PEAN Wins Award for Excellence

Last year’s issue of PEAN, the Academy’s yearbook, has been inducted into Walsworth Publishing Company’s “Gallery of Excellence” for the quality of photography and documentation. PEAN was previously named the winner of the “Gallery of Excellence” in 2012 for its “comprehensive coverage, innovative design and superior copy and photography,” according to an article published on the website of Walsworth Yearbooks.

“Walsworth bestows the Gallery honor to select yearbooks annually in recognition of a staff's dedication to the challenging task of producing a quality publication in nine to twelve months.”

The award and the induction into the gallery indicates that the PEAN is part of the top 5 percent of Walsworth’s published books, chosen from high schools and universities around the country. Walsworth selects yearbooks based on the high quality of their design, coverage, copy and photography. According to Walsworth Yearbook Sales Representative Kevin Simoneau, the review for this award was conducted by representations and staff that are certified by the Journalism Education Association.

Simoneau continued to explain the purpose of the award as well as the criteria for receiving it. “Walsworth bestows the Gallery honor to select yearbooks annually in recognition of a staff's dedication to the challenging task of producing a quality publication in nine to twelve months,” he said.

Not only does the award serve to recognize skill and dedication but yearbooks in the “Gallery of Excellence” are also used across the U.S. to inspire schools for their own yearbooks. Walsworth’s sale representatives show and loan the books to local schools to help them generate ideas. They are often displayed at conventions and workshops. Covers and spreads from the best books are compiled into Walsworth’s educational books, such as the “Possibilities” and “Idea File” book. After being inducted into the gallery, PEAN will also be entered into competitions for other awards.

In working on this year’s book, Editor-in-Chief Janet Chen said that the board paid “close attention to cohesion throughout the book and staying true to our theme wherever we could.” This sense of cohesion led to a success within their efficiency as an executive board and in the overall quality of PEAN.

Quality was definitely one of the strengths of this year’s edition. Every layer of the book was considered in terms of its quality, including the pages it was printed on. PEAN is printed with Forest Stewardship Council approval, an extensive process that requires FSC certification at the forest, paper-manufacturing, merchant and printing level.

Due to the 2014-15 PEAN’s impressive attention to detail, modern language instructor and PEAN adviser Evelyn Christoph described it as a “work of art.”

“It is a beautiful book, and the photography is spectacular,” she said. “It speaks to the talent, creativity, technical skill and hard work of the students on PEAN.”

She credited the success of this year’s book to the commitment of the board and its strong dynamics. According to her, the team not only composed great ideas at the start of the year but also followed through with all of them.

“They knew how to work as a team to get things done,” Christoph said. “Being able to share ideas, come to a common consensus and follow through on work is essential to the success of a book. I think the same quality is going to serve this upcoming board as well.”

Like Christoph, math instructor and PEAN adviser Joseph Wolfson also commended the executive board’s efficiency as a team.

“The three EIC’s worked very well with each other and were very teachable, while still staying assertive,” Wolfson said. “Life was smooth, which I think gave us more time to proof things in a better fashion.”

Not only did the board work efficiently, according to Chen, but they also played off each other’s strengths well. She recognized these qualities as emblematic of PEAN as a publication and was impressed with the final result.

“I think PEAN had always prided itself on putting out work that we are proud of and will be proud of for many years to come, and I don't think this tradition will change,” Chen said.

While Christoph believes each board’s element of creativity is hard to gauge ahead of time during decisions for the board, she was also amazed by the board’s creative vision and their success this year.

“The ability to execute a creative vision is crucial, and the EIC’s were really gifted,” Christoph said. “I think this will be one of the most beautiful books I have seen. I am delighted the students are getting the recognition they deserve,” Christoph said.