The Yearbook afternoon activity is an extension of one of Kent’s oldest clubs. Over the decades, from drawing by hand to creating colorful electronic designs, the club has expanded its historical influence by creating an activity to empower more students to become part of documenting Kent’s history.

Ms. Rebecca Kurish ‘ 02’ is the current advisor of the Yearbook, and she works together with Mrs. Mari Summers. Ms. Kurish’s favorite section of the book is the senior pages, as “we get to see the variety of colleges and universities [the seniors] choose to attend and how they leave their mark” on Kent School. For her, the best part of creating a yearbook is “getting to know so many members of the community,” such as the faculty and staff in “the dining hall, maintenance, and admissions.”

In fact, the goal of the yearbook is also the most challenging part of the activity: to include as many people as possible and be as accurate as possible about names and details. Students often need to gather a large variety of pictures to ensure that everyone is represented in this historical document.

The first step to reaching this goal is to acquire photos of school events, student life, arts, and athletics with the help of the Marketing and Communications Department, the Technology Department, and students and faculty. During the past few months, Ms. Kurish, Mrs. Summers, and the students have sent several emails offering opportunities for contests and drawings, encouraging the community to vote on book covers and submit photos for inside pages. Meanwhile, the activity group works together with the Yearbook Club, a much older organization currently led by Ella Sun ’27 and Grace Chen ’26. All the yearbook staff ensure that the pages are aesthetically pleasing and properly designed and spaced, and that we include everybody’s preferred names and represent as many aspects of the school as possible.

For Ms. Kurish, excitement and involvement are also significant parts of the process: from taking photos and gathering new ideas to simply spreading the word. In the past couple of years, more third and fourth-form students have joined, making the activity more inclusive. 

Finally, Ms. Kurish summarizes the purpose of the yearbook as a way to “honor memories from each academic year as well as to serve as a historical document for future generations.” The activity and club groups continue to work on giving back to the community in unique ways, such as offering dedications, honoring retirees, and leaving a lasting imprint on Kent’s history.