Shortly after returning home from the annual IHSPA Fall Conference, on October 29th, the Yearbook editor team met with their Yearbook representative from the Walsworth Yearbook company, Kaitlin Haynes, and received exciting news.
What was supposed to be a normal check-in meeting turned into an unexpected announcement, where Haynes revealed that the Wahawk Yearbook Team has been nationally recognized for their work in the 2024-2025 yearbook as their book was added to the Walsworth Gallery of Excellence.
Adviser Nicole Goodman was not expecting this news from Haynes. “My initial reaction was pure shock! Given our smaller team, creating last years’ yearbook was more stressful than most. So earning national recognition wasn’t even on my radar! But when our Walsworth representative, Kaitlin Haynes, told us that we earned the award, I was overwhelmed. I know just how many hours students put into interviewing, photographing, writing, and designing to make a yearbook happen. Hearing that we earned this recognition highlights just how hard our students work,” says Goodman. “I couldn’t be more proud of my students and the work that they do each and every day. I am so proud to be their adviser!”
The Walsworth Gallery of Excellence award is “a prestigious distinction which honors the highest caliber of yearbooks [Walsworth] prints. Only a small percentage of books [Walsworth] prints achieves this recognition,” Walsworth Yearbooks President Don Walsworth writes in a letter to the Wahawk Yearbook staff.
“The Gallery of Excellence yearbooks play a crucial role in the yearbook inspiration process for students and advisors nationwide. We highlight our Gallery of Excellence yearbooks at workshops and training events as well as in printed classroom resources and online galleries,” says Walsworth. “Exceptional yearbooks don’t happen by chance – they require an unparalleled creativity and commitment to see the vision turn into a printed reality. Your yearbook represents the absolute best of yearbooks…”
With the recognition, the staff has honed a newfound confidence in their craft and future. “I overall hope that we get more and more recognition, funding and more people,” says Design and Social Media editor, senior Alyssa Muheljic. “In the end, I hope that Ms.Goodman gets everything that she deserves because she has pushed every individual in her class, and from someone who hates writing to someone who is trying to submit to the Iowa Journalist of the Year is a big step, and that’s all because of her.”
Reflecting on their win, the staff acknowledges that they have grown a lot from previous years. “Knowing that we are such a prestigious school when it comes to our yearbook class and our yearbook team, it really makes me proud, because I feel like Waterloo West just doesn’t get recognized enough,” says Photography editor, junior Anders Elliott-Ott. “I felt like Waterloo West [hasn’t been] recognized for their yearbook team. But knowing that Walsworth, the company that we go through, recognizes us on a national level as one of the best yearbooks produced makes me feel like I’m doing something special.”
The road to national recognition hasn’t been an easy feat for the staff, yet they continuously improve year after year. Haynes says, “Honestly, it’s remarkable the progress they have made. They listen, take constructive criticism and are always willing to work together and put in the work to be their best. It’s the perfect recipe for success. They have increased yearbook sales significantly and are now winning awards. I can’t wait to see what their future has in store!”
