Food Photography

Challenge your students to include at least one photo of food in their photography portfolio.  It is an interesting project for them.  Perhaps offer bonus points to the student who shoots the best looking or most appetizing food.

Here is a link to a very interesting You Tube video on a food photographer.  It is just another genre we as journalism teachers can expose our students to.  I remind them daily.  Someone has to do this as a career.  Why can't you be a food photographer?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HMAHlqm4GU

Last Minute Ad Blitz

Ads slow down for newspaper this time of  year. Plus, yearbook staffers are looking to fill a few last minute slots for their spreads.  The week before school is out for the holidays, have the staff brainstorm businesses for an Ad Blitz of the community.  Go back to those businesses who said, "Come back at the beginning of the year."  Or, those businesses who were unavailable to you at the beginning of the school year, i.e. new businesses.

Colleges in your area should be a part of this blitz.  Military recruiters and political candidates with leftover campaign money should also be targeted.  If you have a rule about "no political ads", convince the candidate to submit a "congratulations to the class of 2011" ad.  Generic is good when you need the revenue.

If yearbooks sell personal ads, call those parents who didn't buy to make one last offer.  One or two takers beat white space in the ad section.

Newspapers searching for January and February advertisers, go to the local gyms and weight loss clinics.  They usually target people at the beginning of the year.  Tanning salons would be next on the list.  Prom dress and tuxedo shops are also looking to cash in on early prom traffic in January and February.

Hopefully, these suggestions have provided your staff with a little extra motivation to close out the semester ad totals in the black.

Silly Staff Motivators

Contemplate trying something silly for your staff's holiday party.  Instead of a potluck or a gift exchange, consider doing a craft.  Michael's has a create your own holiday mug kit for $1.  Cheap and fun...surprise them with this kitchy craft as the holiday party.

This year I'm all about quirky ideas to help entertain and motivate the staff.  If you come up with any off the wall motivators, please let me know.

Recipes

Someone commented that I hadn't updated the Recipes for the Overworked Adviser section of the blog...so here's a new one for the holidays.  This crunchy orange bark is one of my new favorites.  Enjoy and thanks for reading!

White Chocolate Orange Bark

1 pound good quality white chocolate, chopped (recommended: Callebaut)

1 teaspoon pure orange extract

Orange paste food coloring

1 cup crisped rice cereal

1/2 cup golden raisins

Directions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

Create a double boiler by putting a glass bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Add the chocolate and orange extract and stir until melted and smooth. Do not overheat white chocolate or it will seize.

Remove the bowl from the pan and wipe the condensation from the bottom. Put about 2 tablespoons of the chocolate in a small bowl and tint it with the food coloring.

Add the puffed rice and raisins to the large bowl of chocolate and stir until well combined. Pour the mixture onto the baking sheet and with an offset spatula, spread it to an even thickness, about 1/4-inch. Tap the pan firmly several times on the counter to settle the chocolate. With a small spoon or fork, drizzle stripes of orange tinted chocolate over the surface of the bark.

Refrigerate the chocolate for 1 hour to completely set before breaking it into large pieces. Serve immediately or wrap in cellophane bags tied with festive ribbon and keep on hand as a quick hostess gift!

Cook's Note: If the orange tinted chocolate gets too firm to drizzle, stir in about 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil until smooth and loosened.

Staff Morale

This time of year with a major yearbook deadline looming and a final newspaper to produce before the holiday break, staff morale can be at a low point.  Surprise your staff with an after school party to help boost their spirits and to let them know how much you appreciate all the hard work they have been doing.

-Plan the surprise for Tuesday or Wednesday.
-Don't let on that they will have a meeting after school.  Instead, have your principal announce over the PA at the end of the day that all newspaper or yearbook staff members need to report for an "emergency staff meeting" immediately after school.
-The last "surprise meeting" I held, I went to McDonald's and got 30 cheeseburgers, then stopped by the supermarket and pick up 6 boxes of ice cream sandwiches and some juice boxes.  The kids loved the simple after school snack.
-The relief of not having a "serious" meeting as they had feared, coupled with the fun atmosphere on a deadline week produced a more productive outcome than I had anticipated.  We ended up staying several hours after school working in a relaxed atmosphere.

Think of a simple motivator and go with it this week.  It will improve staff morale and provide a release for all the tension building up to deadline.