United Yearbook invites you to participate in our annual Senior Spotlight Essay Competition and our Senior Section Competition! This contest comes in two parts:

 

Senior Spotlight Essay

For the essay portion of the contest, we invite yearbook seniors (from the current school year 2023-2024) to submit essays for the chance to win a scholarship from United Yearbook and our award titled the "Senior Spotlight Award." The Competition is based on how you answer the following question: How Has Yearbooking Prepared Me for My Future Endeavors? You will be evaluated according to the following criteria. In only 900-1000 words, double-spaced type, explain how your work in creating a yearbook prepared you for the future and include the following: 

 

• Voice–We will assess how you develop your ideas and the words you choose to express those ideas to create your unique, original voice. Your voice is your point of view articulated in a combination of content and style. United Yearbook desires to hear unique voices from their unique points of view. 

• Coherence–We will be looking at the focus of the essay and how well you develop and sustain the organizational flow. The way writers organize their thinking, and how they define and maintain their focus throughout their essay is important to United Yearbook’s content evaluation.

• Mechanics–United Yearbook will review the writer's expertise in the written mechanics of grammar, spelling, use of transitions, and sentence formation.

 

The winner will receive $250 or up to $500 as a ‘scholarship’. The goal of the scholarship is for students to put the money toward their plans--i.e. college, vocational training or other post-secondary education.

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Essays must be submitted by April 22, 2024. Winners will be notified on May 3, 2024. 

 

One essay per student is permitted 

 

Fairness and Integrity

• United Yearbook is committed to maintaining fairness and integrity throughout the competition process.

• Any form of plagiarism or use of AI will result in disqualification.

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Senior Section Competition

For our 1st Annual Senior Section Competition, we invite you to share your senior section with us. United Yearbook will be evaluating your Senior Section based on the following criteria: 

 

• Functionality–Overall, the section is compelling and attractive to the reader. We will review how each page spread was designed to impact the reader's experience. United Yearbook will gauge the quality and effectiveness of the designs deployed across the entire section.

• Clarity–The "Seniors" story is effectively communicated and reflects the Yearbook Theme and Style throughout. United Yearbook will assess how the image, text, and design are coherently integrated to tell the Seniors' Story. In addition, we will evaluate if the Yearbook theme and style are enhanced throughout the section. 

• Consistency–We will be looking in the Senior Section for ease of readability and to find harmony, and visual continuity among the page spread layouts. United Yearbook will examine the degree to which the Senior Section is a pleasing combination of all parts working in unity. We expect to also find original creativity within the Theme and Style.

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Our panel of judges is comprised of members with expertise in photography, design, and journalism.

 

The grand prize is $250 or up to $500 gifted to a winning high school yearbook class.

 

Winning the prize for both the senior section and essay amounts to $500. The prize will be split equally (or $250) if the winners for both parties (essay writing and senior section) are from two different participants of the same or different schools.

 

One entry per school 

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The deadline for entry is April 22, 2024. Winners will be notified on May 3, 2024.

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Fairness and Integrity

• United Yearbook is committed to maintaining fairness and integrity throughout the competition process.

• Any form of plagiarism or use of AI will result in disqualification.

 

We look forward to receiving submissions from participating schools and witnessing the creativity and talent of high school leaders! Schools are given the option to enter both of the contests or choose the one they prefer. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please contact us at info@unitedyearbookprinting.com.