In the past few months, the 2023 U-Highlights yearbook has achieved great success, receiving both state and national recognition.
In the Illinois Journalism Education Association Yearbook Contest, the yearbook received first place for overall general excellence in Division 4, which includes schools with enrollment of 621 to 1,249 students. U-Highlights also received first place in all of the eight individual categories in the contest, ranging from writing to photography and layout.
Amy Ji, an editor-in-chief of the 2024 U-Highlights yearbook, said that she was really proud of what the team accomplished.
The yearbook’s success went further, receiving the highest rating possible, All-American with five marks of distinction, from the National Scholastic Press Association, an organization where judges critique the yearbook and then give feedback and rate the book according to national standards.
Amy said the 2023 book was much bolder than the previous editions of U-Highlights, with more colors and very different formatting.
After these successes, Amy has high hopes for the future of the book. But above it all, she wants to continue having fun and enjoying the process of creating it.
Amy said, “While I do hope that we have the same success as the previous years — perhaps even better — that we still have fun through the process, and that every single moment we’re doing yearbook is enjoyable.”
