CHS students take honor for quality yearbook

Jennifer King took her first step on the ladder of publishing success Tuesday. As editor of the Carson High School's yearbook, she and her staff won an award for their work.

She hopes to climb the entire ladder one day.

"I would love to one day have my own magazine," she said. "This year I just wanted to win an award."

As editor of the Carneta, the annual yearbook, she and her staff of 11 were treated to a dish of chocolate and vanilla ice cream cake to celebrate the Carneta's selection for the Walsworth Co. Gallery of Excellence.

Jennifer, a senior, became teary as the award was announced. The tears returned later as she talked about the honor and said it has made her read differently.

"I understand now how and why things are done a certain way," she said. "I do read what the editor writes because now I think I might be there someday."

She spent many hours making sure there was a concept and that it continued through each page of the yearbook. She checked folios, captions, wrote stories, even took some photos, though she said fellow student Aaron Davalos was the main photographer.

Aaron said his experience led him to consider a career in photography.

"It's great to take a photograph, and then make it look good (through Photoshop)," he said. Aaron plans to study at the Art Institute of Seattle once he graduates.

Jennifer, who plans to attend Western Nevada Community College to get her associate's degree before moving on to a university, said her experience allows her to appreciate parts of a publication she never did before.

"Now I look at the ads," she said. "Now I can enjoy every part of a magazine, even what I used to think were boring."

One thing she would like to do is win an internship at Seventeen or Cosmo Girl in New York City.

Jennifer maintains a full load of classes and also works five days a week as a buser at Chili's. She said her work on Carneta gives her something she can show an editor.

"I wasn't sure what I wanted, but decided after this that I want to go try to work for magazines," she said. "With this I have something I took part on every single page, and I can show them."

Teacher Pat Quinn-Davis said nine students who began work on the yearbook left the school because their families moved, making it that much more challenging to the 11 students who remained.

That taught the students to lean on others at the school.

The students said responsibilities on the yearbook were spread throughout the yearbook class and extended to the newspaper class.

"Everybody did a little bit of everything," said Mary Ann Gunter, a junior, who was responsible for the index, something that had to wait until everything else was done.

The students and their teacher also convinced the school to hold the prom earlier than usual so they can get photographs of it in the yearbook.

"What's unusual about this book is that it is the first year the prom was covered," Quinn-Davis said.

Rob DiFeo, of Walsworth, Co., which prints the Carneta, said only 4 percent of the yearbook submissions from 4,000 schools are selected for the gallery.

He nominates yearbooks that are high in quality, and those are presented to a board, which then picks the ones good enough to enter the Gallery of Excellence.

He said they look for superior coverage of all of the students and student life.

"We don't want a concentration on the same kids," he said. "Some school books are a popularity contest. We look for superior journalism, with quality photographs and innovative design."

He said the students work on professional-level software and learn marketable skills like Photoshop and sales.

"They have to sell ads and sell books," he said. "I think it's the best view of a real-life scenario that they get while they're in high school."

• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.

Yearbook facts

Name: Carneta

Cost: $70 or $75 on day of sale

On Sale: June 4

Call: 283-1600

Staff:

Pat Quinn-Davis - teacher

Jennifer King - editor

Aaron Davalos

Mary Ann Gunter

Melissa Whitcome

McKenna Keefer

Alli Collier

Laurel Chapman

Carlos Rios

Jennifer Kenedy

Lyndsey Snowden

Sierra Whitton