Senior photos for the yearbook and their cap and gown will be taken at the school on Thursday and Friday of this week for those who did not already take their photos at Prestige Portraits studio in Mesquite.

“We want this yearbook to have a full representation of the senior class in it,” adviser James Rich said. “We are promoting the yearbook and photos this year more than ever before because we want to set a precedence here at the high school.”

This year is particularly special for the yearbook staff because after last year’s lack of participation, over half of the students’ picture pages in the yearbook were left empty which is something they hope to change. Student can also pay a deposit of $25 on their yearbook and reserve their book and pay the remaining balance by December 15.

“It was weird seeing just a few pages of school pictures,” senior staff member Iyra Sembrano said. “I know students had their reasons for not taking pictures, but the whole point of a yearbook is to remember our time in high school. It’s hard to do that when only a few hundred students out of over 4,ooo participate.”

Along with greater participation in class photos, the staff also hopes to increase yearbook sales. If  the yearbook sales do not at least reach 400 this year, the book will be discontinued and all classes after 2014 will not have a printed yearbook ever again.

“Students do not seem to understand that the book cost money to make and we have to pay for them,” Rich said.  “The students on the staff do an excellent job of producing an outstanding yearbook and this year is a very special book that everyone will want.”

With a goal to meet, the yearbook staff is coming up with different ideas to promote student participation including senior ads and other promotions. Students can also use the following when posting photos to instagram and twitter  #DHSyearbook14  to capture their school year moments. The yearbook staff will then select some of the best ones of these to print in the yearbook.

“It will be interesting to see how students respond to our hashtag idea. It really makes the yearbook all about the students,” Sembrano said. “This year’s theme is ‘I was here’, so by students actively participating, it really will be a lot about them.”

A portion of all yearbook sales and photo sales goes back into the school to help support the publications students.

“What many do not understand is that the yearbook sales benefits the students here at school,” Rich said.  “The more sales that comes in the more the students benefit from it.  That would make it even more of a shame to see it go away for future classes.”

If you would like to purchase this year’s yearbook you can go to Room I117 and pick up a form or go to www.smart-pay.com and purchase one.  Seniors should bring $20 Thursday or Friday depending on their economics or government class to pay the sitting fee for photos. We have extended the regular deadline to Nov. 26.  After that the book price will go to $65.