Montrose High school’s yearbook took first place in all categories including Overall Final Evaluation for the 2019-2020 school year. It was submitted to the Colorado Student Media Association’s All-Colorado yearbook critique.

The MHS yearbook staff has a long standing tradition of placing first, and last year was no different. “It takes a ton of time, it takes a lot of commitment and dedication, and a lot of time outside of class and so the students really rise to that occasion. I think just year after year after year, that expectation of producing quality work kind of carries through from staff to staff,” Kathylyne Gaber, former yearbook staff advisor, said.

The 2019-2020 school year posed a new set of challenges, as yearbook staff was fairly limited and members had to complete their publication remotely. Nevertheless, they pulled through.“Chieftain staff, congratulations on a gorgeous yearbook packed with authentic and interesting reporting. Be proud of a book that exhibits contemporary design and unique storytelling,” judge Elizabeth Cyr said.

“I would say that the process of publishing our most recent yearbook was definitely a little hectic,” Senior Tallia Graham, current chief editor, said. “Before school got shut down we would go in and work on it on the weekends, and after the shut down it was mainly her (Caroline Graham) and I and one other photographer working on finishing the yearbook from our homes. I am proud that our yearbook won state because we all came together and worked really hard to put the book together.”

Also among contributing staff members were junior Lara Edeker (Photographer), senior Jacob Green (Portrait Editor), senior Maria Jimenez (Photographer), senior Jonah Johnson (Photographer), senior Sierra Maestas (Designer) and class of 2020 graduates Caroline Graham (Editor in Chief), Estefania Lopez (Photography Editor), Samantha lopez (Coverage Editor), Violet Tubbs (Copy Editor), and Haylee Ray Jacobs (Designer).

“Last year, we did really well on the book despite all of the shortcomings. I expected certain aspects of the book to be good, but not to the extent that it was,” Green said.

“When you look at all of the things that they are rated on: the design, the writing, the photography, the coverage of events, all of those things are so important and different people on the staff had different strengths, so many things had to pull together in order for the book to come out just right,” Gaber said.