National Yearbook Week celebrates the lasting value of yearbooks

MINNEAPOLIS – October 1, 2009 – As the first photos are selected for this year's edition, school yearbook advisers and staffs take time to celebrate the life-long value of their work during National Yearbook Week, October 5-9. National Yearbook Week is observed by schools to acknowledge the important role that yearbooks play in narrating a school's story, providing a portable and lasting way to connect students to each other and their school.

Today's yearbook staffers learn journalism, writing, communications and business skills in real time as they commit long hours and leverage innovative technology to capture the school's personality, events and stories for all students and groups within the school.

The first National School Yearbook Week was held in October 1987 by proclamation of President Ronald Reagan. It coincided with the Bicentennial celebration of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, guaranteeing freedom of the press. The week of special yearbook-related activities commemorates excellence in scholastic journalism and acknowledges the publication efforts of yearbook advisers and staffs across the country.

Jostens, a leading yearbook company, cites the important role yearbook staffers play in capturing the essence of each class, along with the positive experiences and memorable events of the school year.

"We are continually impressed with the talent, creativity and commitment of yearbook staffers as they chronicle the events that only happen once-in-a-lifetime," said Gary Lundgren, Yearbook Marketing manager, Jostens. "With expert guidance by their advisers, yearbook staff members are inspired by the fact that students and faculty will have a keepsake to remember friends, events and stories, long after the excitement of yearbook distribution and signing events have subsided."

Yearbook staffs work closely with Jostens and Jostens' yearbook representatives for planning, design and marketing guidance. Yearbook Avenue, Jostens' proprietary online yearbook resource, provides continuous access to web-based tools for creating yearbooks in preparation for printing. Yearbook Avenue is also the home for innovative ideas, award-winning yearbook examples and applications that help yearbook staffs tap into the networks of their school community. Applications include a digital image upload site that allows students to share candid photos to help photo editors feature all students in the book at least three times. Yearbook business managers use indexing and email tools within Yearbook Avenue to market the yearbook to students as photos are placed on pages.

About Jostens

Minneapolis-based Jostens is a provider of products, programs and services that help people celebrate important moments, recognize achievements and build affiliation. The Company's products include school yearbooks and other memory book products, scholastic products such as class rings and graduation products, and products for athletic champions and their fans. Jostens is a subsidiary of Visant Corporation, a marketing and publishing services enterprise servicing the school affinity, direct marketing, fragrance and cosmetics sampling and educational and trade publishing segments.

Contact information:
Rich Stoebe 952-830-3250
richard.stoebe@jostens.com