by Simon Wei

Former yearbook staff Mr. Issac Sanchez becomes the Moderator of the Yearbook Program, ushering in a new system that will redefine St. John Bosco’s yearbook.

Mr. Sanchez possesses a great vision for the future of the yearbook. He wants a yearbook that’s more than just something visual to capture the year. He wants the yearbook to be a digital storytelling platform that could capture the essence of the school year from multiple perspectives, not just through the lens of the editorial team.

This vision allows him to incorporate something pioneering to the yearbook design this year, a system that will make collaboration more seamless and dynamic. Mr. Sanchez’s new system brings about a new digital project management tool, “like [an] augmented reality.” It will be a photo that if you click on that would unfold multiple other photos.

“Let’s say we have the Mater Dei rivalry game,” Mr. Sanchez said. “A bunch of photos could be in this [one] football picture, and then you click on it [would expand to] multiple others”.

Mr. Sanchez is also passionate about making an environment where students feel more connected and responsible for what they are producing. His approach will make the students have a say in the process, making them engaged and proud of the yearbook.

Mr. Sanchez realizes it will be a gradual process to make the students invested, and he is willing to hold open meetings, in which he offers the opportunity to both the experienced and inexperienced students to be able to contribute. 

“Students should feel like they have a stake in the yearbook,” Mr. Sanchez said. “When they contribute their ideas and see those ideas come to life, it creates a sense of ownership and pride in the final product.”

Of course, no change comes without its problems.

“Change is always difficult, but it’s also necessary,” said Mr. Sanchez. “The key is to approach it with patience and persistence. We’re not just flipping a switch here; we’re building something new, and that takes time.”

Isaac is confident that clear, patient and step-by-step communication will take care of these kinds of challenges and wants the changes that he is implementing to have a long lasting impact on the students who contribute to it.

“I want the yearbook to be something that students look forward to working on each year,” Mr. Sanchez said. “It should be a project that brings people together, something that everyone can be proud of.”