Imagine if every student at your school was able to receive a yearbook, how would that feel to you as an adviser, to the students of your school, to parents, to the community? Jaima Finn, a parent and organizer of this challenge helped to make sure that every student at her son’s school received a yearbook, and she can attest to how great it feels.
Finn saw the need for this after she became involved with the yearbook at Binkley Elementary Charter when her son started kindergarten. That year, less than half of the students ordered the school’s yearbook. After becoming fast friends with the long-time adviser, Jaima discussed with her how great it would be if everyone could have a yearbook at the end of the year.
“We thought perhaps we could start with making sure every 6th grader got a book, and we made it our goal to fundraise in order to give away as many books as possible.”
For fundraising, they decided to offer recognition ads and ask for donations from businesses and people in the community. This quest was started at the beginning of 2020, and once it was realized that students would not be going back to school, making sure everyone had a yearbook became even more precious. As the fundraising started, providing a book to every 6th grader was quickly surpassed and they started to near 100% of the students in the school as the deadline to submit the yearbook approached. Over the final weekend, the community came together and made sure everyone at Binkley was going to be able to receive a yearbook. The outpouring of support and response from the community was second to none. All Bobcats were able to take home their memories of the last normal days of school.
For the 2021 yearbook, organizers ran some side fundraisers to take the burden off larger donations. They sold greeting cards ahead of the holidays, gingerbread house kits at Christmas, and candy in the Spring. Along with yearbook pre-sales from those that were able, Binkely once again met their goals of 100% of students receiving a yearbook.
This year, for the 2022 yearbook, the organizers at Binkley will be looking for local business sponsors in hopes of finding win-win relationships to cover the cost for all students.
“No matter what, we are committed to making sure every student is represented and takes home a copy of their own. We are one community and our theme this year is ‘You Belong at Binkley’ and we want our yearbook to showcase our culture,” said Finn.
To get started on your own 100% In It Together Yearbook Challenge, visit https://amilestonegroup.com/yearbook-challenge/ and reach out to your Sales Representative or Customer Success Specialist.