The Accolade

Yearbook named Crown finalist for second straight year

For the second time in as many years, the Helios staff earned Crown finalist honors but must wait until March to find out whether or not it will repeat as a Gold Crown winner.

Kate Yang • December 9, 2020

For a second consecutive year, a national journalism organization named the Helios yearbook a Crown finalist -- the only program to receive the award in Orange County, and one of three programs in Southern...

Yearbook class changes from sixth to fifth period to accommodate schedule conflicts

Helios editor-in-chief senior Anika Madan (first row, second video window from left) captures a historic moment -- the first virtual yearbook camp sponsored by Herff Jones on July 25, the camp's first day. Traditionally held at California State University, Long Beach, the July 25-29 Yearbooks by the Beach offers publications students sessions ranging from staff bonding to theme brainstorming. A total of 23 of the 33 Helios yearbook staffers attended the event to prepare for the 2020-2021 annual's production, which now will take place during fifth instead of sixth period.

Alice Shin • September 3, 2020

After three years of the award-winning Helios yearbook class being held during period six, it has switched back to fifth period this school year, joining other electives like the Associated Student Body...

Coronavirus crisis forces delay in yearbook printing; students who paid for one will have to wait until after June 6 when the school year has ended to pick it up

Though the 2019-2020 yearbook will not be distributed until June, Helios released an image of what the front cover looks like in a 77-second theme-release video posted April 24 on the publication’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The “Keep Talking We’re Listening”-themed book faced a delay in printing because the publishing company had to shut down from late March to early May in response to the state’s guidelines for non-essential businesses to close to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minjeong Kim • May 24, 2020

This story was updated May 24 at 12:30 p.m. to show that yearbook distribution was reportedly delayed for the Class of 1963, four years after the school opened in 1959. This story was updated again...

Yearbook makes history — winning top two national journalism awards, placing second in Best of Show in a single school year

Some of the Helios staffers from last year note the hard work and effort in producing creative Index pages like this one for the 2018-2019 yearbook, which swept both national journalism awards this school year. Image posted with permission from Lindsay Safe.

Emmaline De Leon • May 24, 2020

When Sabrina Lee and Tara Desai became co-editors-in-chief of Helios last school year as seniors, they strived to produce a yearbook they’d be proud of for the rest of their lives -- a goal common to...

Columbia Scholastic Press Association taps 2018-2019 Helios yearbook with top Gold Crown award; The Accolade newspaper wins Silver Crown

A screenshot of the online video awards presentation by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association recognizes the 2018-2019 Sunny Hills yearbook with its highest honor, a Gold Crown.

Lira Jeong • April 23, 2020

The Helios staff that produced the 2018-2019 yearbook has been awarded a Gold Crown — the highest honor — from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, while the 2018-2019 Accolade received a Silver...

Yearbook extends 2020-2021 staff application deadline to April 19 because of COVID-19-related school closure

Though the yearbook has used social media to promote its staff application for the next school year in the past, the Sunny Hills Helios adviser has had to rely solely on Instagram posting like this because of COVID-19 pandemic-related school closure since March 16. The deadline to apply has also been extended from March 30 to April 19. Image posted with permission from Anika Madan.

Minjeong Kim • April 8, 2020

Because of the district-imposed school closure nearly a month ago, the yearbook adviser will continue to accept 2020-2021 staff applications, extending the due date to April 19 instead of the original...

Columbia Scholastic Press Association names Accolade, Helios Crown award finalists — only Orange County publications to receive such a national honor

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association recognized Helios's 2018-2019 yearbook Nov. 1, including this Sports section spread.
Image posted with permission from Helios

Hope Li and Krishna Thaker • November 15, 2019

The Accolade newspaper and Helios yearbook have been named a finalist for a national award sponsored by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association [CSPA]. Through a live Twitter feed video on Halloween,...

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