As the school year reaches its final months, events, memories, photos and designs are coming together to be put into the yearbook that seniors will receive at the end of the year.

The senior yearbook, led by a student-run committee and overseen by advisor Ms. Murphy, shows collaboration and student input. From selecting a cover theme to adding a baby photo section and including different sections. The committee’s goal is to design a book that captures memories and the growth of the Class of 2026.

The most popular addition is the baby photo section. Both the senior class and the yearbook committee think the idea reflects a desire to look back at where they started.

“We decided to incorporate baby photos to remind people that we all started off in the same place,” said Yoselin Cortez, a designer on the yearbook committee. She mentioned the section was meant to create nostalgia and encourage empathy among classmates.

According to Ms. Murphy, the idea came directly from the committee. The baby photo section was also included in last year’s yearbook, and seniors wanted to continue the tradition.

“It wasn’t my idea. This idea came from the students,” Ms. Murphy said. “My role is to support them, help with deadlines, and make sure everything is appropriate. It’s their book.”

For many seniors, the baby photo section has been one of the most exciting parts of the yearbook. Rozina Mowree, a senior, said she submitted her baby photo as soon as the Google Form was released.

“I was actually really excited,” Rozina said. “It shows how much we’ve grown. You see yourself as a baby, and now you’re graduating. It makes you think that your younger self would be proud.”

Rozina expressed how many students have shared that same excitement, immediately searching for baby pictures.

When it came to choosing the cover theme, the committee pitched multiple ideas, including Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dork Diaries, and a Netflix-inspired design. After discussing the options and reviewing drafts, the committee asked the senior class to vote when they could not come to a final decision.

Some designs did not make the final cut. Spotify, fairytale, and digital camera theme ideas were mentioned but not fully developed in time.

Yoselin said her personal favorite was the Diary of a Wimpy Kid design because it felt more colorful and creative. She was the designer who created the piece and said she felt proud of the meaning she conveyed through it. 

“I really wanted Diary of a Wimpy Kid because it felt more fun,” Yoselin said. “Senior year is kind of like the end of our childhood, and that design brought that feeling.”

Ultimately, the committee chose the Netflix design. The goal was to pick a theme that most students would recognize and connect with while creating unity within Edison. By choosing something familiar in popular culture, the committee hoped the final product would feel memorable for the senior class.

Committee members are responsible for bringing ideas to life while making sure each page connects to the theme. Balancing different elements of the book takes careful planning.

“It’s kind of hard to be unique because everyone has similar formats and we have to think outside of the box,” Raya Chowdhury, a designer, said. She explained that the team has to fit everything into a couple of pages and keep the theme consistent.

Despite the challenges, the committee remains organized. Raya is currently designing the senior divider, the page that comes before the senior portraits. Since the theme is Netflix, she is creating it as an introduction to a show.

“It’s called an all-star cast,” she said. Raya explained that seniors will be presented as the cast, with small details to make it unique.

Raya also shared her thoughts on the baby photo section. She described baby photos as a yearbook staple because they allow students to reflect on their growth.

“We wanted everyone to be proud of themselves, be happy, see how cute they looked. It’s like a milestone. You came this far and that little child is now all grown up doing all this big stuff in the real world,” she said.

Although not everyone will agree with every decision, Raya believes the yearbook will still matter to students.

“There has been a lot of talk about the yearbook and not everyone will be happy, but I feel like as long as there are pictures inside of it, we are inside of it,” she said.