Students of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School’s CAPE Performing Arts Class of Form 6 got together, over the course of the past six months, to create a digital yearbook.
Moving away from paper-based books in this cyber age, five students conceived and developed the brilliant idea of a digital type yearbook for their SBA project. The project, which forms part of the students’ business aspect of Performing Arts was undertaken by Keshante Connor-Carty, Alysha Carty, Tajah Carter, Rahkin James and Patria Mardenborough. It provides each Form 5 and Form 6 student with an opportunity to purchase a digital copy of memories of the Class of 2022.
The digital yearbook was launched on Tuesday, 26th July. One of the students, Keshante Connor-Carty, who was engaged in the exercise, gave an overview of the project:
“For our SBA in Performing Arts, we were required to create a business that would solve a problem in our community. The Form 6 Performing Arts Class indentified the absence of a memorial of school life for graduates. The class devised a great way to solve this problem. We came up with the brilliant idea of creating a yearbook, but a yearbook with ‘a twist’. We realised that the digital age has presented us with many opportunities for innovation, so we decided to implement a technological format for the creation of our digital yearbook.
“Utilising pictures is a way that people can relive the past without the need of a time machine. The digital yearbook was created to serve as documentation for capturing and displaying student life. The development of the project took about six months.
“We first did a field analysis which consisted of a survey in which we invited all students to participate in order to get their views on the project. We then contacted a photographer, Mr. Jonathan Gumbs, our IT teacher. He assisted us by taking all of the pictures that we needed. He also helped us to create a plan for a layout, going forward. We heartily thank Mr. Gumbs for his kind assistance.
“Next, we devised a marketing strategy by creating an Instagram yearbook page. This led us into each form class to explain the various packages that we would be offering, so that students who are interested would be able to register for their purchases. Following this, we did a promotional session in the courtyard with all the students assembled. There we thoroughly explained what we were offering and gave the students an update of our progress. At this point, we gave the students a chance to ask us questions and we were able to furnish them with appropriate answers.
“We had been determined to create a digital product that would ‘wow’ the students. Now, today, we are grateful that we are able to launch such a wonderful product – our 2022 digital yearbook, the first of its kind…It is hoped that this yearbook will become an annual tradition at the ALHCS from this moment on.”
The students thanked particularly their teacher, Mrs. Trevreen Queeley-Javois; their SBA Assessor, Ms. Farah Banks; and their Principal, Mrs. Rita Celestine Carty, for the guidance and encouragement that helped them to make the digital yearbook a reality.
The yearbook was officially handed over by student Tajah Carter. It comes in two versions. The platinum version consists of the yearbook on a flash-drive, two copies of the student’s photographs, and a wristband marked Class of 2022. The gold version is made up of the yearbook on a flash-drive, and a wristband. The Principal was presented with a platinum package, while Ms. Banks was presented with a gold version. Proceeds from the sale of the yearbook will go towards the development of the Performing Arts Programme at the school.
