Going into junior year is an exciting time! Having the opportunity to join new clubs and classes allows students to explore their passions and interests, growing their skills along the way. New junior Derek Landis has just joined the yearbook team and is ready to help contribute to a book of memories.

Derek originally joined yearbook because it seemed, “fun to be a part of a big project,” and he loved the idea of contributing to such a memorable and important book. He has been involved in digital design for 2 years now and has loved learning about all the little details that make such a difference in creating pieces. His experience working with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator has helped prepare him for this exciting year. One of his goals in this class is to explore photography, a major part of the yearbook experience. Having little knowledge in that field, he’s excited to explore and learn the ideas around photography to get the perfect photos. Derek explains how he’s, “excited to explore new opportunities.” I’m happy that I get the chance to try something new before the end of my high school years, as well as learn about the things I love to do.” In the future, he’s excited to have the opportunity to cover many events for the yearbook, including prom and spirit week!

Outside of being an important part of yearbook, he likes to draw, from little doodles to full pieces of artwork, as well as work at his new job, Blaze Pizza. Some other things he likes to draw include people, in a stylized realism drawing style, which he likes to portray digitally. His favorite program to use to create these digital artworks is Adobe Photoshop. “Photoshop allows me to have the most creativity with my pieces and design the most freely,” Derek says. Overall, Derek is very excited for the important year to come, and he is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a “memorable and creative book that brings together students of all grade levels.”