As the 2025-2026 school year comes to an end, Miahi  celebrates its completion of the 112th special edition under the leadership of advisor Ms. Diaz and this year’s dedicated editorial staff. 5,219 photos, 159 image topic folders, 23 sports, approximately 59 clubs/organizations, 3,000 students, 150 faculty, 248 full color pages, 2,455 e-design hours, and most importantly, 310, the code essential to buying the yearbook.  

   These numbers defined 10 months of hard work, creativity and collaboration that went into producing a yearbook to capture the memories, achievements, and spirit of the student body. 

Developing the Picture: 2025-2026 Editors 

   Leading the publication this year were: Editor-in-Chief Bridget Martinez, Managing Editor Esther Padilla, Art Director Marissa Reyes, Clubs Editor Jesmin Fuentes, Photography Editor Elizabeth Lopez, Co-Marketing Managers Samary Suarez and Chelsey Castellanos, and Sports Editor Jessica Gonzales. 

The Double Spread 

   Bridget Martinez, Editor-in-Chief, adapted a similar sense of leadership to last year’s Editor-in-Chief, Ray Garcia. They both used an assertive and demanding style, pushing the staff to finish their work. 

Rough Beginnings 

   Admittedly, the start of the year was rough for Miahi. The staff struggled to create a cohesive yearbook concept. Even when they did, they spun into a long-winded debate on the set of options, so much so that the Varsity representative of yearbook Jose Otero had to split the staff in two sides to advocate on which theme should be chosen.  

Struggle for Creativity 

   Alondra Colindres, Junior staff, and Chelsey Castellanos shared that the biggest challenge Miahi faced this year was not having an art director for the beginning portion. The lack of organization left many pages blank, slowing the creative process down.  

   “It took us a while to choose the theme, honestly. And then there was the back-and-forth fighting, not knowing what to do, which way to go, how to express the theme,” Chelsey Castellanos said.  

   Ms. Diaz also reported that Miahi struggled to meet the required deadlines of this year. With the massive number of activities happening in Miami High, staying ahead of the curve becomes a big challenge. On top of that, Miami High’s early graduation date this year cut the deadline by two weeks, creating more urgency for the staff to ensure the yearbook was ready before graduation. 

Star Staff: Miahi Edition 

   Ms. Diaz would like to recognize some outstanding members this year: Bridget Martinez, the Editor-in-Chief who amassed the largest number of hours of any Editor-in-Chief, 400+ hours. Ms. Diaz explains, “Most Editor-in-Chiefs, including myself, have about 350 hours. 

   “Managing Editor Esther Padilla. The honorary errand runner that was always on the job, whether that be interviewing or taking photos, even outside of school.

   Art Director Marissa Reyes. A rookie turned Art Director. She hit the floor running, throwing herself into the Art Director position mid-year when it was needed most. 

   Senior Editor Melanie Villatoro, who wasn’t even in the yearbook class, and used up her lunch time to proofread the whole yearbook, ensuring minimal mistakes. 

   And Senior Editor Jesus Suarez, who did the demanding faculty pages that no one wanted to do.” 

The Highlight Reel 

   Miahi had commendable achievements this year. 4 freshmen enrolled in the class this year, which is rare for Miahi. Ms. Diaz said, “The freshmen that we’ve had are either friends or siblings of people who are already in Miahi, and they see their friend or relative take yearbook, and want to do it. Or they took yearbook in middle school.”  

   Aside from that, she reported that the writing and photos were amazing compared to other years, with a unique glow in the dark cover. And most importantly, the main deadline was met, ensuring the seniors got their book before graduation. 

Passing the Lens: 2026-2027 Editors 

   The new editorial staff for the 2026-2027 school year is as follows: Alondra Colindres, Editor-in-Chief; Chelsey Castellanos, Managing Editor; Samary Suarez, Clubs Editor; Genesis Dominguez, Photography Editor; Jefferson Lopez, Marketing Manager; Johanna Acosta and Daniella Gracias; Understudy Marketing Managers; Melanie Mejia and Byron Rojas, Co-Sports Editors; Bryan Castro, Faculty Editor and Proofreader.  

Closing the book 

   As Miahi recharges in the summer, new plans arise for the yearbook. Ms. Diaz shared, “I’m always looking forward to what the next group is going to come up with. Every year is really unique and the combination of people always comes up with something that represents them.”