John Horvath

Publication consultant

John Horvath, staff consultant and curriculum developer for Pictavo, advised the yearbook at Hill Country Christian School of Austin, Texas for 22 years while also teaching photography and digital design. His staffs earned CSPA Crown and JEA/NSPA Pacemaker recognition in addition to Tops in Texas accolades. Now, for the industry’s largest printing company, the JEA Rising Star counsels staffs and advisers across its network. 

Like many of those advisers, John was voluntold into the activity, facing the choice of advising yearbook or teaching junior high choir. With no background and after threatening to quit, yearbook captivated the former youth pastor-turned teacher. He built his program from the ground up, learning from other advisers and through conventions and workshops. 

As a consultant, he believes motivated people do great things, and yearbook provides the ultimate vehicle for student growth. To him, plaques on walls don’t measure success. The names behind the books and the differences those books made correlate accomplishment. And, it all started because he asked “Why can’t we do that?”