BRAD HORN/Nevada Appeal Carson High School yearbook editors, from top, Laura Licari, Kelsea Joyce, Sarah Staling and Massi Gebhardt pose in a sea of proof sheets on the floor of the school on Monday.
Before Carson High School students can even see their yearbook this year, they already are assured it will be good.
For the fourth year in a row, The Carneta received the Gallery of Excellence Award from the Walsworth Publishing Co. for "consistently demonstrating superior quality."
Less than 1 percent of annuals published by the company are recognized.
"What's so cool is that they've done it so many times," said yearbook teacher Patt Quinn-Davis. "It's one right after another."
Unlike past years, this year's award was presented based on submitted proofs, instead of waiting for the final product.
"It's nice to know somebody recognizes your hard work," said sports editor Kelsea Joyce, 17. "We're in here every weekend almost so it's nice to know somebody sees how much time we put into it.
"We practically live here."
The award also helps balance out some negative comments the staff sometimes hears.
"You have to be able to take criticism really well," said advertising coordinator Maggi Gebhardt, 15. "A lot of people believe in the real traditional black-and-white photos and team sports photos and stuff.
"We're not in 1960 anymore. It's 2004."
The staff spends about three hours after school four nights a week working on the book and usually come in on Saturdays around 9 a.m. and stay until about 4 p.m. But it's worth the effort.
"It grows on you," Gebhardt said. "All the joking around, doing your pages, being frustrated - it all grows on you."
The award also helps to balance the staff's own high expectations.
"I'm never really that happy when the yearbook comes out because you see all the mistakes," said co-editor Laura Licari, 16. "But on the whole, everybody is really proud of how it turns out."
And it will serve as an example to schools nationwide.
The yearbook, under the direction of editors Licari and Sarah Staling, 17, will be loaned to other schools to serve as inspiration and will be displayed at regional and national workshops.
The yearbooks will be distributed to Carson High School students in the beginning of June.
Contact Teri Vance at tvance@nevadaappeal.com or at 881-1272.