2012-2013 Medallion Staff
The major challenge facing next year's staff: Only five members of the staff have yearbook experience. The other seven will need to start quickly and learn quickly.
The major strength: It is an intelligent and selfless group that will work well together and stay focused on giving Saint Thomas Aquinas students an outstanding book!
Next year's wonderful staff that will surely create an outstanding book
Morgan Britton, Melanie Keffer, Sydney Klimas,
Catherine Kluempers, Hannah Ney, Casey Pigott,
Taylor Ruisch, Ellie Selanders, Lydia Taylor,
Hope Thompson, Maddie Weissend & Baile Winslow
Why August?
Many yearbooks in Johnson County are delivered at the end of the school year, while the Medallion is not delivered to graduates until July. While this may seem like a staff weakness, we actually choose every year to do it this way for one simple reason: Spring is an amazing time at Saint Thomas Aquinas, and we believe it deserves to be covered in the yearbook.
For a book to arrive in May, it has to be completely finished in mid-March. At Saint Thomas Aquinas, that would force us to leave out spring break mission trips, state basketball championships, Wigs Out, all 10 spring sports, Talent Show, Prom, Spring Olympics, Walk for Life, Dinner Theatre, department awards, Pax Christi winners, Father-Daughter Dance, senior ceremonies (baccalaureate, graduation and Senior Mass), where seniors are going to college (the picture is much clearer in June than in February), and a complete count of state championships and scholarships earned. A May delivery would also cause a great stress to my students in February and early March instead of in May and early June. My seniors would be required to stay home for spring break to make last-moment corrections.
The advantages to May delivery: the book would be at least 50 pages shorter, my yearbook staff would work eight months a year instead of 11, and books could be autographed with messages like "It's been a long, crazy ride!"
We'll continue to discuss May vs. August every year. If you have an opinion, you can e-mail the adviser at mhallauer@stasaints.net, the editor-in-chief at yearbook@stasaints.net, or bend the ear of any yearbook staff members you know.
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2012 Medallion
COME TO YOUR SENSES
The official NSPA results will not be returned for at least a couple months, but COME TO YOUR SENSES could be the most popular and highest-rated yearbook in Saint Thomas Aquinas High School's history! It was the most organized, most positive, most sincere and hardest-working staff I have ever experienced, and those qualities are evident on every page.
For more information on picking up your copy, visit the Get a Yearbook page.
Seniors
Katie Ahern, sports editors Danielle Blongewicz and Blair Bowen, senior ads editor Kelsey Castinado, editor-in-chief Emily Ewert, design editor Mackenzie Lutz, mugshot editor Grace Miller, student life editor Rylee Shea, photo editor Laynie Timmons and design editor Lauren Watson
Juniors
Melanie Keffer, Sydney Klimas, copy editor Taylor Ruisch, Hunter Thomas, copy editor Maddie Weissend, and Baile Winslow
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2011
something worth talking about
The 2011 yearbook featured 296 pages centered on the burst of communication at Aquinas. A cell phone tower changed our horizon, Twitter and texting grew ever more popular, information came from every direction, and ESPN broadcast a football game.
The editor-in-chief was Megan Greene. Lizzie Amaro was the senior ads editor. Other senior editors were Katie Bolin, Brenna Carey, Jen Saxer and Sammy Setter. The juniors were Blair Bowen, Kelsey Castinado, Emily Ewert, Meghan Gampper, Mackenzie Lutz, Grace Miller, Emily Seib, Laynie Timmons and Lauren Watson.
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2010
[un]scripted
The 2010 Medallion student yearbook examined how Saints blaze their own path through Aquinas from a fresh start as freshmen, to fitting in as sophomores, to finding themselves as juniors, to following their own path as seniors and beyond.
It was the most-complimented book in Aquinas history and drove 2011 yearbook sales past the 90% mark. The book was deemed Second Class by the National Scholastic Press Association with 3,550 points. The staff needed 150 more points to reach First Class status for a third-straight year.
The editor-in-chief was Elizabeth Perry. The senior editors were Shelby Cato, Morgan Commodore, Emily DeLong, Megan Lenhausen, Amanda Robison, Mary Thesing, Maggie Turek, Brigid Walton and Meagan Wilderson. |
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2009
Footprints
The 2009 Medallion student yearbook, Footprints, improved on its predecessors in every category. Footprints features sharper photography, more creative design, more informative and emotional writing and a more thorough theme development.
The theme had several meanings. The Class of 2008 left big shoes to fill. The Class of 2009 was determined to leave their own unique footprints. The yearbook was divided into seasons, with each season represented by the different footwear - from the barefoot summer, to the cleats of fall, to the Uggs of winter, to the sandals of spring. And the inside cover of the yearbook featured the poem "Footprints," about how God carries us through our toughest moments.
The book was named First Class with two marks of distinction by the National Scholastic Press Association. Footprints received special recognition in the Concept / Essentials and Writing / Editing categories. The total score was 3,930 points.
The editor-in-chief was Meghan Woody. Senior editors were Jessica Boesche, Samantha Engel, Rachel Keffer, Dani Kelley, Megan Macfarlane, Kelly Moore and Julie Saxer.
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2008
Stepping Up
The 2008 Medallion student yearbook, Stepping Up, was inducted into Walsworth Publishing's nationwide Gallery of Excellence. It is an honor bestowed to less than 5% of Walsworth's yearbooks. The book will be showcased by Walsworth sales representatives from coast to coast as an example of what a top-notch yearbook looks like.
The theme was chosen due to the high expectations the Class of 2008 faced due to its size, reputation, and precedence from the previous years. The book chronologically follows how Saints in 2007-2008 met or exceeded expectations repeatedly and how they blazed their own path.
Stepping Up was named First Class with two marks of distinction by the National Scholastic Press Association. The staff received special recognition in the Design and Photography categories. The total score was 4,190, including a 98% in photography.
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2007
Under Construction
The 2007 Medallion student yearbook, Under Construction, contained 376 full-color pages printed by Walsworth Publishing. The theme was based on the various construction projects happening at Saint Thomas Aquinas just before the school year and also on how students are continually building memories and character. Erin Peterson was the editor in chief.
The 2007 Medallion had the most pages, the highest-quality paper, and was the first all-color book in school history. It was also the first Medallion published by Walsworth.
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