Judges carefully studied the approximately 700 entries in the 2009 Yearbook Design Contest before recognizing 25 middle and high school students for their creativity.

The contest, in its fifth year, is jointly sponsored by Jostens and Adobe. Each participant submitted a complete yearbook spread designed using Adobe InDesign software.

The winning entries displayed an awareness of accepted design standards while effectively presenting visual and verbal content in a creative, reader-friendly way

The winning designs will be featured in the fall issue of Jostens Adviser & Staff magazine and the 2010 Gotcha Covered Look Book.

Grand Prize Design
Sophia Robele, Franklin High School, El Paso, TX
Jai Tanner, adviser
Prize: Laptop computer with Adobe Creative Suite software
View design

First Place Design
John Bryant, St. Mark’s School of Texas, Dallas, TX
Ray Westbrook, adviser
Prize: Adobe Creative Suite software
View design

Second Place Design
Ian Baker, Franklin High School, El Paso, TX
Jai Tanner, adviser
Prize: Adobe Creative Suite software
View design

Third Place Design
Andrea Tudhope, Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, KS
C. Dow Tate, adviser
Prize: Digital Camera
View design

Honorable Mention Designs
Hannah Dawson, Loudoun Valley High School, Purcellville, VA View design
Emily Engle, Summit High School, Summit, NJ View design
Lauren Falco, Franklin High School, El Paso, TX View design
Laura Fretwell, Cedar Valley Middle School, Austin, TX View design
Amanda Griegó, Franklin High School, El Paso, TX View design
Elizabeth Grover, Whitney High School, Rocklin, CA View design
Eddie Hagan, Summit High School, Summit, NJ View design
Kelly Hansard, Westlake High School, Austin, TX View design
Sarah Hoskins, Franklin High School, El Paso, TX View design
Shea Houlihan, Franklin High School, El Paso, TX View design
Gary Jones, Lakeside High School, Hot Springs, AR View design
Corey Lau, Casa Roble High, School Orangevale, CA View design
Alyse Matlock, Franklin High School, El Paso, TX View design
Caroline Moore, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, MO View design
Brenna Moya, Franklin High School, El Paso, TX View design
Chandler Peacher, Thomas L. Sims Middle School, Pace, FL View design
Whitaker Sherk, Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, KS View design
Joanna Sowell, Arrowhead Christian Academy, Redlands, CA View design
Catherine Teano, Whitney High School, Rockin, CA View design
Andrew Visconti, Ward Melville High School, Setauket, NY View design
Sarah Wilbanks, Westlake High School, Austin, TX View design

Three nationally recognized yearbook experts served on this year’s panel of judges:

• Peter Bobkowski advised the Crown and Pacemaker winning Aquin yearbook at St. Thomas High School in Houston from 1999 to 2006. He is a frequent instructor at high school journalism workshops and conventions and is currently a doctoral candidate in Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• H.L. Hall advised Crown and Pacemaker winning newspapers and yearbooks at Kirkwood [Mo] High School before retiring in 1999. Hall is a former JEA president and has been recognized as the JEA National Yearbook Adviser of the Year and the Dow Jones National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year. Hall remains active in scholastic journalism and teaches workshops across the country.
• C.B. "Bruce" Watterson chairs the CSPA committee on judging sanrdards and practices and recently retired as chief communications officer at the Darlington School, Rome, GA. Watterson advised Crown and Pacemaker winning yearbooks and literary arts magazines at both the high school and collegiate levels.