New Leadership Brings Fresh Energy to Denver Jewish Day School Yearbook

Behind every page of a school yearbook is a team of students spending the academic year deciding which moments deserve to be documented. This year, under new leadership, the Denver Jewish Day School yearbook staff is working to make the club more active, creative, and rewarding for the students who join. 

This year, the club has adopted a new direction under DJDS English teacher and yearbook advisor, Mr. Andy Watkins, who previously advised yearbook programs at local public schools. Editor Emma Raff said the change brings a renewed energy to the team.

“[We have] a new teacher, new members, and a lot of new enthusiasm,” Raff said. “The main goal is to revive the club again and make it more of an enjoyable experience, both in the class and the yearbook itself.”

Members handle every page of production for the 200-page book, including organizing photos, designing pages, assigning tasks, contacting students, and making sure information is correct. 

Beyond capturing major events like the Shabbatons and Color War, the staff aims to include every student in the school at least once. 

“A great yearbook page needs to have graphics that are interesting to the eyes and also has to include a lot of different faces,” staff member Bella Strear said. 

For editors Emma Raff and Allison Cohen, the student-led setup includes room for new ideas and fun pages that will keep students interested and engaged. 

Staff members say the long-term project teaches practical skills in photography, graphic design, and time management. Strear, who joined as a freshman, discovered an interest in sports photography after being assigned to cover a basketball game. 

Ultimately, the team hopes the finished product will serve as a lasting record of the school year.  “[The yearbook] wants to bring the joy and life of DJDS into a book that will last for years to come,” Strear said.