“But With Us, There’s Always More” is the ninth edition of the Tesserae yearbook at Corning-Painted Post High School in Corning, NY. Tesserae is a student-produced publication and is a public forum for student expression.
Volume 9’s theme development started in late spring 2022, and the original tagline for the edition was “Not Just.” The staff intended to tell the story of the busy lives students have at CPPHS, with an emphasis on the wide variety of opportunities and experiences they have available to them here.
At Yearbooks @ the Beach in Long Beach California in late July, the theme evolved to “There’s Nothing Like More” — more classes, more volunteering and performances, more championships, cramming more into every moment, and recognizing that there’s more going on here than you might realize.
The editors felt stuck, like something was off, late in November, and during a meeting with our Herff Jones yearbook representative Jim Mielty, he suggested the negativity of “nothing,” and “no one,” “nowhere” and other spin-offs was limiting the story and theme. In that meeting, he suggested embracing the positivity of the story, that at CPPHS, there’s always something going on, always opportunities for students to grow, and always another story to be told. And that’s how, on Dec. 1, we changed our theme to “But With Us, There’s Always More.”
Content is arranged chronologically, one week to one spread, with sports getting their own spreads. Each weekly spread includes a thematic current events mod called “One More Thing,” and all coverage spreads include ACDs, most of them linked to the theme.
We’re proud to share our thematic features that honor our ninth year on our campus: nine “More Than” mini-profile spreads, and nine “More to the Story” extended coverage packages spanning two spreads apiece.
Vol. 9’s opening features an custom eight-panel tipped-in booklet followed by an eight-panel rolling gatefold that highlights Co-Editor-in-Chief Ashti Tiwari’s theme copy.
The spring supplement is tipped in at page 146-147. The cover is a custom-designed four-color litho with matte lamination, embossing and a UV gloss. The end sheets are Carrara white CL-1 stock, with custom printing on
the D-side.
Vol. 8’s 336 pages are printed on 100# matte paper. Typefaces are AHJ Craft Gothic, Protrakt, and Eames Century. Photographs were taken using a suite of Canon R7, 7DMk2 and Rebel DSLRs and Canon and Sigma lenses.
Tesserae Vol. 9 was sold for $55 in September, $65 from October to February, and $75 thereafter. The bound book was printed by Herff Jones in Kansas City, located at 6015 Travis Lane, Mission, KS, 66202, and the sports supplement was printed by the Corning-Painted Post School District print shop on 80# paper.
The co-EiCs and their 50-student staff submitted the 2023 Tesserae bound book on April 15, and the spring supplement in late May. The program’s digital content can be found at tesseraeybk.com, youtube.com/tesseraeybk and instagram.com/tesseraeybk.
Tesserae Vol. 8, “It's About Time,” earned an All- American 5/5 critique from NSPA. In March 2023, it was awarded a Gold Crown from CSPA, Tesserae's sixth such honor in a row. NSPA named it a Pacemaker Finalist, Tesserae's ninth such honor. Additionally, Vol. 8 earned Third Place Best in Show at the St. Louis National High School Journalism Convention.
“As I round out my senior year, it is hard to believe that this is the end of my Tesserae journey. I’d like to start by thanking my two co-EICS, Leah and Adah. Leah, your energy and positivity has been much-needed and appreciated this past year. You’ve worked so well with the staff and I’ve admired how you managed 6th period solo. Adah, 7th period has been an absolute blast with you. Our communication through sticky notes and silent green room proofs have been some of my favorite yearbook memories. Your organization and focus has been integral to making this book happen. After we got flamed at Yearbooks at the Beach for “Not Just” I knew this was going to be a year of problem-solving and we did just that. I am happy to have gotten closer with the both of you this past year (and we got our purple book that we collectively agreed on in June!) To the copy queens, Maxine, Dorothy and Erika, you have been an amazing team and I thank you for being such a great resource. I’d like to also thank Mrs. Sheehan and Ms. Caulfield — because of your support for our program, we were able to tell the important stories of the year. Your trust in us to report ethically and to do good journalism has enabled the success of our book. PH, you have been an incredible resource for the staff. Through your advising, we were able to put ideas into reality with this book. We ALL thank you for being an essential part of our program. Simons, I want to start by saying I am grateful for the opportunities you have given me. Starting out my sophomore year as a shy kid over Google meet, I have grown as a journalist and as a person because of you. Sadly, the Tiwari legacy is coming to an end but you already know we’ll be back for Tessmas. Lastly to the Volume 9 staff, you have been the epitome of more. From 9 a.m. Saturday mornings to 9 p.m. Wednesday evenings, you all have put in the time, work, and energy that made this book happen. I am beyond proud to say that I was one of your editors-in-chief. There was so much more to this year than any of us could expect — like changing our theme halfway through the year — but I want to thank Volume 9 for always being up for the challenge.”
Ashti Tiwari
Editor-in-Chief
“It feels impossible for me to believe that my four years on Tesserae are ending. I started doing yearbook in fourth grade and had no idea it would lead to me still doing it all these years later. To work on this project for the past few years and collaborate with so many different people over the years has been my greatest privilege. I strongly hope and believe that we can all walk away at the end of the year proud of what we accomplished together. I would like to send a special thanks from our entire leadership staff to the team at Herff Jones, without you, we quite literally would not have a book. Yearbook Jim, we have appreciated all your feedback this year so much, even when it resulted in changing our verbal theme on Dec. 1 :) We knew it was for the better. Kyle and Ann, thank you for your constant support and encouragement from afar, this book truly would not be what it is without the two of you. The biggest thank you goes out to my favorite proofing partner and co-EIC, Ashti. I have no clue how I would have made it through this year without you. I will forever miss our random questions to each other and the endless amounts of proofing with the colored pens. I cannot wait to see all that you accomplish in life and know deep down you were the perfect person to go through this crazy journey with. A special shout out to the Wednesday Coffee Mafia, they know who they are, for all the caffeine runs. Simons, I am not sure where to begin with this, but I do not think I can say thank you enough. The rough days were rough this year but the feeling when the book comes off the truck will wipe that all away. Thank you for showing me the yearbook world all those years ago and I am so happy that we have grown so close over the past few years. Thank you for all that you do and continue to do for Tesserae, and I cannot wait to come back the next few years and see what crazy things you are attempting then. With me leaving, you’ll have to find someone else to call you from outside Door 28. There is never going to be enough space or time to say all I need to say but I hope that this short note can convey a fraction of my love for Tesserae. Thank you V9!”
ADAH GRAY
Editor-in-Chief
“A team of dedicated, hard working individuals. A team of different students bringing their separate skills to the table. A team of kids who are passionate about what they do. A team of kids willing to stay at school for hours on end to create a renowned yearbook. That’s us. That’s Tesserae. Thank you to all of our yearbook staffers - you each impacted the program and gave us your time and hard work. It did not go unnoticed. I truly enjoyed working with you all and getting to know you in the process. Thank you to Adah Gray and Ashti Tiwari for helping me grow in my leadership skills, communication skills, and being patient with me as I learned the ropes of being an EIC. I sincerely appreciate all of your efforts. I am also extremely grateful for Mr. Simons. I am deeply grateful for all your time spent teaching me Photoshop, InDesign, photography and ‘all the things’. But more significantly, thank you for being someone I know I can ask questions to, be honest with, and count on. Additionally, I would like to thank all of the teachers, coaches, and students who have supported the yearbook. Thank you to those of you who were willing to do an interview, pose for a photo, recommend people to be interviewed, or anything else that you did to help us out. On behalf of Tesserae, we are grateful for you. We do this for you. Because with you, there is always more.”
Leah Rizkallah
Editor-in-Chief
