The gym was crammed with junior and senior high students over the week of April 27 as they lined up to receive their yearbooks and sought out signatures. This year, the theme of the yearbook was “Stellar,” reflecting the excellence achieved inside and outside of Heritage every day.

“When you think about it, everything’s stellar,” said junior Kylie Tirado, yearbook co-editor-in-chief. “When I go to class and I get a five on my mock exam, that’s stellar.”

The seniors received their yearbooks during senior breakfast Tuesday, and the juniors received their yearbooks later that day. Then the sophomores and freshmen received their yearbooks Thursday. 

After the yearbook staff handed the students their yearbooks, they gathered around tables to read through and have their friends sign their books. For junior Sarah-Renee Ingraham, signing her friends’ yearbooks was her favorite part.

“I love … telling them how much I care about them. And taking the time out of my day to actually see all my friends during one hour is really nice,” she said.

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Alexander Ngo

Students enjoy many different parts of the yearbook. Some loved having their yearbook signed by friends, while others liked reflecting on the past. “I love how I can see really heartfelt messages from my friends. It's just a great reminder of the people that care about you,” sophomore Nicholas Gutierrez said.

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Alexander Ngo

Even the faculty join in on the fun. Principal Osmel Rodriguez helped the yearbook staff hand out books to students as others such as Dean Chad Moore signed students’ yearbooks. “They're good kids, and I've seen them grow up from kindergarten to juniors,” Mr. Moore said of the students he was signing yearbooks for.

Tirado wants students to know the yearbook is not as easy to produce as it looks. After all, it requires the entire year to make. However, she also hopes students walk away from the book thinking about “how they themselves are stellar in every sort of way.”