Treering Blog

If starting the year with a yearbook debrief wasn’t possible or 3rd period publications popped up on your schedule the day before school started, start here. Keep, change, stop is a conversation to have as a team. Thumb through the yearbook, project some spreads on the wall, and complete a matrix. What aspects of your program are proverbial home runs and should be keepers? What needs to be changed? (Remain proactive and brainstorm solutions.) What needs to be stopped? At TRL 23, we sat down with four advisers to learn their takes.

Watch the full interview on Treering’s Facebook page.

Katie Thomas, Elk Grove, CA

We first met Katie Thomas when she became the yearbook coordinator for her daughters’ K-8 school midway through the year. As the lone parent volunteer, she sold 60 yearbooks in a week and now oversees the middle school club.

For Thomas, cover contests are a keeper. She said each year the school has a theme and she loves how the yearbook club chooses to “intertwine” it with the theme they select.

Moving forward, she’s going to change up the interview process for students in favor of more journalistic writing. “We want to make sure that there are more voices heard,” she said. “This is a student-produced yearbook.” 

This year she stopped having multiple editors share a spread. “I learned the hard way,” she said about having students edit each other’s work without a formative peer editing process. 

Janet Yieh, San Francisco, CA

Like Thomas, Janet Yieh began as a parent volunteer. Now, she’s transitioned the club from an after school activity to a school day program with 19 middle schoolers. 

For the foreseeable future, Yieh will keep giving away yearbooks. Last year it was 100. “We are in San Francisco, and it's an urban environment. We have many families who qualify for free and reduced lunch,” she said. To ensure all eighth graders leave with a yearbook, she adds a small fundraiser to the cost of each book and pushes Treering’s early discount. Since many families take advantage of the sale, Yieh “buys into every single fundraising dollar.” To distribute the books, she creates a contest to win a yearbook so no one is singled out.

She is going to change up the class structure by inviting more experts to share with the club and creating some lesson plans for her students. Last year Yieh piloted this idea with her boss who went to design school. This year, an English teacher will guest teach on writing. “I'm a mom. I'm not a teacher,” said Yieh. “I'm trying to personally create curriculum for them to follow each week.”

While Yieh’s students led the design concept, she’s stopping their theme-less tradition. “If we create a foundation, it will be much easier when it's time to actually pop the photos into their pages.” 

Chris Frost, Hemet, CA

“I was a student editor on this exact book, which I'm super proud of,” Christ Frost said. Because he knows the value of ownership, he keeps the tradition of a student-led yearbook program. “Our students decide everything. They pick our theme. They pick and design our layouts by hand because they like to struggle and fight with what a design should look like.” He and co-adviser Billy Valenzuela advise by keeping students on track towards their deadline.

The big change is how Frost’s students will increase representation in their yearbook. Historically, the team at West Valley High covers 80% of students beyond their school photo. That’s not enough. In repose, they created a B.O.L.O. (be on the lookout) wall with “ASB’s Most Wanted” using their coverage tracker. “It's also going to help us see who are those people that are hiding in the shadows that are in that background,” Frost said.

“This is their memory. This is their keepsake. This is a historical document. This is something that 10 years from now, 20 years from now, 30 years from now, they're gonna pull out and show family and there's nothing worse than opening that book up and your kid going, but where are you?”

Chris Frost

He stopped the way students received page assignments: instead of individual assignments, they are now in teams. Each team of five, led by one editor, works on five spreads at a time. Frost said, “They can delegate amongst each other… so it gives kind of a broader range on the pages.”

Beth Stacy, Huber Heights, OH

As a class adviser, Beth Stacy knows how much work her students do to identify each featured person in a photo, write body copy and captions, and place it beautifully in an effectively designed layout. 

Without hesitation, she would keep grading spreads. “Every grade or every spread is graded on pass/fail,” Stacy said. The end goal of having all spreads submitted to Stacy print-ready means students are in control of their grades. 

Stacy said, “Probably 95 to 98% of our book is taken by one parent who has kids in a bunch of activities, one teacher who is an amateur photographer, and then our professional photographer.” The yearbook culture change is student photography. She’s motivated by the fresh energy the younger team in her class brings. 

Stopping the blend of chronological and traditional coverage is top of her list. After trying it for their 75th anniversary book, she said, “It got messy and didn't work very well.” Focusing on the traditional sections such as people, student life, and sports will help returning students train new ones and also balance the load for the few dedicated computers they share. 

For more from these advisers, including their tips for getting started, favorite Treering hack, and application processes, watch the full video on Facebook.

Recreating the wheel is exhausting. Having Treering Live (TRL) experts provide all their tips and tricks saves time and energy and brings the fun back to yearbooking. (Yes, yearbook is a verb.) Treering tailored TRL for yearbook volunteers, educators, and aficionados of all levels, offering 18 sessions so you can engage with various aspects of the creative process. In anticipation, we compiled our top reasons TRL is the yearbook event of the season.  

1. Leave With a Road Map

Figuring out how to get started when you're new to the school yearbook is daunting, especially when the person who used to do it is no longer at the school. Learn how to start and finish your yearbook.

Recommended sessions: I’m the Yearbook Coordinator… Now What? and Teaching Yearbook

2. Live Event

Real-time sessions mean your questions get asked and answered promptly. Between the live Q&A during each session and the chat throughout, there are plenty of opportunities for shared learning. 

Recommended sessions: Ask Us Anything with Treering’s Co-Founder Brady McCue and Keep, Change, Stop

3. Connecting with Other Advisers

Because two—or four hundred—heads are better than one, working together turns terrifying yearbook mountains into easy-to-approach small hills. TRL is not just about knowledge acquisition; it's about building connections within the yearbook community during National School Yearbook Week. You'll collaborate with fellow yearbook enthusiasts, sharing your triumphs, learning from your challenges, and forging bonds beyond these three days online.

Recommended sessions: Fundraising and Crowdsourcing and Social Media for Yearbook

4. Making a Plan

From a ladder and coverage calendar to the next marketing campaign, you’re leaving TRL with concrete steps to make the best yearbook yet. 

Recommended sessions: Getting Organized and Creating a Marketing Plan

5. Design Inspiration

Yearbook Hero Lauren Casteen introduced us to mild, medium, and spicy design. Wherever you fall on this scale, you will gain an understanding of layout, typography, and color and how to go to the next level. You’ll also be able to help your yearbook team produce robust designs. Because, seriously, no one should yearbook alone.

Recommended sessions: Design 101 and Design 201

6. Three Days of Training

Joining TRL for one or all 18 sessions is a testament to your passion for preserving the memories and historical record of the school year, one page at a time. 

7. Cash

Kind of. Because we love a theme, there will be some sort of game in many sessions. Prizes include pizza parties, art supplies, and gift cards for coffee or Amazon.

8. 6+ Hours of PD

Treering loves teachers. You’ll see learning outcomes in the session descriptions, and some of us, unabashedly, speak in teacher-ese. We know the importance of pro-grow opportunities. We know how annoying it is when someone reads their slides. 

9. The Treering Difference

Many schools consider changing their yearbook program and need to see Treering’s software firsthand. Busy schedules make it difficult, so we have four opportunities to dive in.

Recommended session: Live Demo

10. The Journey isn’t Over

In keeping with our game theme, your next winning move can take the form of weekly posts on the blog, monthly webinars, and 24/7 support with the Help Center. These myriad options allow flexibility in scheduling and enable you to revisit content or learn something new at your own pace. 

Share your top moments during TRL: 23 by tagging us on social using @treering (Facebook and X) or @treeringcorp (Instagram and TikTok) using #trl23.

It's time to roll the dice and level up your yearbook game with three days of Yearbookopoly! This National School Yearbook Week, attend all three days of our flagship training event, or pick sessions matching your gaming style. 

Tuesday, October 3 - Speed Round

A few sessions to start you off strong. A practice session, if you will!

Wednesday, October 4 - Yearbook Player’s Manual

We’ve scheduled concurrent sessions of back-to-back training to answer all your burning yearbook questions.

Thursday, October 5 - Cards Against Editorial Sanity

Meet some of the legends in the yearbook game. Our Treering Yearbook Heroes will spill their secrets and tackle your questions.

Register now for TRL 23. Cost to join? Free! Prizes? Of course!

Disclaimer: Attendees may experience an uncontrollable urge to shout "Checkmate!" during sessions. 

TRL 23 FAQs

Retro yearbook theme packages offer a nostalgic twist to your yearbook, bringing back the charm of past eras. They can transport you to different times and evoke a sense of nostalgia. Nostalgia in design is powerful. Fueled by shared experiences and moments with others, it reinforces feelings of connectedness and belonging. Embracing these themes can give your yearbook a bridge between past and present for your collective memories.

What Is Retro Graphic Design?

Retro yearbook themes use elements that are typically associated with non-contemporary looks. From vintage illustrations to classic color palettes, we’ll break down each decade in design below. Consider this the Eras Tour of Treering.

2000s and Y2K Aesthetic

Since retro typically refers to events 20 years past, we begin with the advent of internet-influenced design. Remember when we stockpiled groceries and awaited the digital doomsday? A yearbook influenced by the turn of the millennium is characterized by a distinct blend of futuristic and traditional elements layered:

• High-energy color palettes, metallics, and iridescent shades
• Digital distortions and drop shadows
• Abstract and geometric shapes

1990s Design for your Yearbook

With the rise of technology, artists began to explore digital mediums to create interactive and multimedia artworks. The themes of the nineties centered around identity. In pop culture, it was the era of Friends and TGIF, and design often incorporated references to these cultural phenomena. With desktop publishing becoming more available to consumers, emerging designers pushed the boundaries of traditional design rules to use asymmetrical arrangements and overlapping elements. 

A Throwback Theme From the 1980s

Famously, the bold colors and gestural brushwork of Neo-Expressionism dominate eighties design. It’s also the period that saw the rise of digital technology, a pop culture explosion, and a distinct visual style that continues to be recognized and celebrated during spirit weeks across the nation.

It’s not a 1980s-inspired retro yearbook theme if it doesn’t include some of these:

• Neon colors
• Geometric shapes, preferably layered with a glow effect
• Airbrushing and gradients
• Maximalism and excess
• 8- or 16-bit art

The 1970s' Influence on Design

Graphic artists of the 1970s made ideas and concepts the focus over traditional artistic mediums. Artists often challenged the notion of art as a physical object. The color palette of the time featured earthy and warm tones, including browns, oranges, yellows, and olive greens. These colors were reflective of the era's emphasis on nature and a more relaxed, organic aesthetic. While disco culture inspired illustrations with a sense of movement and rhythm, typography also showed some personality with exaggerated serifs, curves, and swashes.

Consider your distribution party for your retro-themed yearbook a piece of performance art.

 

Taking it Way Back to the 1960s

This was the decade of contrasts. Pop art and its bright colors celebrated mass culture, consumerism, and everyday objects at the start of the 1960s. Remember the soup cans? Later, major socio-political shifts impacted design and this period became synonymous with breaking away from the norm. 

A yearbook with a counter-culture theme might want to incorporate retro elements inspired by

• Mod influences from the Beatles and the subsequent British invasion
• Op art: those wavy lines and swirls you associate with 1969’s iconic music festival, Woodstock
• Eclectic or maximalist approaches to convey a contrast

Future Implications

Consider this: your grandkids will produce a retro yearbook theme using key design trends from the 2020s: eco-conscious and minimalistic with sensory-friendly and accessible design.

An agenda slide is more than an organizational tool: it creates a method to maintain accountability in your yearbook class.

What Goes on an Agenda Slide?

You could write the items below on your whiteboard easy peasy. Many advisers told us they prefer to create their agenda digitally because it provides a record for administration and parents (hello, accreditation year). The following year, it simply needs basic edits to remain current. Give yourself bonus points if you adapt the slides to your yearbook theme and/or color scheme. 

Because a structured daily agenda slide helps your yearbook staff understand what to expect during the class or club session, we like to include these five things:

1. Date and class information
2. Learning objectives or goals for the day's lesson
3. Class agenda
4. Deliverables
5. Announcements and reminders

If your yearbook program is a club, and you do not need CTE or ELA standards, use a brief description of the yearbook club's purpose or mission to keep activities aligned.

https://blog.treering.com/60-yearbook-bell-ringers

Two Examples of Organization and Accountability

Obvious statement: the yearbook is a big project. By creating and posting an agenda, you can chunk the work to make it realistic. 

Example 1: Project-Based Agenda

The example above clearly identifies the learning objective and how they complement the broader yearbook project. The stand-up meeting includes deadline setting, content creation, and photo assignments. This method helps all editors and support staff see how their section contributes to the entire yearbook.

Example 2: Time-Management Agenda

Many clubs meet twice a week, so chunking the work time helps the team know the purpose of their time together. That sounds simplistic, and we’ve seen strategies such as Deep Work or the Pomodoro Technique highlight short periods of focus to yield more valuable results. Less is more. Reserved space on the agenda slide also informs about upcoming deadlines, events, and opportunities.

If your campus or district requires documentation, a deck of yearbook agenda slides complements your curriculum map. It ensures both your production and learning outcomes align. (True story: administrators love them.) They also simplify preparing for sub plans and absent students’ catch-up bins: students come to expect your established routine. 

https://blog.treering.com/free-yearbook-curriculum

If there is one thing we’ve learned in our 15 years, it’s that memories are important. And just like our software, we’re continuously upgrading how we preserve them for you. We spent our summer vacation designing new archival cover options. The Treering Heritage Collection is comprised of six new bespoke designs to enclose your memories from cover to cover.

What’s in a Name?

Often associated with strength, longevity, and wisdom, the mighty oak became the symbol of these studio designs. Like your stories, they are treasured.

Heritage oaks are highly resilient trees that can withstand harsh weather conditions—including droughts and storms—due to their deep root systems and sturdiness. Like your memories, they stand the test of time.

We find these oaks in urban, rural, and suburban areas alike. And because of their age and size, they process more carbon while serving as a home base for many animals. Like your school community, they affect their surroundings.

Heritage Collection Designs

The Heritage Collection is available in 8.5 x 11 hard- and softcovers.

From the Treering Design Studio to Your School

It’s a cliche for a reason: we truly judge books by their covers. That’s why Treering answered the question, “What if I could have a professional designer create my yearbook cover?” Eliminate the what-ifs: you can.

Each Heritage Cover is 3D in texture and covered in our signature gloss. This raised polymer coat acts as a shield, protecting your yearbook from scratches, tears, and fingerprints. Because of it, the ink colors are more vibrant, and your school story is more tangible. Pair your heirloom cover with our fully editable layouts to create a truly unique and long-lasting school treasure. It’s as easy as click, drag, drop, and done!

Kinesthetic Memories

Yerd alert: we’re going to get deep on the science of touch. 

Tactile experiences influence memories due to the intricate ways our sensory experiences are woven into the fabric of our memories and emotions, shaping our perception of the world around us and our sense of self. Handshakes and hugs readily come to mind. What about yearbooks?

The short answer: yes! 

The scientific one: yes, mechanoreceptors (aka the specialized nerve endings in our skin) respond to specific touch sensations such as pressure, temperature, and texture. They send electrical signals through nerve fibers to the brain, particularly to the somatosensory cortex, which processes tactile information.

How To Use a Heritage Cover in Your Yearbook

It's easy: from the Book Settings editor on your Dashboard, change your cover finish to Heritage. The full instructions are in the Help Center.

Remember, when we touch something, our brain keeps an imprint of it. The raised texture of a Heritage Yearbook Cover can sustain its impact.

A common mistake is to hand out titles. (Think of that Oprah meme, "You are a yearbook editor, you are a yearbook editor...") Before you go crazy with inventing a structure, create job descriptions for each position. The benefit: staff members can focus on their designated areas of expertise, resulting in a more organized and high-quality yearbook production. Emphasis on the organized. We created these yearbook job descriptions to help prevent misunderstandings, reduce conflicts, and enhance communication within the yearbook team.

What Jobs Exist on a Yearbook Staff?

From editors to photographers and every copy-editing, photo-tagging contributor in between, yearbook staffs can be specialized or comprised of generalists. The most important things are to

1. Recruit a team reflective of the community you cover
2. Communicate the roles and responsibilities early and often

Editor in Chief

As captain of the proverbial ship, the editor in chief (EIC) oversees the entire yearbook production process. (This is not to be confused with the yearbook adviser; more on that below.) The EIC manages the team and ensures the yearbook meets quality standards. 

Daily duties include checking in with the editorial board (large staff) or coordinating with staff members to communicate yearbook progress and assigning tasks such as mini deadlines or photo assignments. 

A successful EIC demonstrates leadership and talent. 

Yearbook Editorial Board Job Descriptions

Your editor in chief will oversee the team that shapes the theme and coverage of the yearbook and helps train new students. This editorial board can be as large or small as your staff necessitates, and may vary from year to year. 

Beyond the big picture design and team harmony goals, the day-to-day duties of editorial board members consist of:

Copy Editor

Accuracy in grammar, spelling, and facts are the hallmarks of a successful copy editor. While the entire project does not rest on this one person’s shoulders, all section editors should do their due diligence to ensure their teams’ submissions are beyond the first draft phase prior to submitting.

https://blog.treering.com/yearbook-proofing-tools/

Photo Editor

Ensuring that the images meet quality standards and deadlines are met, the photo editor organizes uploaded images, ensures they are tagged accurately, and schedules photographers. 

Section Editors

Section Editors oversee specific sections of the yearbook, such as sports, academics, clubs, or student life. They coordinate with photographers and writers to ensure comprehensive coverage and consistency within their assigned sections. While the tasks of section editors may vary depending on the size of the yearbook team and the specific guidelines set by the yearbook advisor or school, below are some examples of team members and their section-specific duties.

Sports Editor

• Obtain rosters and schedules for each team
• Coordinate team photos with the coaching staff
• Schedule photographers for practices, tournaments, and games
• Work with Booster organizations or parents to crowdsource photos

Reference/People Editor

• Coordinate with the photo editor to ensure all photos are tagged
• Run index and/or flow portraits
• Create opportunities for storytelling throughout the reference or people section

https://blog.treering.com/3-content-ideas-for-yearbook-portrait-pages/

Student Life Editor

• Coordinate with reporters and designers to ensure the events in the yearbook showcase both depth and breadth
• Work with photo and reference editors to identify students who are both in and not in the yearbook three times
• Establish a crowdsourcing plan with the social media team

What do Yearbook Editors Do?

Content Planning

Section editors need to plan the content for their assigned sections. This involves brainstorming ideas, scheduling events or activities to cover, and extending the yearbook theme through sidebars, body copy, and headlines.

Communication

Editors must ensure each team member knows their responsibilities and deadlines for the week. Some staffs find a weekly staff meeting where the editors detail the week’s events and assignments plus overall book progress keeps things moving.

Reviewing and Editing Content

It’s important to match seasoned staffers with new ones to provide useful feedback and coaching through regular checks for accuracy, clarity, and adherence to the yearbook's style and guidelines.

Meeting Deadlines

The editorial board must monitor the progress of their team members and ensure that all content and materials for their section are completed on time. They also review the overall progress of the section and address any potential delays or issues that may arise.

Business Manager

Working with the adviser to coordinate sales, track orders, manage budgets, and organize advertising and fundraising initiatives, the business manager helps to ensure the yearbook's financial success. (This sounds scarier than it is.)

Social Media Manager

Yearbook teams use a social media manager to handle the yearbook's online presence and engagement. Daily tasks include:

• Managing social media accounts
• Posting updates
• Sharing previews of the yearbook
• Interacting with the school community

https://blog.treering.com/5-social-media-posts-to-sell-yearbooks/

Job Descriptions for Yearbook Staff Members

The majority of your students will fall into this category. These are the frontliners who cover events, write headlines, interview students, submit stories, re-write those stories, and make your team’s vision come to life. They collaborate with the editorial board to develop story ideas, learn to tell stories through photos, and fit layout schemes and page designs to content. Students will get experience with varied responsibilities. For example, having a basic understanding of photography can enhance the team's capabilities and contribute to equitable yearbook coverage.

Large staffs have the luxury of further specializing their teams.

Designers

Their specialty is arranging photos, text, and graphics to create appealing and organized page spreads that use theme elements. They are flexible and see how the part (a photo) contributes to the whole (your school’s story).

Photographers

Photographers capture high-quality images of various events, activities, and individuals throughout the school year. They aim for story-telling photographs, zoom with their feet, and show up. Oh yeah, and they tag their pics.

Reporters

Students, teachers, and staff members share their stories with your reporters who then create engaging narratives. They pre-plan open-ended interview questions, listen, and dive deep.

By establishing roles and responsibilities, your yearbook staff will work in roles suitable to their experience and interests, giving them an opportunity to experience personal growth and develop a skillset that interests them. 

From the Treering Design Studio comes the 2024 theme collection, guided by visual arts and technology trends. These ten theme packages infuse contemporary and stylish aesthetics through cover and layout designs, accompanying graphics, and color palettes. Use the inspo below to guide your yearbook’s visual theme elements, ensuring your school's legacy is etched with your unique touch.

Trends from DIY Culture

At its core, the DIY ethos empowers individuals to believe they have the skills and resources to tell their stories. Treering’s software is the tool by which creators do just this. Unleash your artistic potential by engaging with these four looks.

Maximalist Yearbook Theme

Inspired by handicrafts, Treering’s Maximalist theme package features collage-style artwork with layers of color. It aligns with the DIY ethos and the desire to create and distribute art and ideas outside mainstream channels. In a world inundated with perfect pixels, a book that captures the spirit of handmade craftsmanship stands out.

It’s a little punk rock, a little pop art, and wholly versatile. 

Tropical Chronicles

In the graphic design world, we’ve seen risograph art trend since its inception in 1960. Riso printers in Japan created their signature layered look, and its association with ‘zine culture, independent publishing, and grassroots creative efforts contributes to its continued popularity. 

The riso aesthetic is distinct from other printing methods, and its retro and handmade feel can attract yearbook teams seeking something visually interesting and non-traditional.

Yearbook Theme Inspo from the Masters: Tied Together

Continuous line art is another classic look. Picasso did it. So did Matisse. 

​​Because the line is unbroken, there is a sense of flow and movement with this look. This dynamic quality can draw the viewer's eye along the line, creating an engaging visual experience throughout your yearbook. Its hand-drawn quality is organic: the intentional variations in each line give a sense of immediacy and authenticity–two things you want when telling the story of the year.

Continuous line art often highlights the essential features of an item, creating a focus on its defining elements. Using the included graphic elements–or even creating and uploading your own–define touchpoints throughout your yearbook. Lunchtime, Read Across America, and the 100th day of school each have distinct canvases.

Crafted

During the 2023 Editor’s Choice Design Contest, many submissions included a form of digital collage, adding depth to the stories and images across the spreads. Graphics such as hand-torn papers and transparent tapes adorn these modular layouts so you can pack pages with seasonal or quarterly content. 

Crafting a digital book that looks handmade invites your school community into a world where thoughtfully placed captions and photographs tell your unique story. This intentional design choice ignites curiosity and captivates the senses. The scrapbook-like textures, imperfect lines, and off-the-grid layouts carry the essence of an artist's hands at work.

Yearbook Theme Inspo from Tech-Inspired Design

Using tech-inspired elements in your yearbook theme can evoke a sense of nostalgia and celebrate progress. When you get design inspiration from social media, streaming services, or interfaces, your yearbook theme provides a physical, tactile experience that contrasts with the intangible nature of technology. (We won’t judge if you use that nugget in your theme pitch.)

In an Instant

Let’s face it, advisers, younger audiences who are deeply connected to technology may find these designs relatable. And when used with crowdsourcing efforts and a social media plan, they’re compiled in a relevant and memorable way. The familiarity of this double-tap-worthy yearbook theme is part of its appeal.

The included layouts are highly visual: photos, photos, and more photos with plenty of room for captions and the occasional hashtag. We're just going to leave this here.

Y2K Yearbook Theme

Aesthetic blends that evoke both the past and the future remain popular. This theme package of vintage-inspired typography and futuristic elements creates nostalgia. The Y2K aesthetic draws inspiration from the anticipation of entering a new century. Seriously, who else was waiting for a flying car?

Y2K-inspired design commonly uses pixelated graphics as a nod to the digital origins of the era. And while your photography and body copy remain the focus of each spread, digital distortions, mosaic-like patterns, and geometric shapes create visually intricate sidebars and callouts.

As a yearbook theme, Y2K is both a playful and visually stimulating style that captures the anticipation, optimism, and technological innovation of the turn of the millennium.

How to Use a Treering Theme in Your Yearbook

In the Treering app, go to styles from the page designer. You can select any of the 300+ themes from the menu. (Here's a secret an insider tip: even if you choose a Treering theme, you still have access to all the layouts, art, fonts, and color palettes in the catalog.)

Wherever you get your yearbook theme inspo, the finished product should reflect your school right now. Together, color, typography, and your theme story can evoke a profound emotional connection that resonates with authenticity for years to come. So, you do you.

Fonts can be the Marsha Brady of the yearbook world. Overshadowed by epic theme packages and color palettes, the power of typography cannot stay silent. (In fact, the correct font can be louder than your graphics.) With 44 new fonts in the Treering catalog, you can share your story with boldness or a touch of whimsy. It can be focused or zany, handwritten or high-tech.

“Typography, like other design elements, evolves over time. Keeping up with current trends ensures that your designs feel fresh, relevant, and aligned with contemporary aesthetics,”  Treering’s Director of Design, Allison V. said. “Typography also strongly impacts how a message is conveyed and perceived. More importantly, we listen to our users and try to accommodate their needs and wants. We often receive requests for fonts and appreciate the input from you.”

One such request came in the form of a text.

Meet OpenDyslexic

Since origin stories are a big deal in the superhero world, here is OpenDyslexic’s: app and game designer Abelardo “Abbie” Gonzalez developed the font in 2011 to help people with dyslexia improve their reading experience.

OpenDyslexic’s design addresses common challenges faced by many readers with dyslexia:

• Letter Weight: OpenDyslexic uses a slightly heavier letter weight, which helps the letters stand out more clearly on the page and reduces letter crowding. When designing for readers with dyslexia, avoid using italics or underlines because they cause letter crowding.
• Bottom Heavy: The base of the letters is slightly thicker, which provides better anchoring for letters. This can reduce the chances of them being flipped or reversed.
• Distinct Letter Shapes: The font uses distinct letter shapes to minimize letter confusion, such as avoiding mirror-image similarities between letters like "b" and "d."

Because it’s an open-source font, it is freely available. You can even make it your web browser’s font.

How Would You Use OpenDyslexic in Yearbook Design?

The short answer: headlines and captions. 

The British Dyslexia Association and the UX Movement established Dyslexia-Friendly Style Guides. Summed up, the following tips can increase the readability of your spreads.

• Modular design: use negative space to break up content into meaningful chunks
• Keep backgrounds to a single color, ideally cream or pastel peach, orange, yellow, and blue
• For text, ensure there is contrast between the background and words on your yearbook spread
• Left align text
• Use font size 12-14 pt.

As with anything, it is essential to note that while dyslexia-friendly fonts and design can be beneficial for some individuals, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for all learners. If possible, seek stakeholders' feedback during the design process to identify potential improvements.

Unlock the mysteries of yearbooking with this classroom-ready lesson plan. We designed this yearbook escape room to kick off the school year or to serve as an informal assessment. With yearbook vocabulary at the core of this activity, students progress through a task to “unlock” another. When all four keys are complete and correct, they unscramble the final code. Cue crowd cheering noise.

Escape Room Activities

Students progress through the following four activities to stretch their knowledge and application of yearbook terms. 

Task 1: Yearbook Lexicon

Find words related to yearbook terms within the jumbled letters horizontally, vertically, and diagonally. After finding all 21 words, the unused letters in the grid will spell out a hidden message which will unlock the next stage of the escape room.

https://blog.treering.com/24-yearbook-terms-everyone-needs-to-know/

Task 2: Emoji Combinations 

Analyze the emojis' meaning in the context of yearbook-related activities and concepts. After entering all the words, students will find a three-digit code used to unlock the next task.

Task 3: Yearbook Riddles

Solve six riddles based on the who, what, and when of yearbook creation. Once solved, a hidden word will reveal the next clue.

Task 4: Identification Station

Examine two yearbook spreads and identify the elements of design and yearbook hierarchy. Students’ answers will produce the last three letters needed to unlock the final puzzle. 

Teacher Instructions

This electronic escape room works best in student pairs. Students enter their responses on a self-checking Google Form to advance through the activity while collecting letters to unscramble for the final code. (This also works well if you have a sub covering your class and want to leave a low-prep, meaningful activity.)

Because you know your class best, you can hand out tasks one-by-one or distribute them in a packet. Both require the trifecta of teamwork, collaboration, and content knowledge to be successful.

To use the yearbook escape room, 

1. Download the task cards; print one copy per group of 2-3 students
2. Share this Google Form with your students via Google Classroom or email. 

When the Escape Room Is Finished

Determine the goal: completion and material mastery or friendly competition? Based on the desired outcome, you may want to have directions ready for one of the following activities. 

• Yearbook spread critique: using the vocab, identify elements of design on an in-progress spread. Determine three areas of improvement. 
• Interview a classmate on the experience; build a module for your academics section on the yearbook class

By extending this yearbook-related activity, students can further develop and demonstrate their skills in communication, utilizing technology tools, and applying visual arts principles. Extension ideas include creating layouts, capturing and editing photos, and using digital tools for design and presentation.

Another consideration is how, and if, you will grade the escape room activity. Some teachers award points for completion and bonus points for the first, second, and third-place teams.

Standards

The yearbook-related activity can meet several national standards. We’ve listed some below; please note specific standards may vary depending on the framework or guidelines followed by your educational institution or state. Your district curriculum or CTE coordinator might help you align your usage of the yearbook escape room with the appropriate standards and objectives in your specific context.

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) - Communication:

• Standard: Apply verbal, nonverbal, written, and visual communication techniques to create, express, and interpret information and ideas.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) - Technology Operations and Concepts:

• Standard: Use digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
• Standard: Use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.

National Core Arts Standards - Visual Arts:

• Standard: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
• Standard: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
• Standard: Reflect on and evaluate artistic work.

Remember, our primary goal in creating this escape room is to foster collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills within your yearbook students. Collaborate, listen, enjoy the adventure, and be sure to tag @treering on Facebook and @treeringcorp on Instagram.

How different would your yearbook class or club be if you had ten minutes at the start to focus your team on the day's objectives and transition them from hallway to classroom mode? Working with middle and high school yearbook advisers, we created 60 Bell Ringers to do just this. Use the prompts below to teach and strengthen skills by dropping them in Google Classroom, displaying them in a slide deck, or writing them on the board.

Why Do You Need Bell Ringers for Yearbook?

While we often pump the intro to design and copywriting lessons the first few weeks of the school year, the overwhelming nature of organizing photo shoots, liaising with club sponsors or athletic coaches and scheduling picture day take precedence. (Validation: those things are vital for the success of your yearbook–keep doing them!) 

https://blog.treering.com/yearbook-class-what-to-teach-the-first-six-weeks

If you’re submitting documentation for WASC or your admin, bell ringers activate learning by giving students a quick thought-provoking question, problem-solving exercise, or yearbook critique activity. Some bell ringers encourage critical thinking, and others serve as an anticipatory activity because they stimulate students' curiosity.

TLDR? Use bell ringers to set the tone.

Teambuilding

Yes, you’ll have your group games, yearbook weddings, and human knots. And no, that’s not all you’ll need to forge connections and build trust. These prompts help students share and learn about each other's interests, preferences, and experiences and teach empathy for those they'll interview in the weeks ahead.

1. "Emoji Introduction": Share three emojis that represent different aspects of your life. (Afterward, students share their emojis with the class and explain their choices, providing insights into their personalities and experiences.)
2. “Time Capsule”: Describe five things you would put in a time capsule for yearbook students 10 years from now.
3. “Do-Over”: What is one thing you wish you had done differently this year and why?
4. “Influencer”: Share a book, movie, or song that profoundly impacted you and explain why it resonated with you. (If appropriate, you may want to create a yearbook team playlist for motivation, or when it’s time to celebrate good times… come on!)
5. “Self-Promotion”: What role does the yearbook play in fostering a sense of community and collective identity within the school? How are you contributing?
6. “Dear Younger Me”: Reflect on your overall personal growth and development throughout your time on the yearbook staff and how it has shaped you as an individual. What did you wish you knew at the start of the year? 
7. “Mind Shift”: Describe a class or subject that you initially didn't enjoy but ended up loving and why your perspective changed.
8. “Second Life”: What is something you are proud of accomplishing outside of academics this year?

https://blog.treering.com/7-yearbook-traditions-we-love-for-2021-2022

Bell Ringers to Teach Writing

Quick math lesson: one five-minute writing bell ringer debrief a week will give your students an additional 200 minutes of writing practice. With these short writing tasks, advisers can also provide more immediate feedback to students when they share their work. Don’t think of it as an informal assessment that requires a line item in the grade book, but rather as facilitating continuous growth.

Ledes and Captions

9. What is the importance of a compelling lede in a piece of writing? Share an example of a lead that successfully captures your attention and explain why it stands out to you.
10. Think about a memorable article or story you've read recently. Analyze the lede and discuss how it effectively hooks the reader and sets the tone for the rest of the piece.
11. Choose a recent photo from your phone and write three possible ledes: one pun, one using your theme, and one three-word attention-grabber.
12. Reflect on a nearly finished spread and revise at least one lede. Share how it improved the overall impact of your writing.

Feature Stories

13. Think about a significant moment or event from your school year that you believe would make a great yearbook story. Outline the key elements of the story, including the people involved, the emotions experienced, and the impact it had on the school community.
14. List potential angles, interview questions, and storytelling techniques you would employ for a personality profile for a student you do not know.
15. Interview another yearbook student about a personal experience or accomplishment from this school year. Write a brief summary of the story, including the central theme, key moments, and the message or lesson it conveys.
16. Brainstorm ideas for a yearbook story that celebrates the diversity and inclusivity of your school community. Share potential story angles or interview questions that would help capture the richness of your school's diversity.
17. Have students gather in small groups and share one memorable experience or event from the school year. Each group should choose one story to develop further as a potential yearbook feature. Encourage them to discuss the key moments, people (directly and indirectly involved), emotions, and impact of the story.
18. Provide students with a collection of unused photographs from a specific school activity. In pairs or individually, students should select one photo that catches their attention and write a brief story idea based on the image. Encourage them to consider the context, characters, and potential narrative elements.
19. Organize a "Story Pitch" session where students can present their yearbook story ideas to the class. Each student should prepare a short pitch, explaining the central theme, key moments, and the significance of their chosen story. Encourage constructive feedback and discussion among the students.

https://blog.treering.com/yearbook-story-ideas-procress

What’s Happening Here?

These yearbook caption bell ringers work best when paired with a photo of a prominent event on campus or one from history or pop culture. The goal is to unpack the action and the story within the image. For consistent practice, make a weekly event, such as “Photo Friday,” to cycle through these prompts.

20. List the who, what, when, where, why, and how of this photo.
21. List 10 or more verbs to describe the subject's action or state of being in this photo.
22. List 10 or more emotions to describe the subject's action or state of being in this photo.
23. Create a caption using only emojis.
24. Caption this in five words.

Do you need photo inspiration? We love the New York Times. 

Brainstorming Bell Ringers

Sometimes a five-minute brain dump is all you need to break out of a slump.

25. Looking at the school events calendar for the week, list different approaches you could take to cover each event in a table labeled before, during, and after.
26. Design a unique "map" page showcasing the school campus and highlighting key locations, such as classrooms, the cafeteria, and outdoor spaces.
27. Create a visual timeline of major school events throughout the year, using icons or symbols to represent each event. 
28. List 10 “hacks” that make school easier for you.
29. Create a mini infographic showcasing interesting statistics or facts about an aspect of the school year.
30. Design a series of icons or symbols to represent different academic subjects, extracurricular activities, clubs and organizations, and sports teams in the yearbook.
31. Sketch a "Behind the Scenes" spread showcasing the yearbook team’s work so far.
32. List teachers, labs, projects, field trips, and assignments that challenged you to think creatively or outside the box.
33. [Display unused yearbook photos of note in a "Yearbook Story Idea" station.] Consider uncovered aspects of the school year and brainstorm three ways to get them in the yearbook.

https://blog.treering.com/six-ideas-to-fill-pages

Use These Bell Ringers to Model a Yearbook Critique

Every student (and adviser) who helps produce the yearbook puts their work on display. No other group of students’ homework is hanging around 10, 20, or 50 years later like a yearbook. Boom. That said, use these critique prompts to reinforce positive comments. 

34. [Display a spread] Sketch the layout and identify each component (e.g. gutter and caption). 
35. List the elements we used to create a sense of unity and flow throughout the yearbook. What are there recurring visual motifs or elements that tie the pages together?
36. [Display three spreads from your yearbook] Give five specific examples of how these spreads carry out our theme.
37. Using an in-progress spread, give five examples of how your design connects to the remainder of the yearbook. 
38. [Display a spread] Sketch the layout. Identify the primary and secondary design elements and explain whether the hierarchy of information is clear.
39. Reflect on a memorable moment from a previous yearbook. Analyze the elements that made the module, spread, or story engaging.

Two things:

• Start with examples of strong design from your students to highlight the wins. 
• Keep it technical. When students use terms like eyeline, dominance, and alignment, there is a specific element to which we can attend versus “I don’t like it.” 

https://blog.treering.com/24-yearbook-terms-everyone-needs-to-know

Writing Prompts for Reflection

Sometimes, students need time and space to be introspective. These bell ringers are less about the how of yearbook and more about the why. After answering them in class, try using them for interview topics for other students to use in personality profiles or sidebars.

40. If you could give one piece of advice to future students, what would it be and why?
41. What is one thing you learned about yourself this year that you didn't know before?
42. Describe a moment when you felt proud of yourself and explain why it was significant to you.
43. If you could choose one word to summarize your overall experience in this school, what would it be and why?
44. Share a story about a time when you overcame a challenge or obstacle and what you learned from it.
45. Describe a teacher or staff member with action words and explain how they influenced you.
46. Share a funny or embarrassing moment that happened to you during the school year.
47. Share a piece of advice you received from someone that changed your mind.
48. If you could create a new school tradition, what would it be and why?
49. Describe a time when you felt like you made a positive difference in someone else's life.
50. What is one thing you wish you had known as a freshman/sophomore/junior that you know now as a senior?
51. Describe a moment when you felt like you truly belonged and were part of a community.
52. If you could interview any historical figure, who would it be, and what five questions would you ask them?
53. Share a piece of advice you would give to incoming freshmen and explain why you think it's important.
54. Reflect on a moment when you felt inspired or motivated by someone else's actions or achievements.
55. Share a quote or motto that has guided you throughout this school year and explain its significance to you.
56. If you could go back and change one decision you made this year, what would it be and why?
57. Describe a meaningful friendship.
58. Reflect on a time when you had to step out of your comfort zone and how it contributed to your personal growth.
59. What would you want to ask or know about your future self?
60. Describe a memorable moment from a school event or celebration and why it was special to you.

By choosing to incorporate bell ringers, you’re optimizing instructional time by utilizing the initial minutes of class effectively. By engaging students immediately, you’ll minimize transitional periods and idle time, ensuring that yearbooking (and learning) begin promptly.

Taking over this yearbook blog is a big deal for me: I don't remember a time without a yearbook. Now that I’m about to finish middle school and have eight yearbooks to look through, my appreciation for them leveled up. Yearbook moms (and dads) deserve our appreciation. If you are thinking about joining their ranks, know it impacts your kids and their friends.

My Yearbook History

The oldest yearbook memory I have was when I tried to get as many signatures as possible in my book. My friends and I once had a competition to get the most. We’d ask everyone at lunch and during after-school care to sign ours. Because my mom ran the yearbook, I had an advantage with the older kids. They all knew her, and she’d talk about me in class.

Now, the signing part is more or less to show my kids one day that I did have friends. My school does its signing party in the summer. I look forward to it because I get to see all my friends again.

Before I started fourth grade, my family moved across the country. When I changed schools, yearbooks became even more important. They helped me remember my old friends. Since yearbooks capture memories of the school year, I use them to brag to my friends about doing things like scoring a touchdown or winning the science fair.

How My Mom Makes the Yearbook

At my old school, my mom taught the yearbook class. The yearbook students were recognizable on campus. Now, my mom takes photos at school and recruits other moms. She then uploads them and puts them on pages. When it comes to design, she uses the pages to organize how events happen at school. Sometimes I get out all my books and look through them so I can remember.

Every year, she chooses a theme, and she doesn’t tell me what it is. At our school, it’s a surprise for the end of the year. No matter how much I beg, she won’t tell me. If the book was bland or the designs were scattered, it wouldn’t make much sense. I’m glad she puts time into making something that looks like the school year. Each one is different: 3D, like a journal, or even patriotic.

Having a Yearbook Mom

Now that my mom is making the yearbook as a volunteer instead of a teacher, she does all the work from home. Even though she constantly takes pictures of my friends and me in class or hanging out at recess, it feels good to know we will all be in the book. She knows us, and we can all relax (OK, I’m not always relaxed because she can sometimes be embarrassing).

Know it’s a good idea to be a yearbook mom (or dad). You’ll help more kids get in the book. You also get to help make something special that your kids and their friends will look at over and over. 

Guest blogger Erikson (age 13) spends his time outside school cooking with his culinary team, serving as the 4-H teen leadership council vice president, and volunteering with Giant Cow Ministries. His Treering custom pages feature family vacations and 4-H achievements.