Middleton High School Yearbook Staff Creates Everlasting Memories
Taking and collecting pictures of students, events, and everything Middleton High School (MHS) is the responsibility of the MHS yearbook staff as it works to preserve and represent the school year as an everlasting memory for its peers. The year is 2025. The yearbook theme is “This is Our Year.” And, for the MHS Class of 2025, it will be the last yearbook representing their high school years.
“The senior staff members have taken the lead on designing the cover and theme, as it’s their final yearbook,” said Kelsey Kirk, who has been the yearbook sponsor for the past three years. “This year, they’ve chosen to make it more personal, incorporating spreads that highlight members of the senior class in a way that reveals a more intimate side of them. I think it’s a fantastic approach, and I’m so excited to see everyone’s reaction when it’s unveiled in May!”
This year, the MHS yearbook staff includes 14 students, who are tenth through twelfth graders. Becoming a member of the yearbook staff is not just a student expressing an interest to join. There is an application process, which includes a written response, teacher recommendations, and an interview with Ms. Kirk and the yearbook cosponsor. This year, Ms. Kirk added Makayla Brown to the yearbook team, whom she describes as an amazing asset.
“Each new applicant is carefully reviewed in consultation with senior members to assess their compatibility with the team. I expect a high level of teamwork, a commitment to constructive feedback, and a drama-free environment, as we carry a significant responsibility—our primary focus is ensuring the yearbook’s success, and there’s no room for distractions. All candidates, whether new or returning, must go through the application process annually,” said Ms. Kirk. “Nearly all of our staff are returning members, with only three new faces this year. Our senior members excel at mentoring the newcomers, guiding them through the online format, and teaching them the ins and outs of design. There’s a lot to learn, but my team does an incredible job ensuring the new members are well-equipped with all the necessary knowledge. My cosponsor and I are primarily here to oversee the process, making sure all games and events are captured on camera. Beyond that, our staff handles everything else—and they do an outstanding job! They’re truly amazing!”
Work on the yearbook begins early in the school year. Ms. Kirk explained the staff begins with a completely blank canvas— “literally nothing but empty pages”. From that blank canvas, the yearbook slowly, methodically, and creatively comes to life. It is never a surprise to anyone on campus to be asked to smile at the camera. Through the hundreds of pictures taken by the yearbook staff, the story of MHS 2025 will be told.
“The staff crafts every detail, from the front cover to the back. They pour their creativity into designing each page, filling it with vibrant colors and pictures that capture the essence of the entire year, telling its story in a way that is both vivid and unforgettable. The result is a yearbook that beautifully reflects all the moments, memories, and energy of the year,” said Ms. Kirk, who is a Class of 2000 MHS graduate. “When I compare my senior yearbook to what my staff creates now, it’s like night and day. Our yearbook was much thinner, and it lacked color, but today, my staff produces a true ‘storybook’, which captures every aspect of the school year in vivid detail. The photos they capture are incredible, and their creativity in designing spreads and pages is nothing short of remarkable. I’m constantly amazed by the masterpieces they bring to life, and I absolutely love seeing their creative vision come together so beautifully in each issue.”
Although Ms. Kirk was never on the yearbook staff while a student at MHS, she does know how to tell a story. As an author and illustrator, Ms. Kirk’s passion for creating things, and art has been a significant part of her life, which she has been able to share with the yearbook staff.
“I’ve always loved the creative process, whether it was designing, drawing, or bringing an idea to life. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with a talented group of students as the yearbook sponsor and watching them collaborate to create a true masterpiece has been incredibly fulfilling,” said Ms. Kirk, who this year has taken new leadership roles, which one includes as MHS vice-principal. “I find myself having to step away from this role [sponsor]. It’s not something I’m excited about because I truly enjoy being part of the creative journey with my staff. The bond we’ve built as a team and the joy of watching our work come together into something that reflects the entire year has been one of the highlights of my experience. Giving that up is bittersweet, but I’ll always cherish the time I spent working alongside such a dedicated group of students. Even though I’ll be stepping back, I still hope to be able to play a small part in the process, supporting them in any way I can.”
For this year, Ms. Kirk is going to enjoy every minute she has with the MHS staff and is extremely excited for the finished product, which will be revealed in the upcoming weeks. More than 20 years after her own graduation from MHS, she enjoys flipping through her senior yearbook with her daughters, Jenna and Tori, and sharing stories from her time at school. Both girls are current students at MHS and Jenna is a member of the Class of 2025.
“Showing them pictures of the classrooms from 25 years ago and comparing them to the ones they sit in today is truly amazing. That’s exactly what my staff and I aim to create for all of our students: memories captured in pages and pictures that they’ll one day share with their own children,” said Ms. Kirk. “Our hope is that when students look back through their yearbook years from now—whether it’s at 30, 40, or beyond—it will bring back the nostalgic memories we all cherish from high school.”
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