The Program Works Theme. Theme: It’s not just a slogan on the cover of a book

The Program Works

Theme

Theme: It’s not just a slogan on the cover of a book.

How can you get your theme to be more than a slogan?

• Choose a meaningful theme for your book that can be linked to

every section

• Your theme needs to be:

– Relevant

– Real

– Recognizable

– Memorable

A good theme is relevant.

• Choose a theme that is relevant to your school, your student

body and your year

• Find something that feels right for your school and allows you to

write detailed, specific copy that locks down the theme

Example of a relevant theme.

• An example of a relevant theme is Hillcrest High School in Dallas’ “All in a Day.”


• It’s relevant because– The school changed from block schedule back to traditional

(all classes in one day)– The staff followed students through various school days– The staff used time as a way to move through the book (just

a minute, day by day, take five)


• It wasn’t just a slogan.

A good theme is memorable.

• Use a play on words that also relates to your school

• Incorporate your school colors or team name into a

memorable theme

• Incorporate unique events that pertain specifically to your

school this year

A good theme is real.

• Avoid clichés

• Today’s students identify with sophisticated themes — use a

fresh, up-to-date idea for your theme

A good theme is recognizable.

• Develop a theme logo and stick to it

• Think of your theme as a brand, and imprint that brand by

consistent use throughout the book

• Use a consistent design and font for your theme logo

Your theme sets the tone or mood.

• Your theme should emphasize the positive

• Your theme copy may recognize challenges of the year

Types of themes:• Event

– Based on a specific something happening in your school– For example:

o Adding a grade (always room for more)o Construction (a work in progress)o New rules (a year like no other or certain restrictions apply)o Opening campus (catch us if you can)o Assigned parking (between the lines)o Graduating the school’s first senior class (beginners’ luck or

having it our way)o Increasing enrollment (our number’s up or it’s up to us)

Types of themes:• Anniversary

– A type of event-based theme centering on a school’s milestone

– For example:o It could be the anniversary of the opening of your school —

usually 10, 25, 50, 75 or 100 yearso Anniversary of integrationo Anniversary of the addition of girls or guys to the school

Types of themes:• Mascot

– The student body will identify with a mascot theme and could be used any year

– The theme must come with specific copy that reinforces and make the theme appropriate for the year

o “The year of the Hornet” has to have details that tell why it was the school’s year

o Other examples of mascot themes– “Not just horsing around” for a school whose mascot is the

Mustangs or the Stallions– “This will make you jump” for a school whose mascot is the

Horn Frogs or Kangarooso The actual mascot name doesn’t have to be in the slogan itself

Types of themes:• Colors

– Like the mascot theme, using school colors provides an easy identification for the student body

– For example:o “It isn’t easy being green”o “Red hot and blue cool”o “It’s all right here in black, red and white”

Types of themes:• Location

– The school’s location in the town or the state can provide a theme

– For example:o “Best in the West”o “In the center of things”o “Where east meets best”o “On the edge”o “In the loop”

– The copy in the introduction might emphasize the actual location and expand to tell other details that prove the theme fits

Types of themes:• Pride

– Many of the themes already mentioned exhibit pride as well as emphasize location, color or mascot

– A pride theme tells the world that the school is proud of its achievements and of its people who achieve

– Before adopting a pride theme, make sure a specific success can be highlighted in each section of the book

o The football team doesn’t have to win state but it would be good if it wasn’t a 0-10 year either

Types of themes:• Double-Edged

– Themes that have multiple meanings can be clever because the staff can play to both sides

– For example:o “Are we having fun yet?”o “Call it what you want”

– These slogan examples allow this type of play

Types of themes:• There’s no such thing as a never-before-used theme• It’s what the staff does with it, the story it tells, the graphics and

design that make it unique• The library is another place to look for theme slogans

– Use titles of books as a starting place for a theme

Theme development: the basics

• A theme logo, (think of it as a brand), should be developed

• The theme logo should appear on theme pages

– The cover

– The endsheets

– The title page

– The opening and closing spreads

– Each divider

• The theme should be reinforced by coverage in the book but the

logo should not appear on non-theme pages. Once you get into

content pages, you need not use your theme slogan.

Theme development: the basics

• Theme pages should have a distinct look that separates them

from other content pages

• You do this with

– Logo

– Graphic design

– Typography

Cover graphic.

Cover graphic.

• The cover provides visuals to carry on to the theme pages and, to a lesser extent, the content pages– Repetition of squares– Color or tint bar– Circle (or circle with cut-out circle)– Use of typography

Endsheet graphic.

Endsheet graphic.

• The color bar is still used but turned horizontally• Circle is made larger• Square motif is repeated with a square for each section• Same typography as the logo “Custom Made” is used in section

spin-offs• Same typography as the name of the book is used for the name

of each section (student life, etc.)

Title page graphic.

Title page graphic.

• The bar is still horizontal but overlays the circle at the circle’s bottom edge

• The logo is the same font but placed on the bar in white• The name of the book and other essential information is the

same font as on the cover• The photo repeats the square motif

First opening/closing spread.

First opening/closing spread.

• Logo is smaller, allowing the headline and copy for the spread to take the dominant role

• Bar and circle are used similarly to the endsheet• Same font uses• Text follows the cut-out of the circle

Second opening/closing spread.

Second opening/closing spread.

• Design is similar to first opening spread with variations• Largest photo is scaled back and two smaller square photos are

added

Divider spread.

Divider spread.

• Bar moves up and headline is run white within it• Section logo uses the theme type and design• Overall theme logo is scaled down

Theme text.

• Theme text should be specific and detailed and support the theme concept.

Theme text.

One thing students knew for sure, the year would be different. Trees lined the school’s new entry. The old gym had been torn down and replaced by a new building that would allow them to have plays and musicals as well as host the district play-offs.

Theme text.

The portable buildings were gone and a new multi-purpose building stood where the six buildings had stood for 10 years.

Theme text.

But it wasn’t just the school that changed.

Theme text.

New school boundaries brought nearly 250 new freshmen to the school. Burger King and Taco Bell became part of the lunch fare. The football team went to state for the first time and seniors got special privileges for having few absences.

Theme text.

• Copy is straightforward, contains details and is non-editorial• The first statement, “One thing the students knew for sure, the

year would be different.” is immediately backed up by supporting detail

Theme text.

• Each theme statement confirms the theme concept — that the year is “Custom Made”

Divider copy.

• The divider copy is more specific and relates directly to the section

Divider copy.

Senior English had Marilyn Smith thinking. How could she do all the parts in the “Canterbury Tales?” Her answer: wigs and hats. “It was the most fun way to act it out,” Smith said. “The whole class was in tears.”

Divider copy.

Freshman Lance Speers took learning to another plane – literally. He was the only student in Ken Smither’s physics class to create a plane that would sail for 100 yards. “I’d like to think it was more than sheer luck,” Speers said. “My dad is an aeronautical engineer. I think it’s in my blood.” With assignments that allowed creativity and involved students in learning, it seemed natural that the school was ranked in the top 10 percent nationally.

Creating a theme package is a process that requires several steps.

1. Finding the theme slogan that is right for the school. The staff should brainstorm together or in groups to come up with what makes the school special and then the words to say it.


2. Creating spin-off phrases from the original idea for each section of the book.


3. Finding a design idea and creating a logo that can make the theme pages look unique.


4. Developing that design into a cover, endsheets (if the school prints them), a title page, opening and closing design and a divider design.


5. Taking great photographs that represent the theme visually.


6. Writing copy that is specific and detailed and confirms that your theme choice fits.

Student Activity

• Write down everything you can think of about your school; how

it looks, how it feels, its location, mascot, colors, changes for the

year, significant anniversaries.

1

Student Activity

Brainstorm for slogans for each of these.2

Student Activity

Create an outline for each of the things that you could write and

photograph that would support the theme.

3

Student Activity

• Write spin-off phrases for each section and outline what you

could put on these.

4

Student Activity

Pick your favorite.5

Student Activity

Develop a logo and design for the theme pages.

Look to current magazines for headline design, use of shapes

and color. Create these pages either on the computer or by

drawing and pasting them up.

6

Student Activity

Present the packets to the class.

Discuss what you like about each one and what

doesn’t quite work.

Combine the parts that you like from all of them.

7

Student Activity

Present a final package.

Once accepted, begin working on getting the photos, writing the

copy and completing the theme.

8

Documents

The Program Works Theme. Theme: It’s not just a slogan on the cover of a book