The 2012 Dale Alger Lifetime Excellence [DALE] award recipient was Rebecca Castagna from Dover High School.
Castagna's essay:
Being a member of the Yearbook Club has truly had a profound impact on not only my years spent in high school, but on my future as well. My experiences have served to allow me to develop new skills, expand my world, foster friendships and develop on a personal level. Three years my senior, my sister was in the first group of students from Dover to attend the Gettysburg Yearbook Experience. As Editor-in-Chief of Dover’s small but dedicated Yearbook Club, she began to learn about all that is involved with creating a yearbook. I saw her work tirelessly each year to improve her skills, recruit new members, rally community support, and above all represent each student and preserve the voices and events of each year, providing her school with relevant and relatable record of history to be treasured. As the book improved year after year, my interest in yearbooks grew. My first experience on the high school’s Yearbook Club was as Photography Editor, which was a perfect marriage of my interest in photography and my school spirit. Working side by side with the handful of Yearbook Club members, I found myself drawn to the creativity, theme, and purpose of the overall process. As my sister moved on, she passed the baton of leadership to me, first in middle school and then in high school, which is when I realized my desire to pursue a career in the field of print journalism. My experiences on theYearbook Club have not only shaped my career path, but my character as well. I consider myself so very fortunate to have had the opportunity to have learned so much about my future field of study and about myself and others in the process.
Being in the Yearbook Club has also afforded me the opportunity to attend the Gettysburg Yearbook Experience for four summers. Through this workshop I was able to form multiple friendships with a diverse group of individuals. I learned to take advantage of each moment and be open and willing to make connections with others. My experiences with Yearbook camp have made me more outgoing and have also helped to make me a well-rounded person. Whether I was overcoming my nerves to take photos of random campers for a photography class, asking my instructors for constructive criticism regarding a theme, or giving advice to my fellow campers for their work, I had the chance to step out of my comfort zone in many ways and learn about not only yearbook-related material, but myself as well. By learning about all aspects of publishing a book including marketing, business management, leadership, theme development, elements of design, journalism, photography, layout, and both InDesign and eDesign computer skills, I have truly broadened my horizons, developed my patience, initiative, confidence and became knowledgeable in a field in which will help me in the future. Prior to the Gettysburg Yearbook Experience, I was unaware of all of the aspects that went into the production of a yearbook.
During my freshman year in high school I served as Photography Editor, and then worked as Editor-in-Chief for my high school’s Doverian Yearbook Club for the subsequent three years. During that time, I was able to expand my world as well as my understanding and appreciation for others and their circumstances. In my effort to ensure that our yearbook was inclusive of all groups and fairly represented the concerns, efforts, and accomplishments of everyone in the school community, I not only enjoyed delving directly into a story, but also saw the benefit of both a “bird’s eye view” and a “fly on the wall perspective” in connecting with the dynamics of student life and the issues of the faculty and staff and the community as well. My experiences on the Yearbook Club afforded me a unique opportunity in terms of access and exposure to the different demands, needs, and contributions, as well as the interdependence of the many parts of a community. The insight and respect for others and their needs and opinions that I gained through this club will be an incredibly valuable resource as I hope to one day hold an editorial position.
The Doverian is the product of the dedicated work of a very small group of people. Our Yearbook Club has one faculty adviser, myself, and small group of students with multiple commitments in a variety of sports, clubs, and other areas of interest. Despite our small size and limited time and resources, with the support of the Herff Jones staff, we have been able to make improvements each year to effectively and artistically capture memories in a treasured keepsake for our students. Working with other students has both tested and strengthened my patience. Each year I have had to work with new, inexperienced staff members. I have needed to expand upon my organizational skills and diplomacy. As the book has developed, so have I in my role as leader of the club. I have learned to guide and direct all of the students involved with respect, understanding, and humor. While I supervised and evaluated the work of all staff members and oversaw the entire yearbook and theme-related decisions, I was mindful to incorporate and value all contributions to the book. I learned to establish reasonable expectations for each person, and delegate and provide support relative to each person’s skills set and availability. Although each year my responsibilities encompass designing each spread, proofreading all pages, coordinating ad sales, preparing coverage, taking photos and writing copy, I maintain a profound respect that the process of making a yearbook is a huge undertaking that is both enjoyable and feasible because of the contributions of many people.
Yearbook has not only shown a light on my career path, but given me an appreciation for and a calling to serve my community. With my final yearbook, “Even the Small Can Cause a Huge Change,” I saw that in everyday people are presented with multiple opportunities to recognize that we all need each other and can contribute to making a huge change in the world. Inspired by a magazine advertisement for Uncle Ben’s Rice and encouraged and advised by Herff Jones representatives at camp, we set out to create a book that would capture the essence of the huge impact that the people in our small town could have. The responses to this year’s book have been “huge.” It is those heartfelt comments, laughs, smiles, and even deep in thought nods as you watch people delve into the pages of the book that make all those late night deadlines, lists, and hustling worth it.
One of my most rewarding experiences as Editor-in-Chief of the Doverian was while covering a story last year. I had the unique opportunity to cover our school’s annual dodgeball tournament that was held in honor of John Curtin, a Dover High School graduate from the class of 2008. As a Lance Corporal in the Marines, Curtin was in Afghanistan for a mere three weeks when he was struck with an improvised explosive device and lost the distal portion of both of his legs, among other serious injuries. The high school’s Executive Council donated all of the proceeds to John Curtin to help him adjust to his new life. As I did my research, I discovered photographs of President Obama awarding Curtin with the Purple Heart in honor of his service and sacrifice, as well as comments about his infectious personality and resilience. Having the chance to write about a national hero who is a source of immense pride for the community ignited a deepen sense of purpose and an inner calling in me and solidified in me that journalism was my destiny. As a journalist, I look forward to serving the larger community by acting as a voice for the people, bringing attention to important issues and needs, and facilitating and highlighting the positive wherever I am.
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