes, and we decided on a concept that represents the year as a “record”; something worth preserving. Visualize a mix of a magazine inspired editorial design, articles that are tailored to the student-body, and of course, the Graded spirit.
In the past, many might have flipped straight to their headshot and closed the book. The cycle stops now. With fun representations of day to day activities such as grabbing oakberry at the Student Center, all the way to crossword puzzles that capture current interests and trends… This year’s theme is built to engage everyone.
Don’t just take my word for it – the design editor, Gabi F. (12th grade), perfectly sums it up. According to her, “This year’s theme is nothing like you’ve seen before. It is innovative, it is different, but it is everything that a Yearbook is about, blending the raw authenticity of personal memories with the elegance of a polished narrative”.
As time passes and Graded’s community grows, these pages will be more than just nostalgia… they’ll be our history. Don’t take your school years for granted… relive them, because the yearbook keeps it For The Record.
