According to Nicole Ford, yearbook advisor at Ridge Community High School in Davenport, Florida, the conference is different than other conferences offering professional development for teachers. She explained that “at this conference, no one treats you like a student; instead, you are respected as a professional, a rare treat for teachers.” Indeed, many of the workshops are led by school yearbook advisors and attendees have opportunities to collaborate in person with Entourage’s designers as well as other advisors. She is most excited for the chance to network because she “always come[s] back with some wonderful, fresh concepts from other advisors to share” with the staff at her high school.

Adding that advisors of varying levels could benefit from attendance, Ford said that the conference could provide “a fresh breeze” of inspiration for veteran advisors, and that workshops can help novice advisors to build a “toolbox” which they can use to avoid feeling overwhelmed by unforeseen challenges. When asked about her favorite workshop, Ford said that she liked the photography workshop because, although Ford is a photographer, she appreciated the perspective shared by the photography workshop presenter as well as advice regarding ways to “help students to take excellent pictures when they have little to no experience.” Ford added that her yearbook program benefited greatly from the strategies and was very successful. This year’s conference will offer new workshops as well as other attendee favorites from past conferences such as “Technology for the New Wave of Yearbooks,” “Yearbook Sales Techniques,” and “Yearbook Curriculum.”

For more information about Entourage’s High School Advisors’ Conference, please contact Nicole Lipnitz via nicole.rossi@entourageyearbooks.com or at 888-926-6571.