So you’ve figured out your theme, and it’s sure to inspire your student body. Now, your next step is to start building out the content that supports your overall concept. And one of my favorite yearbook ideas for pulling together an awesome theme and motivational subject matter is through the use of inspirational student stories. Writing these types of articles goes a little deeper than your typical journalistic piece. It will take some extra effort to inspire your writers to come up with something that really speaks to the rest of their peers. To guide you through this process, and support your students as they delve into this enriching concept, I’ve pulled together my top tips for making inspirational content shine below!
Identify the Hook
The hook is what draws your readers in, what keeps them devouring sentence after sentence. With this style of story, the inspiration itself is the hook. Before you let your team get too deep into the writing process, identify what each story line looks like, and where that motivational aspect comes into play. This is the part of each piece that will get your readers invested in each story. For example: you’re covering a piece about a student who has a rare disease that could have destroyed their life, but instead they found a way to thrive. So for your hook, use the idea of their strength in overcoming a major obstacle as the leading focus of the story. If you’re engaged in a concept around a student who founded a charitable organization, focus the content on how their desire to be the driver of change had a positive impact on the individuals their work benefits. Helping your committee to put this kind of planning into their own stories adds focus into their work.
Lay Out the Players
Next, build out the people in the story. Your students will already have a superficial connection to the subject of your story, because it’s one of their classmates. But adding extra details can help forge a stronger bond between the reader and the story. Encourage your committee to incorporate a highly intricate account chronicling what led the hero(ine) to complete their inspirational act. This adds depth to the piece as a whole, and makes it easier to project the person each article is focused on out of the pages of your book.
Capture the Passion
You story isn’t awesome because one of your students randomly decided to do something for the greater good. It’s a motivational tale because of the passion each subject has for their cause! Be sure that each article incorporates some detail around how your hero(ine) found their passion. For inspiration, use Amiya’s tale. A ballerina at a local dance studio, dance was Amiya’s passion. At 10, she realized that there were children in her community who didn’t have access to a dance studio like she did. So she took her passion on wheels–and created a ballet bus that brings dance classes to various schools and parks for the less fortunate. This heart-touching tale starts with one girl’s love of dance, and results in something magical. Identifying this kind of passion early on in your story will help your readers understand the steps they can take to find a passion of their own to follow!
Great Yearbook Ideas End With a Fabulous Finale
Wrap up each of your stories with a finale that showcases the impact each individual had on their community. With her mobile dance academy, Amiya was able to bring her favorite thing–dance–to the world of those who would otherwise never experience it. The most inspirational thing about Amiya’s tale is that she implemented an idea that anyone could use with a little strategy and elbow grease. Putting an emphasis on the result of each student’s inspirational story in a way that your campus can relate to is what will make each of your features shine. And incorporating great yearbook ideas like these inspirational tales will make this year’s publication a standout on your campus!
