A Love Letter to East Union: Where storytelling meets design and students learn to lead.
East Union High School’s “Phenix Yearbook” class continues to prove that creating the year-end publication is more than just photos and captions; it is an intentional act of storytelling, a creative community where students learn journalism, design, and leadership.
“We are creating a storybook, a love letter to the school,” expressed advisor and East Union teacher Monica Cabrera.
In the last three years, the East Union Yearbook class has undergone a complete shift in mindset and priorities. Since 2023, the class has submitted its work for critique, which led to First Class national recognition by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) for both its 2023-24 and 2024-25 editions (yearbooks). Most recently, the editors and staff received a special distinction for coverage, specifically for their diversity of stories and representation of the student body in the 2024-25 yearbook.
Now recognized as part of MUSD’s Career Technical Education (CTE) Arts, Media & Entertainment Pathway, the Yearbook class exemplifies a full-circle commitment, much like a real-world career. Students manage deadlines and publishing logistics, while also connecting their storytelling with industry standards in journalism, photography, and digital media.
The Arts, Media & Entertainment Pathway, one of ten career pathways offered by the district, has provided the yearbook class with access to upgraded equipment and software, expanded its community visibility through social media and community storytelling, and offered a clear path toward careers in design, media, and communications.
Renata Reyes, a senior and this year’s Design Editor, reflected on the impact of the Yearbook program, noting that it has instilled confidence while strengthening her leadership and public communications skills that she hopes will one day translate into a potential career in marketing.
“This year’s yearbook will be a visually stunning, design-heavy book that highlights all the changes on campus, while also bridging to next year’s 60th celebration of the opening of our school,” added Cabrera.
The dedication Cabrera and her students show continues to strengthen the program’s legacy and is paving the way not only for their program but for all MUSD Yearbook classes. The 2025-26 edition is set to showcase a fresh design format and new creative features, but more importantly, it will capture the current real-world perspectives, experiences, and voices that matter most to East Union’s student body. Every spread, photo, and headline tells a story by design, a true love letter to East Union.
Note from the Author
This year's yearbook class is keeping the design tightly under wraps ... and trust me, you'll want a copy. It's unlike anything the Phenix Yearbook has created before.