Inuvik - Staff and students at Samuel Hearne school are excited about their new yearbooks that were just released.

The books went on sale last week and chronicle the 2006-2007 school year.

Samuel Hearne Grade 12 student Ashley Blake, left, and English teacher Angela Young pose with a copy of the new school yearbook. It was made over the summer and is on sale at the school. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

Angela Young is one of the teachers who helped with the project this year.

Young said that the whole initiative is something that was brought on by former Samuel Hearne teacher Tara Gilmour.

"She started it two years ago, we're just keeping it going," said Young.

The planning for the book started last September, with pre-orders.

"Students were able to pay up front for the books, we are also taking purchases now," said Young.

Young explained that the book is actually packaged by a company in the South.

"We send them our photos and information on the last week of school," said Young.

"They put the book together and send it back to us over the summer break."

Young said that since the yearbook project also served as a grad fundraiser, it was important to have the graduation photos in the collection of memories.

"We could have had the book ready for June, but we would have had to send it out earlier and miss grad," said Young.

She said that the photos come from students and teachers from the past year.

"We celebrate our sports teams, the fun days we have," she said.

"There are a lot of good photos in the book this year."

Aside from the usual class photos, the book is laid out with photo spreads of local events and trips the students went on.

In light of the recent losses the school faced with the deaths of student Kendra Sittichinli and teacher Gord Church, the yearbooks are all stamped with a sticker in their honour.

"We wanted to dedicate the book to the memory of those we lost this summer," said Young.

The cameras used in the yearbook project were donated by the Legion and Ladies Auxilliary.

Sydney Dunlop is a student at Samuel Hearne. She said she likes the look of the yearbook.

"I think it's really well done, I like the layout," said Dunlop.

She was one of the many students who got their books last week, when they arrived in town.

She is a member of various sports teams and is active in the school's fun events.

"I'm on the track team, I play soccer and I was part of the newspaper club," said Dunlop.

As tradition calls, each student has a few blank pages to gather signatures and notes from their friends.

She said she is already well on her way to filling the provided space with signatures and notes from her friends.

"We're all happy with the book, mine is almost full of signatures," said Dunlop.