School Launches Campaign To Help Every Student Get A Yearbook
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4)- Smoky Hill High School students returned to class on Friday to register for the 2018- 2019 school year.
During registration families are given the opportunity to purchase yearbooks, not only for their own children, but for others in need as well.
Through the "Smoky Cares" initiative, parents can buy a set of discounted yearbooks so long as one goes to a student who may not be able to afford one, at the school year's end.
"(Yearbooks are) the only true history of a school," said Carrie Faust, journalism adviser at Smoky Hill. "If it is not covered in the yearbook, it didn't happen, because people don't remember after years."
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Yearbooks at Smoky Hill start at $70 each. They are almost 300 pages long complete with full-photo spreads on glossy, color pages.
With such high quality books, and so much content, many cannot afford a copy. Faust said only 50 percent of students at the school purchase one.
With "Smoky Cares," the program is able to give yearbooks to some deserving students who wouldn't otherwise receive one.
The counseling office identifies kids who qualify, and discreetly gives them their book, which was purchased by an anonymous donor.
"(Recipients are) kids who not only would love to have a yearbook, but, kids who have given back to the Smoky Hill community, who have worked hard to be where they are, and graduating," Faust said.
"The fact that we do have the Smoky Cares program is really important, and a nice thing to do," said Madison Boyd, a senior on the yearbook staff. "When (recipients) are 30 years old, they will be able to look back at it. Smoky Cares is showing them that they matter here, too."
Dillon Thomas is a reporter at CBS4 and a Colorado native. He believes everyone has a story, and would love to share yours! You can find more of his stories by following him on Twitter, @DillonMThomas.