The Etruscan earned 3rd place for Overall General Excellence in State and Sports coverage, along with 2nd place awards in Theme Development, Divider Pages, Photography, and 1st place in Copywriting from the Illinois Journalism Education Association (JEA). The recognition reflects the staff’s dedication to technical precision and creative storytelling, Kristen Porter, Yearbook Adviser and English Teacher, said.

The 2024-2025 staff produced the yearbook themed “Linked” during Porter’s first year as adviser. They also handled transitioning to a brand new design software, which pushed the staff to collaborate closely throughout the production process, Porter said.

The statewide recognition reflects the team’s dedication to technical precision and creative storytelling, particularly in incorporating this one-word theme throughout every spread in the book, senior Maddie Meyer, Etruscan Co-Editor-in-Chief, said.

“The copywriting was really strong, and I liked the way the theme was incorporated throughout the whole book,” Meyer said. “‘Linked’ was just one word, but we found a lot of creative ways to connect it to the school and beyond.”

Etruscan editors, writers, photographers, and designers collaborated closely to ensure the book maintained a cohesive vision, Porter said.

Additionally, photographers coordinated with staff reporters to capture images that reflected each story’s specific  angle, while designers integrated those photos and writing into layout, senior Jenevieve Frese, Co-Editor-in-Chief, said. Staffers supported multiple sections when needed, helping meet deadlines and maintain quality, Frese said. The coordination allowed the team to execute creative spreads that highlighted the yearbook´s theme and storytelling, contributing to its recognition in statewide competitions, Porter said.

“The peer-to-peer and mentor-to-peer editing, revising, and brainstorming really helped our chemistry click,” Porter said. “That process also helped us earn first place for copywriting.”

Porter oversees the entire Etruscan team, providing a helping hand to all staff members whenever they need support, however she tries to push students to collaborate with the rest of the yearbook staff before coming to her with a problem, Porter said.

“Overall, the students truly decide the stories that are going in the book, the style of the book, the theme in the book, and their creativity is incredible,” Porter said.

Coordinating writers, photographers, and editors to develop thematic spreads, the team worked closely to maintain a cohesive vision, Frese said.

“It’s really nice to see that everything came together,” Frese said. “We’re an award-winning book and a really strong publication.”