Journalism/Talisman & Yearbook
In the News!
How to select a photo for the Yearbook by Oct. 24 Note: Senior Portraits if interested are due Nov. 13.
Yearbook Information.
Pick Up the Newspaper; Read All About It.
In The News!
The following Talisman newspaper staff were nominated into the Quill & Scroll Journalism Honor Society:
Editor in Chief 24-25: Marley Helfer, Sports Editor Max Bykowski, Reporter Alfie Koll-Williams, Features Editor Abigail Bekele. Also, senior Marley Helfer received the BHS Journalism Scholar award from the WJEA.
Shingle Yearbook Sales
Yearbook Pre-Sales The Shingle
Yearbook Sales Windows
- Sept. 19 – Oct. 10, 2025: $60 (Closed)
- Jan. 5 – 28, 2026: $65
- April 1 – 29 (excluding Spring Break 4/13-17): $70
Yearbook sales dates are established in accordance with state tax policies.
Note: After April 2026 students can no longer pre-order a yearbook, and can only then buy a book after June distribution, if any books remain.
Payment Options
- Pay Online: via Parent/Guardians Source/SchoolPay
- Yearbooks will also be sold in the main/fiscal office before school or during lunch and after school with cash, check or Debit/Credit Card to avoid the transaction fee.
- Cash, Check (Ballard High School), Debit, Credit Card
SchoolPay Tips to See if You Pre-Purchased a Yearbook!
- Logon to the Parent: Source/SchoolPay
- Verify you are on the correct student account
- If the Yearbook option is not displayed on SchoolPay check the payment history to see if already purchased
- Open the History menu in the upper right portion of your screen
- Select Items Purchased. SchoolPay will provide a search menu
- Select the date range and student, and click the Search button
The Shingle – Yearbook Production
Yearbook Production combines the Journalist Writing Class with photography, advertising, budgeting, design and electronic media.
The ultimate goal is the production of the School Yearbook, The Shingle. Students learn about the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment, the responsibilities of the press to inform, the ethical responsibility of truthfulness, fairness, accuracy and objectivity, and other principles as well as practical skills of analytical writing, layout, word processing, computer skills, and general paper production.
Contact: 1ballardshingle@gmail.com
Advisor: Michael Smith; mtsmith@seattleschools.org
The Talisman Student Newspaper Production
Newspaper Production combines Journalist Writing Class with photography, advertising, budgeting, design and electronic media. The ultimate goal is the production of the School Newspaper, The Talisman.
Students learn about the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment, the responsibilities of the press to inform, the ethical responsibility of truthfulness, fairness, accuracy and objectivity, and other principles as well as practical skills of analytical writing, layout, word processing, computer skills, and general paper production.
Mission Statement: The Ballard Talisman is an open public forum for student expression, and exists to give a student perspective on issues relating to the Ballard student body and community. Please send signed letters with authors’s name, class or position (e.g. parent, student, teacher , etc.) to the editor.
Subscribe to The Talisman
The Talisman which was established in 1917, is an award-winning BHS student-produced newspaper. Visit the Talisman website for the most current updates and recent articles.
Subscribe to get all seven issues for the school year. Support student media, and stay informed about issues affecting the Ballard community. Subscriptions start at $40.
Talisman Website temporarily down while waiting for district payment.
Advertising in The Talisman
If you would like to place an ad in the paper, contact ballardtally@gmail.com.
Contact: BallardTally@gmail.com
Teacher Advisor
Michael Smith; mtsmith@seattleschools.org
Past Program Highlights!
Talisman News 24-25!
Senior Co-Editor-in-Chief Marley Helfer received an Honorable Mention in the 2024 NSPA Story of the Year (slide #104) for her Opinion article, “They is not working the way it should.” She is a 2024 NSPA Leadership in Student Journalism Award recipient. In addition, four of her articles have been published nationally on the School Newspapers Online (Best of SNO) national website.
National HS Journalism Achievements 24-25
At the end of April 2025, over 3,000 students from across the nation gathered in downtown Seattle for the National High School Journalism Convention, showcasing their talents in various categories.
Among the notable achievements for BHS staffers, Silas Horn earned an Honorable Mention for yearbook sports writing, while Abby Bekele received an Excellent for her newspaper layout. Logan Lemonidis also earned an Honorable Mention in Commentary writing, and Xander Howarth achieved an Excellent in Review writing.
Other distinguished students included Shylo Burns and Noelle Shin, who both received Honorable Mentions in Sports and Feature writing, respectively, and Sabi Yoon, who stood out with a Superior in Newswriting.
Additionally, Marley Helfer and Max Bykowski secured 4th place in Best of Show Newspaper Design, while Sabi Yoon and Abby Bekele received 9th and 2nd place for their respective articles on BHS’ Ukrainian students and African culture, highlighting the students’ commitment to diverse and impactful journalism.
Journalism Students Earn Honors 22-23
Congratulations!Ballard Journalism Students won at the Washington Journalism Education Association 2023 State Journalism Competition: Alexa T., Honorable Mention, Review Writing, Annie W., Excellent, News Writing; Semai H., Honorable Mention, Newspaper Feature Writing; Hazel E., Excellent, Sports Feature Writing; Tom F., Superior, Yearbook Feature Photos and Excellent, Yearbook Sports Photo; Marley H., Honorable Mention, Yearbook Feature Writing; Sabi Y., Honorable Mention, Editorial Cartooning.
Talisman Staff, Photographer Earn Awards 22-23
Shout out to the Talisman staff which received Honorable Mention for its Editorial “Pandemic Shows How Our Healthcare System Fails Disabled People” in the National Scholastic Press Association 2022 Story of the Year competition.
Also, congratulations to Talisman Photographer Tom F., who received fourth place in the NSPA’s Photo of the Year for his “Tech Theatre” image: Mid-rehearsal, Senior Philip D. counts in members of the school’s theater production group. “I got involved in theater production when I was a freshman as an assistant, and I took over on the second show and have been running it ever since,” Dussin said. “It is a very satisfying feeling when all of the different parts come together to make a show work, and I also like playing with some of the technical aspects.” Photo by Tom F.
The top prizes in scholastic journalism, NSPA’s Pacemaker awards highlight journalistic excellence. Winners were announced during the Fall National High School Journalism Convention, Nov. 2023, in St. Louis.
More Talisman News
The Talisman is in the Best of SNO: The Ballard Talisman was recently featured in the Best of SNO. SNO is the online platform of The Talisman, and chooses to showcase some of the best student journalism and photography.
The featured article “Conversations without contact: COVID-19’s disruption of language classes” was written by staff reporter Marley H. and included a photo taken by staff photographer Arden R.
Shingle Yearbook | March 2019 | The Shingle yearbook staff had several winners at the WA Journalism Education Association (WJEA) competition on March 16, 2019.
Talisman Update | 2018 | Talisman Reps Free Speech Bill Signing | A handful of Talisman staffers participated in the historic governor’s signing of a free speech rights bill for student journalists. In the attached photo, seniors and Co-Editors-in-Chief Jackson Croy and Eleanor Dudley stand outside the state capitol with state Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn (sponsor of the bill), along with senior political correspondent Oscar Zahner.
Update March 2018 | Talisman coverage of students walk out in March. The coverage includes a podcast with excerpts from speakers, and student voices. In addition, the Talisman was able to interview Gov. Inslee.
Talisman Update | 2017 Two Talisman staff members testified in the House Education Committee hearing on the student free speech bill SB5064 this week. You can listen to their testimony. Feature editor Eleanor Dudley and political reporter Oscar Zahner testify around 1:02:00, and their testimony lasts about 2 minutes.
Additional articles include Story on blind Iranian student’s success | Q & A with two-time state wrestler, sophomore Jeremy Miyake | Gymnastics competes at the state tournament | Cheer takes 1st place at state | Coverage of the women’s march in Washington state | Q & A with socialist council member Kshama Sawant | Behind the scenes making Les Misérables.
Talisman awarded consecutive Pacemaker award finalist | 2015 | The BHS Journalism Program produces a school newspaper called The Talisman that is award winning and nationally recognized. For the second year in a row the Ballard Talisman was nominated as a Pacemaker finalist in the Tabloid category from the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) which is considered the highest honor for a scholastic newspaper in the country. Many consider the Pacemaker award as the high school equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize for professional newspapers. It marks the second Pacemaker nomination in the school’s history. Staff editors submitted 5 issues that judges critiqued based on the following: coverage and content, quality of writing and reporting, leadership on the opinion page, evidence of in-depth reporting, design, photography, art and graphics.
In addition, each year we also have state and national award-winning writers, photographers, artists, designers and reporters—some of whom later earn journalism honors status (all of which are worthy additions to any college application). Former members of our staff include the Washington state journalist of the year, Anna Ferkingstad, a nationally nominated page designer, Evan Bunnage, and a nationally honored arts writer. Staff members compete both at the state and national level in many areas of newspaper production, often while we attend national conventions all over the country.
The Talisman has had students receive story and design of the year nominations from the NSPA. Most recently, graduated managing editor Greta Rainbow’s story, “Teaching the arts,” was nominated for story of the year. She also won third place in the Edward R. Murrow high school competition for her news story, “Vapor Store Opens Steps Away From School.” The Talisman also won first place as the best website at the Murrow competition.
In 2014, the staff received 2nd place in the country for Design of the Year in the NSPA Newsmagazine category. The newspaper, over the last few years, has also placed in the top ten in the best of show competition at two different JEA national conventions.
As of October 16, 2025