It’s the latest enhancement to the patent-pending technology Jostens launched earlier this school year to create a more digitally interactive yearbook experience.
“In this unprecedented school year of hybrid schedules and distance learning, it’s been challenging for schools to gather content for their yearbooks,” said Tammy Whitaker, Vice President and General Manager of Jostens yearbook division. “With these new Yearbook+ features, Jostens can now help schools get the photos they need directly from the students themselves.”
Launched earlier this school year, Yearbook+ creates an interactive yearbook experience by allowing students to upload additional photos to their yearbooks, which are then digitally “unlocked” by scanning each student’s portrait picture in the printed yearbook with their mobile device. With these new enhancements, students will now be able to upload their preferred portrait picture as well, relieving the coordination challenges between school photographers and yearbook staff.
“With our kids on varying schedules and our communities still wrestling with the impacts of COVID-19, it’s almost impossible to get every student’s picture taken through the traditional school photo day experience,” said Stephanie Novello, yearbook adviser at Lenape High School in Medford Township NJ. “Yearbook+ will provide a much more efficient, easy way to gather these pictures in this unique year, ensuring all students are represented in the yearbook.”
Each Jostens customer using the new portrait feature in Yearbook+ has access to a management site where the yearbook adviser has real-time access to review submitted photos, set submission deadlines, and customize the visuals of the experience for their school.
“It’s remarkable to see how yearbook advisers and their staffs have persevered through this unique year and we are honored to support their efforts with innovation,” said Mike Wolf, Vice President of Jostens yearbook marketing. “The new portrait upload experience makes it easier for advisers and also provides students with a way to represent themselves the way they want in the yearbook.”
Yearbook+ is the latest effort in Jostens longstanding commitment to make yearbooks the most technology enabled and representative record of a school’s year. In addition to its deep library of on-line tools and curriculum made available to yearbook staffs each year, it has introduced Digital Signing Pages and a series of virtual yearbook workshops to help preserve yearbook traditions in the face of COVID-19 challenges.
More information on Yearbook+ can be found here, and on the Jostens website at https://jostens.com.