With Proclamation 5703, former President Ronald Reagan made yearbooks even more celebration-worthy by setting apart the first week of October for “appropriate ceremonies and activities” to recognize the creators and the power of a yearbook program. Treering intends to do just that during National School Yearbook Week, October 5-9, 2026.

This year, we’re experimenting.

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Welcome to “The Idea Lab”

Over five days, we’re turning National School Yearbook Week into the Idea Lab, a place to share ideas, compare notes, learn what works, and leave with something worth trying.

Our working hypothesis: the best yearbook ideas don’t come from one place. Let's test it.

The Idea Lab brings together students, advisers, volunteers, and educators based on four principles:

1. No one starts from scratch. Every great idea started somewhere
2. Great ideas are meant to be shared. Borrow ours. Borrow theirs. Let someone borrow yours
3. There isn't one right answer. What works for a 300-student elementary school might not work at a 2,000-student high school
4. Your school deserves its own version. Steal the idea. Experiment with it. Make it work for your people

The success of our experiment rests on your data. Gather your best ideas on everything yearbook-related, and be ready to share throughout the week.

Adviser contests on Facebook

Let’s prove sharing multiplies inspiration.

Every day during National School Yearbook Week, October 5-9, 2026, we’ll post a new prompt on Treering’s Facebook page. Add your findings, in-progress experiments, and successes for a chance to win a $50 daily prize.

• Monday, October 5: Share your yearbooking hack
• Tuesday, October 6: Share a takeaway from the Idea Lab LIVE
• Wednesday, October 7: Show what’s working now
• Thursday, October 8: Share what you’re doing differently
• Friday, October 9: Show your team

Add your favs to your lab book.

The yearbook week staple: Treering Live (TRL)

Treering Live (TRL) has always been the centerpiece of National School Yearbook Week. And we’re extending it, with take-home skills labs and an interactive Genius Hour.

Join our experts, explore in-progress books from real Treering schools, and learn what other yearbookers are actually doing.

No lab coat required.

‍TRL: The Idea Lab LIVE, Tuesday, October 6, 2026

We'll go into the wild to see what other schools are creating, test different approaches to yearbook themes, examine what's brewing in yearbook design, and put some wonderfully debatable yearbook opinions under the microscope.

Real yearbooks. Real advisers. Different opinions. Ideas you can steal before the week is over.

Skills Labs, Wednesday, October 7 and Thursday, October 8, 2026

Dissect your yearbook needs one piece at a time during these focused, mini-trainings. Each skills lab is 15-20 minutes with a Treering mentor that you can watch live or save the Replay for the exact moment you or your team needs it.

‍Wednesday sessions

• What’s Brewing? Trends in yearbook design
  9:00 AM PT/12:00 PM ET
  See what’s happening in yearbook design and discover fresh ways to make today’s trends work for your school
• Cell-free Culture: working around the phone ban
  9:20 AM PT/12:20 PM ET
  No phones? No problem. Explore practical ways to gather content in a cell-free school
• Developing Solutions: DIY picture day
  9:40 AM PT/12:40 PM ET
  See how a DIY picture day can work, including the planning and processes that turn your photos into usable yearbook portraits
• Essential Elements: 7 lessons every yearbook student should learn
  10 AM PT/1 PM ET
  Strengthen your staff with the foundational skills every yearbook student should have in their toolkit
• Experiments Gone Wrong: what not to do
  10:15 AM/1:15 PM ET
  Learn from real yearbook mistakes before you make them yourself

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Thursday sessions

• Add a Catalyst: interactive spreads that spark participation
  9:00 AM PT/12:00 PM ET
  Turn readers into participants with fill-ins, games, prompts, and other interactive ideas that make a yearbook worth exploring
• Lab Tested: the formula for a great spread
  9:20 AM PT/12:20 PM ET
  Put a yearbook spread under the microscope and see how its essential elements work together to tell a stronger story
• The Answer Key: 10 Parent Questions
  9:40 AM PT/12:40 PM ET
  Get ready for the questions families ask most
• Lab partners: building yearbook team chemistry
  9:55 AM/12:55 PM ET
  Mix the right roles, expectations, and people to turn a group of students into a yearbook team
• Independent variables: managing as a solo adviser
  10:10 AM/1:10 PM ET
  When you’re the whole yearbook department, discover practical ways to protect your time, prioritize the work, and keep the book moving

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Genius Hour, Thursday, October 8, 2026

By the end of the week, we'll have generated a lot of findings.

Join us for a live, camera-on collaboration built around editor-submitted works in progress, design experiments, questions, and problems that could use a few more brains.

We'll look at what's working. Talk through what's not. Crowdsource solutions. Borrow freely.

You are the expert. Treering is running the lab.

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FAQs

Q: How does Treering celebrate National School Yearbook Week?

Loudly.

National School Yearbook Week 2026 is a five-day celebration of the people, ideas, experiments, and memories behind yearbooks. Treering's Yearbook Idea Lab includes:

• Daily social challenges and prizes
• The Idea Lab LIVE + focused Skills Labs and Genius Hour
• Plenty of opportunities to borrow an idea or contribute your own.

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Q: How much does Treering Live (TRL) cost to attend?

Free. Charging extra for support and training is not our thing.

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Q: How is Treering Live (TRL) different from Camp yearbook?

Treering Live (TRL) is Treering’s flagship event. During National Yearbook Week, TRL will have all the design training, coveted prizes, and organization inspiration yearbook advisers have come to expect. 

Camp Yearbook is a summer PD program for yearbook coordinators and advisers who want to get more from their program through professional mentoring and collaborative idea-sharing. It’s a cameras-on, all-in yearbook planning experience.

Both are free. Both are collaborative. And neither requires you to have all the answers before you show up.

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Q: Can students attend Treering Live (TRL)?

Student privacy is always our utmost concern. Yearbook classes are welcome to attend together; the adviser must be present to model responsible online engagement.

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Q: I’m not a Treering customer. May I attend Treering Live (TRL)?

Yes, please attend. Great yearbook ideas shouldn't care which logo is on your software

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Q: What do I need to prepare for Treering Live (TRL)?

Make sure you have the latest version of Zoom, so you don't miss out. 

For The Idea Lab LIVE, we'd also recommend bringing your own lab journal to capture ideas. (Because we're reasonably confident you're going to steal at least one.)

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Q: What is the difference between The Idea Lab LIVE and Skills Labs?

Idea Lab LIVE = explore.
See real yearbooks, hear different perspectives, debate ideas, and discover approaches you may want to make your own.

Skills Labs = practice.
Spend 15–20 focused minutes learning one specific skill or solving one specific problem with a Treering mentor.

Come to the Idea Lab LIVE asking, "What could I try?"

Come to a Skills Lab asking, "How do I do it?"

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Q: Will The Idea Lab LIVE and Skills Labs be recorded?

Yes…. and no. Yes, you will receive access to all 10 skills labs. They will be available to rewatch until May 2027.

The Idea Lab LIVE is just that: a one-time, live event. You need to be in the (virtual) room for the debates, reactions, audience ideas, and experiments as they happen.

Q: I love the look of the Idea Lab. How do I find similar graphics for my yearbook?

Start with an experiment! Treering’s design team combined two existing theme kits, “More Than Words” and “Mixed Media,” to create something entirely new. 

They pulled structured icons and graphics from More Than Words, recolored them using a shared palette, and layered in the looser, artistic elements of Mixed Media. The grid keeps everything grounded while torn paper, doodles, and overlapping graphics intentionally break the rules.

Their formula = borrow + combine + experiment. 

Start with a theme kit you love, mix in elements from another, adjust the colors to create harmony, and see where it takes you. You don’t have to start from scratch to create something original.

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Q: I’m a content creator. How can I share what I’m doing for National School Yearbook Week on social media?

Please share your experiments. Tag Treering Yearbooks (@treering on Facebook, @treeringyearbooks on Instagram and TikTok) and use the hashtags #NationalSchoolYearbookWeek, #NationalYearbookWeek, #YearbookWeek, #treering

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Social contest rules

The National School Yearbook Week 2026 photo contest winners must be 18 or older and a member of a Treering school for the 2026-2027 school year. No purchase is necessary to participate.

Valid posts must include an original photo. No AI images allowed. By participating, you have verified the approval of others pictured, and you approve Treering to use your name, write-up, and school name for any marketing purposes, including but not limited to showcasing on www.treering.com, sharing on social media, and sharing with media.

The photo criteria will be based on its creativity, relevant emotional impact (humor is more than acceptable), and overall aesthetic appeal.

If you have any questions, contact us at marketing@treering.com.

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Nearly 40 years later, National School Yearbook Week remains a time to reminisce and a time to look forward, hopefully with a few wins for you and your yearbook program.

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Volunteered or volunTOLD? However you ended up as the yearbook coordinator, you'll walk away with four strategies to help you start and finish your yearbook! But first, pin, save, or bookmark the essential yearbook timeline. Are you taking over a yearbook class? Check out our six weeks of lessons to start the year and our free Google Drive templates. Getting a late start? Here's how to build a Yearbook in 60 Days.

The Five Ws are as relevant to yearbook coordinators as they are to writers:

• What am I doing?
• Who is going to help me?
• When will I be finished?
• Where am I going to get all the photos?
• Why did I ever agree to do it?

Strategy 1: plan with success in sight

Yearbook coordinator, meet the ladder; ladder, meet the yearbook coordinator. Your yearbook ladder is your plan. Use it to determine how many pages you will put in the yearbook and what will go on each.

Four veteran yearbook advisers shared theirs with you. You can make a copy to edit and adapt them to your school community's needs. Remember, there is no "one way" or "right way" to do this.

You'll know you successfully managed your program when you've completed these spreads. (Better yet, since it's digital, you can add, subtract, and move spreads as needed.)

Strategy 2: phone a friend

Now that you have a plan, it's time to ask for help. Look at your ladder and see how you can partner with students, parents, and school leadership.

Yearbooking is a contact sport.

Tweet

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Build a team

Boosters, parent groups, teachers, and students are all stakeholders in the yearbook creation process. Involving them will make your job easier as the yearbook coordinator. You can crowdsource content through:

• Shareable folders
• Social media
• Targeted email asks (e.g. parents of students who went to camp)

You can also recruit team members to help you build and market the yearbook. With Treering, you can set permissions and assign pages to help delegate your workload. Additionally, parents and students can help gather content and promote book sales.

Students

Students have a pulse on campus life and are invaluable for determining what content is valuable. Work with them to get photographs from in-school activities and events: labs, presentations, assemblies, and lunch candids.

Parents

Partner with parents to get yearbook sales information in PTG/PTO/PTA newsletters and social channels, promote campus organizations, and plan distribution events.

Remember this clip from the Golden Age of TED Talks? To create a movement, you just need one to jump on board. As yearbook coordinator, you're the lone nut (sorry, not sorry). How will you nurture your first follower?

Your publisher

Check with your yearbook publisher to get access to their training. Treering offers free Yearbook Club webinars throughout the year plus our signature event, TRL: Treering Live during National Yearbook Week.

Connect with school leadership

From obtaining a student and teacher roster and seeing the master calendar to getting the principal's message and coordinating picture day, all the proverbial magic happens there. The front office is your go-to resource. Chances are, they will also reach out to answer the inevitable, "Did I buy a yearbook?" question parents will send their way all year. If your front office doesn't have dashboard access through Treering Yearbooks, consider sending a weekly sales update to help them help you.

Two questions to ask:

1. When may I get student and staff rosters?
2. Who is the school photographer? (Remember to request your portraits in PSPA format.)

Also, find out who your club and sports leaders are then send an email to introduce yourself and request photos. Ensure your shared photo folders are set up so they can submit photos.  Regular reminders—think a day after that tournament down in Simpsonville or after the choir nationals in Chicago—help get those folders filled.

Strategy 3: build

Remember the tortoise and the hare? Spoiler alert: slow and steady wins. The same is true for your yearbook. We feel like it has to be complete asap as possible, and when you're setting your own deadlines, proper planning puts you in control.

Fall tasks

1. Select your theme (or stir up some excitement by letting the school vote with these editable surveys ES, MS, HS)
2. Update your rosters in Treering before promoting book sales
3. Order your free flyers and start promoting sales
4. Upload portraits
5. Start building pages as events happen (first day, Halloween, Dot Day, etc.). Trust us, you’ll feel better in the spring if you don’t wait to do it all.

Spring tasks

1. Send purchase reminders
2. Finish up your spring activity spreads
3. Download a PDF proof and have teachers approve their class pages to ensure students’ names are correct and no one is missing
4. Order your free printed proof to ensure fonts are easy to read and the cover looks good
5. Double-check your order list and add homeroom teachers to any student that doesn't have one listed for easier distribution
6. Redeem any free books you earned or use your fundraiser to purchase extra copies
7. Hit Print Ready!

Strategy 4: know it's OK

It's OK if everyone is not 100% passionate about what you're doing.

It's OK if it's not perfect.

It's OK if you had more fun than you thought!

It's OK to be glad it's finished.

If you're already thinking about next year's yearbook, you're our kind of person.

Maybe you're a first-year adviser wondering where to start. Maybe you're a parent volunteer trying to make sense of page counts, deadlines, and photo collection. Maybe you're a veteran adviser looking for fresh ideas, stronger systems, or a better way to include more students in your book. Or maybe you're simply hoping this year feels a little less overwhelming than the last one.

If you're staring at next year, wondering where to start, Camp Yearbook is a virtual yearbook training experience designed to help advisers build confidence, solve problems, and create stronger yearbooks. It’s a cameras-on, all-in yearbook planning experience.

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You’ll leave with

• A yearbook workbook you can use all year long
• Coverage ideas from schools like yours
• A completed (or nearly complete) yearbook ladder and coverage plan
• A marketing plan for parents
• Connections with other like-minded advisers

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What is Camp Yearbook?

Camp Yearbook is a two-day virtual yearbook training experience for teachers, advisers, club leaders, parent volunteers, and school staff responsible for creating yearbooks.

It's two days of planning, problem-solving, collaboration, and idea-sharing designed to help you create a better yearbook through

• Small-group discussions
• Treering training
• Peer idea sharing
• Working sessions
• Real examples from Treering schools across the country

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Instead of simply learning about yearbooks, attendees spend two days actively improving their own programs.

You'll leave with new ideas, practical resources, meaningful progress on your yearbook plan, and a community of people who understand exactly what you're facing.

‍Our theme: “Powered by Caffeine and Coverage”

We all need a little energy and a plan to be successful this year.

Coverage isn’t just about filling pages. It’s about making sure students can open their yearbook and find themselves inside. 

We designed Camp Yearbook around that goal.

Homerooms

Every attendee joins a small mentor group led by a Treering expert. The eight groups include: 

• Elementary new advisers
• Elementary return advisers - SOLD OUT
• Middle school club advisers
• Middle school class advisers
• High school club advisers
• High school class advisers
• K-8/K-12 school club advisers
• K-8/K-12 school class advisers

This is your opportunity to ask specific questions, share challenges, and learn from advisers in similar situations. 

Homerooms happen throughout camp, so you can debrief breakouts and ask real-time questions. 

“It gave us a place to ask the nitty gritty questions and get real time responses. It was also wonderful to see others posting ideas and answering question in the chat, and just seeing the Treering community come to life.” - 2025 Camp Yearbook attendee

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Campfire conversations

New for Camp Yearbook 26, Campfire Conversations are the larger discussion groups designed around your role:

Conversation 1: Solo advisers, club leaders, or classroom teachers sharing workflows

Conversation 2: Elementary, middle schools/K-8, or high schools/K-12 strategizing solutions

Together, you'll explore practical solutions for yearbook challenges and discover ways to build stronger support systems. 

Large group sessions

Because we’re better together, we’ll work through real-world yearbook scenarios and collaborate with other advisers to solve common coverage problems. We’ll also build and evaluate your coverage plan and exchange ideas with schools across the country.

“I walked away with new strategies I can use right away.” - 2025 Camp Yearbook attendee

‍Breakouts

Choose your yearbooking adventure with breakout sessions focused on what you want to learn:

• I’m the yearbook coordinator… now what?
• Photography
• Treering’s yearbook curriculum
• Templates and tricks
• 5 Time-saving Treering tools
• Portrait layouts
• Captions increase coverage

Camp Yearbook isn't for people who don't know what they're doing. It's for people who want this year to be easier, better, and more representative than last year.

“I want to make the yearbook as good as it can be for the students. I've been working on the yearbook for 6 years and still took away pointers.” - 2025 Camp Yearbook attendee

The workbook: your camp field guide

Every attendee receives a printable workbook filled with planning templates, coverage audits, ladder pages, marketing tools, and note-taking space. And unlike most conference notebooks, this one is designed to stay on your desk all year long.

Built by the people who help yearbook advisers every day

We've used feedback from the hundreds of advisers who attended previous Camp Yearbooks to create an experience that's practical, collaborative, and immediately useful.

Every Camp Yearbook session is created by Team Treering, the same people who answer your questions, lead workshops, develop curriculum, and work alongside you all year long.

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Treering’s Camp Yearbook 26 FAQs

Your questions deserve answers!

How is Camp Yearbook different from Treering Live (TRL)?

TRL is Treering’s flagship event. During National Yearbook Week, TRL will have all the design training, coveted prizes, and organization inspiration yearbook advisers have come to expect. We look forward to it as much as you do! 

Camp Yearbook is a summer PD program for yearbook coordinators and advisers who want to get more from their program through professional mentoring and collaborative idea-sharing. It’s a cameras-on, all-in yearbook planning experience.

What do I need to prepare for Camp Yearbook?

Make sure Zoom is up-to-date. This helps with breakout sessions and sound quality.

If possible, have previous copies of your yearbook and the 26-27 school calendar. All attendees will receive a downloadable workbook.

Is Camp Yearbook only for new advisers?

No. The sessions are designed to support first-time advisers, returning advisers, classroom teachers, club leaders, and experienced yearbook veterans alike.

Is Camp Yearbook only for return advisers?

See above. Every year, veteran advisers tell us they attend Camp Yearbook for the same reason they attended the first time:

• To find fresh ideas
• To connect with other yearbook leaders
• To discover new ways to improve student representation
• To learn from people who understand the unique challenges of creating a yearbook

‍How do I know which ticket to select?

All ticket options have sneak peeks, specialized group training, and breakouts with Treering mentors. 

It’s best to select the ticket that best describes your situation for a tailored experience. For example, high school club leaders will have homeroom with other high school club leaders and a larger roundtable (campfire conversation) with club leaders from elementary, middle, and K-8/K-12 schools. 

How much is it?

Free ninety free. Charging extra for support and training is not our thing.

Will I get CE/PD hours for attending?

Yes! Upon request, attendees will receive a certificate for six hours of yearbook production and classroom planning.

Is Camp Yearbook worth two days?

If you only spend two days planning your yearbook this year, make them these two.

Can students attend?

Nope. Consider this a break… a working break.

Will Camp Yearbook be recorded?

Camp Yearbook is an interactive, experiential event. We look at real books from real schools. Recordings will not be made public.

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Treering’s annual design contest celebrates the creativity, storytelling, and talent that make yearbooks meaningful. This year, we combined the contests for cover, custom pages, and spreads, creating our biggest challenge yet.

Your response was incredible.

Three groups of judges evaluated over 1,000 entries from parents and school leaders for

• Design quality
• Storytelling
• Visual impact
• Relevance to content

Unlike traditional yearbooks, Treering gives families the option to add two personalized pages to their child's book. Those custom pages print only in their copy, creating a yearbook uniquely theirs. Some families use the space for milestone moments. Others create memory books, passion projects, travel journals, or family tributes. 

This year's winners demonstrated exactly why customization matters. From a retirement handbook created by an entire school community to a first-grade time capsule, a student-designed historical travel journal, and a magazine-inspired celebration of a milestone year, each entry used the format in a different way.

Grand prize winner: Well Bai-Lim

Some entries impressed the judges with design. Some impressed them with storytelling. Wella Bai-Lim overwhelmed them with both.

Created as a surprise retirement gift for beloved principal Sherri Vasquez, The Official Retirement Handbook transformed Treering's custom pages into something far larger than a personal keepsake. Students from every grade level across a school of 950 students contributed artwork, advice, and encouragement, creating a collaborative farewell.

Visually, the project succeeds through restraint. Soft watercolor backgrounds provide a consistent foundation, while student artwork becomes the focal point on every spread. The handbook has hierarchy and organization, allowing hundreds of individual contributions to feel cohesive rather than chaotic. 

Repeated illustrations of Vasquez tie the pages together, while hand-drawn portraits and retirement recommendations preserve the unique voice of each grade level. Bai-Lim created the template using Vasquez’s school portrait. 

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More importantly, every design choice serves the story. The costume-themed illustrations reference Ms. Vasquez's love of costumes and her roots as a kindergarten teacher. The handbook structure turns retirement advice into a playful narrative device. The result feels less like a scrapbook and more like a publication created by an entire community.

Runner up: Ashley Babelon

Ashley Babelon's pages capture first grade through the lens of her son Maxence's personality. Inspired by bright, energetic 90s ‘zines, the design combines handwriting samples, favorite books, Pokémon cards, schoolwork, fashion choices, and snapshots of everyday interests into a visual record of who Maxence is right now.

Judges loved the confidence of the layout. Bold colors, angled elements, hand-drawn notes, and layered graphics create movement throughout the spread. The mods are playful.

What elevates this spread is its authenticity. The spread celebrates the everyday moments of Maxence’s childhood.

Runner up: Paul Goodchild

Many custom pages document memories. Paul Goodchild used his to document learning.

Created by Goodchild, a student, this spread chronicles a trip to Annapolis, Maryland, where classroom lessons from dual-credit U.S. History became real-world experiences. Historic landmarks, waterfront scenes, and reflections on Black history are combined into a layout that feels both educational and personal.

Judges appreciated the adherence to design rules: a dominant central image establishes focus, while supporting photos create structure and rhythm throughout the page. Informational sidebars and modular content blocks provide context without overwhelming the photography. The blueprint-inspired visual language seamlessly connects with the yearbook's theme, making the custom page feel like a natural extension of the book rather than an add-on.

Most importantly, the spread demonstrates thoughtful storytelling. Rather than simply documenting where he traveled, Goodchild explained what he learned and why the experience mattered.

Runner up: Alycia Cooper

Alycia Cooper's tribute to her daughter, Kennedi, embraces the excitement and significance of completing middle school. Large studio portraits, childhood photographs, celebratory props, and a heartfelt parent message work together to create a keepsake centered on a major life milestone.

Judges were drawn to the visual presentation. Oversized typography creates an immediate impact, while the consistent lavender color palette ties the spread together. The contrast between contemporary portraits and childhood snapshots creates a clear visual narrative of growth over time. Layered photography, dimensional effects, and strong focal points give the design the feel of a commemorative magazine feature.

Honorable mentions 

More than any other category, this one revealed what makes Treering different. Custom pages are the personal stories that appear alongside portraits, athletics, academics, clubs, and organizations, making your book truly yours.

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Treering’s annual design contest celebrates the creativity, storytelling, and talent that make yearbooks meaningful. This year, we combined the contests for cover, custom pages, and spreads, creating our biggest challenge yet.

Your response was incredible.

Three groups of judges evaluated over 1,000 entries from parents and school leaders for

• Design quality
• Storytelling
• Visual impact
• Relevance to content

These winners showcase deeply personal moments in professional ways. They distinguished themselves by blending rigorous design fundamentals with a deep commitment to the student experience.

Grand prize winner: Garey High School, Pomona, CA

“This is how a student-athlete wants to be seen,” said one judge.

“It defines ‘main character energy,’” said another.

This spread was bold. It was confident. As a divider, the layout transforms student-athletes into larger-than-life figures through dramatic portraiture, layered graphics, and poster-inspired composition. 

And it almost didn’t happen.

Garey’s yearbook class was canceled. Talks of an online-only solution for the 2025-2026 school year were circulating. Recognizing that someone, somehow, would still have to create the book, first-year adviser Kara Montgomery-Roa took over the yearbook club with a brand-new staff. She was also new to photography and to Treering.

The club took the game day photos across the top. Montgomery-Roa held media day photoshoots and took the posed images across the bottom. 

The senior-focused photoshoots originated as a fundraiser for the yearbook club. “I ended up offering the option to our sports teams as a free media day because they were so happy to see themselves,” Montgomery-Roa said. (They made money doing hotdog sales instead.)

After using free online tools to remove the backgrounds, she “used Treering editing, especially spray paints, smoke effects, and lots of trial-and-error layers to achieve the effects.”

Garey’s yearbook went from almost not happening to doubling in sales. And that’s what meaningful coverage does.

Runner up: CHESS Christian School, Springboro, OH

A masterclass in visual organization and design discipline, CHESS demonstrated the power of strong fundamentals. 

1. Dominant photographs create immediate points of entry, secondary images support the story without competing for attention, and typography is carefully organized to guide readers through the content in a logical sequence
2. Every element has a purpose, and every purpose has a place. 
3. All photos show action and emotion, furthering the story

The result is a spread that feels balanced, readable, and professional without sacrificing energy or visual interest. 

“This is our title page leading into our winter sports section,” adviser Erin Fullam said. “We had so much happening that season that we wanted to get some team highlights on the lead-in spread.”

In many ways, Fullam’s team demonstrates why classic yearbook design principles continue to endure: they prioritize storytelling, readability, and reader experience. In a competition filled with ambitious concepts and experimental approaches, CHESS stood out by demonstrating just how powerful strong yearbook fundamentals can be when executed at the highest level.

Runner up: RFK School for the Visual Arts and Humanities, Los Angeles, CA

What judges appreciated most about RFK School for the Visual Arts and Humanities' baseball spread was its ability to balance thematic consistency with creative independence. As part of a yearbook built with the theme “Scrapbook Memories,” student Miguel Chavez-Juarez embraced the handmade, collected feel of a scrapbook while still developing a visual identity uniquely suited to the baseball team.

As a member of the baseball team, Chavez-Juarez took most of the photos on the spread from the dugout. He interviewed his teammates and created the stickers. 

“You have to throw elements around and see what works to convey a message,” he said.

“[Chavez-Juarez] is in the CTE Animation pathway, which means he has work-based learning and technical skills,” yearbook adviser Andy Hwang said. “He was able to transfer some of these graphic design and photography skills to yearbook, which is a standalone elective course.”

In a yearbook where every spread was uniquely designed rather than built from a template, this entry showed how a consistent theme can unite a book without limiting creative expression. The result is a spread with a clear connection between concept and content.

Runner up: Vanguard Rembrandt Secondary, Pharr, TX

The wow factor of this design comes from its technical proficiency. The intentional layout decisions showcase the behind-the-scenes work that goes into building a yearbook. Every element feels intentional, from the alignment of content and balance of white space to the careful organization of photography.

Created within a CTE program where students earn Adobe Certified Professional and progress to Adobe Visual Designer, the layout demonstrates how professional-level training can be applied to tell meaningful stories about a school community. The yearbook is the final portfolio piece for graphic design seniors.

“I treat it like a real-life studio,” adviser Kereen Rodriguez said. “Students get to really come out of their comfort zone and work with customers (teachers or other students), we problem solve as a team, and definitely a breakthrough to their own creative cave.”

While the spread highlights the yearbook program's technical capabilities, its greatest strength is that those skills are consistently used in the service of the students being featured.

Honorable mentions

As you can see, the judges consistently rewarded authentic representation over decoration and storytelling over trends. We are proud to showcase the top entries to represent the creativity, passion, and student-centered connections that preserve school memories beyond a social feed.

Treering’s annual design contest celebrates the creativity, storytelling, and talent that make yearbooks meaningful. This year, we combined the contests for cover, custom pages, and spreads, creating our biggest challenge yet.

Your response was incredible.

Three groups of judges evaluated over 1,000 entries from parents and school leaders for

• Design quality
• Storytelling
• Visual impact
• Relevance to content

Connections to the communities they feature became the overarching message from the top ten spread submissions. The winners emerged because they transformed school coverage into student-centric narratives. Rather than showcasing school traditions, these top spreads preserved them.

Grand prize winner: James C. Neill Elementary School, Richmond, TX

“It ticks all the boxes,” one judge said as she identified the use of hierarchy of text and the modular design. Everyone else leaned in during the final round and started calling out additional details:

• Herd colors around group photos
• Number of students pictured
• Consistent subheadlines and copy size
• Playful tone that feels age-appropriate

The spread teaches something while entertaining. The consistent visual language becomes part of the narrative explaining Neill’s version of the Ron Clark House System. Since their mascot is the Longhorn, they round up students into Herds to build connections across grades and encourage positive behavior.

“It was the most challenging spread in the book,” parent volunteer Jennifer Griffiths said.

Because so much happens during the school day that parents don’t see, she designed the whole yearbook with the family in mind. She intentionally paired photography with concise, purposeful copy to help readers understand what they were seeing and why it mattered.

On a single spread, she successfully explained Herd lunches, the "Leader of P.A.C." recognition program, herd identities and colors, and the P.R.I.D.E. values that connect them all. Every design element worked together to support the story.

“I think it paints a clear picture of how [the Herd System] all works,” Griffiths said.

Runner up: MST Magnet, Richardson, TX

Judges praised the spread for organizing a large amount of information. The overlapping edges create depth and visual interest, making it feel immersive. The details made us engage with the page rather than simply scan it.

Most importantly, the consistent card structure brings order to what could have become design chaos. Repetition creates a clear visual framework, while variations in photography, card details, and special character cards keep the spread engaging from start to finish.

The trading cards themselves began as a celebration of the district-wide faculty and staff kickball games and a fundraiser for the faculty and staff end-of-year fund. Designed by STEM Specialist Katy McDonald and printed in the district printing office, they became a phenomenon. Students traded them. The school had to do at least four print runs. Card 67 was in high demand, as were the two “rare” mascot cards featuring Shadow the white tiger

As PTA Yearbook Vice Chair, professional photographer, and one of the creative leaders behind the book's overall visual direction, Jen Betrand recognized that the trading card craze had become an important part of the school year. 

PTA dad and yearbook co-editor Brandon Baker “designed [the spread] to feel nostalgic and interactive, as if the cards had been scattered across a dining room table during an afternoon of trading with friends.”

What was a placeholder for a staff feature became a moment in time: Baker and Betrand revitalized the traditional “here are the teachers” approach. 

"We wanted viewers to feel invited into the experience," Baker said.

Runner up: Clinton Elementary School, Maplewood, NJ

This design relies on a strong grid structure that creates immediate organization while allowing each student's personality to shine.

First-time editor Leslie Torre said, “I saw the page laid out in my head.”

Rather than overwhelming the page with decorative elements, Torre’s design uses repetition strategically to create a cohesive look that feels polished and energetic:

• She used the theme color palette to create a diagonal pattern (Treering’s Bauhaus theme kit)
• Teachers took the photos, and she converted them to black and white to account for any color differences
• She tightly cropped the photos so the students heads are in the same location, establishing a visual rhythm across the spread

The original photographs were part of a display showcasing the 5th graders' career goals. Torre added it to the book as part of their permanent record.

Runner up: Sea Girt Elementary School, Sea Girt, NJ

Judges noted that every element on Sea Girt Elementary’s athletic divider felt purposeful, contributing to a cohesive aesthetic that elevated the story beyond a standard sports feature. They explored the layered objects and intentional props. Strong composition, thoughtful use of scale, and attention to detail give the photorealistic layout depth, while the consistent visual treatment ties the entire spread together. 

Photographer Doreen Werdann created the athletics cards for teams. She featured rookies, 7th and 8th graders, and coaches; this spread is a small part of the collection.

Werdann uploaded the cards to the Treering app, and Yearbook coordinator Kristy DeCresce helped make it more photorealistic by adding shadows and elements such as trading card sleeves, chips, and elements you’d see on a student’s desk. Their memorabilia-inspired approach presented the cards as cherished keepsakes rather than mere participant records.

It was easy to imagine this scene in any Sea Girt student’s home.

Honorable mentions

As you can see, the judges consistently rewarded authentic representation over decoration and storytelling over trends. We are proud to showcase the top entries to represent the creativity, passion, and student-centered connections that preserve school memories beyond a social feed.

‍

Treering’s annual design contest celebrates the creativity, storytelling, and talent that make yearbooks meaningful. This year, we combined the contests for cover, custom pages, and spreads, creating our biggest challenge yet.

Your response was incredible.

Three groups of judges evaluated over 1,000 entries from parents and school leaders for

• Design quality
• Storytelling
• Visual impact
• Relevance to content

The winning school spirit cover designs transformed their communities’ experiences into visual stories that could only belong there: if we traded out the school names, the covers wouldn’t work. Each is rooted in a unique culture and tradition.

Grand prize winner: M.C. Riley Elementary School & Early Childhood Center, Bluffton, SC

The judges believed this cover succeeded because it felt less like a yearbook cover and more like a mural. Built entirely from original student artwork, the design transforms student-created illustrations with a pop art treatment to create unity across the individual contributions.

With the school’s theme of “Leading in the Lowcountry” as their compass, students created a visual tribute that connects Riley’s history, community, and namesake.

“Our school's namesake, Mr. Michael C. Riley is featured on the front cover to honor our newest school tradition, MCR Week, which helps students, staff and the greater community understand his impact on life in Bluffton, South Carolina through research,” Alumni Association and Parent Liaison Sabrina Copeland said. 

Runner up: Marfa High School, Marfa, TX

The localization of the cover details stood out to the judging panel on Marfa’s entry. Every detail feels intentional, from the worn corner treatment that mimics a notebook carried throughout the Texas K-12 school year after year. It’s distressed from being shoved in a backpack. It’s decorated with local sites and businesses. It’s Marfa purple and rich in community.

To create their original cover, yearbook students collected artifacts from around the school: vintage 70s and 80s enamel lapel pins, a press pass, stickers students had on hand, a poster in the hallway, the corner of a bent composition book, and more.

“We were like little magpies,” adviser Adele Powers said.

Under Powers’ art direction, students photographed the items, converted them to transparent PNGs, and uploaded them to the Treering app. They added drop shadows and experimented with size and placement to create this photorealistic cover.

Again, rich in student voice, this could only be Marfa’s. 

Runner up: Montera Middle School, Oakland, CA

Undeniably, this cover was pure student voice. During judging, there was considerable discussion about how much personality the cover contained. Every character contributes to the story, creating a sense of community while allowing viewers to discover new details with each look. 

Rather than focusing on a single symbol or mascot, the cover celebrates the people who make the Montera unique. From the marker lines of vibrant colors to the emotions and interactions depicted, we felt part of the Toro community. 

“Every person is a real person,” yearbook coordinator Melita Juresa-McDonald said as she pointed out the art teacher, the science teacher, and even the thirteen-year-old artist (she’s holding the red notebook). 

Juresa-McDonald’s yearbook club chose it as the winner in the school-wide art contest.

Now that her son is promoting to high school, she’ll no longer run two the lunchtime yearbook clubs. 

Juresa-McDonald said, “I’m leaving them with a gift.”

Runner up: Springbridge International School, San Jose, CA

At first glance, it would be easy to miss how a stunningly textured tree with owls is a story. We’re thankful the yearbook team invited us in. 

Springbridge approached school spirit through place, memory, and shared experience. Centered around the school's beloved playground tree, the cover transforms a familiar campus landmark into a symbol of community, growth, and belonging.

Yearbook club students worked with club leader Mitzi Sampson, who happens to be a professional artist, to develop their concept.

They sketched branches on whiteboards, which she scanned, and using her iPad and Adobe Fresco, painted the tree to match the Treering theme kit “Leaving an Impression.” They wanted a rich, Impressionistic painting as the cover to match the elements inside the book.

Under Sampson’s guidance, yearbook club students learned to trade “I don’t like it” for “This feels off.” They moved the tree from the front cover to the spine, since the tree is “the center of the school.” They researched their mascot, the owl, and created eight iterations in various sizes to fill the branches (representing students in K-8 grades). Student art direction included “gentle beaks” to remove the predatory nature of the owls and heads facing different ways.

Sampson said, “Owls have long symbolized wisdom, curiosity, observation, and learning—qualities we hope our students carry with them as they grow.” 

Springbridge is a Mandarin- and Japanese-immersion school. Their uniforms align with Japanese-style traditions, and students wear hats in yellow, green, and blue, leading up to kindergarten. They acknowledge their roots in a way we can see.

“The students specifically chose the hat colors for the cover because they feel nostalgic about their earliest years at the school,” Sampson said.

Judges appreciated the restraint and intentionality of the design. Rather than relying on photographs, mascots, or slogans, Springbridge’s cover tells a deeply personal story about the people, place, and traditions that define the school community.

Honorable mentions

‍

‍

As you can see, the judges consistently rewarded authentic representation over decoration and storytelling over trends. We are proud to showcase the top entries to represent the creativity, passion, and student-centered connections that preserve school memories beyond a social feed.

‍

Treering’s annual design contest celebrates the creativity, storytelling, and talent that make yearbooks meaningful. This year, we combined the contests for cover, custom pages, and spreads, creating our biggest challenge yet.

Your response was incredible.

Three groups of judges evaluated over 1,000 entries from parents and school leaders for

• Design quality
• Storytelling
• Visual impact
• Relevance to content

Many yearbook creators define theme as an aesthetic. We believe they are both visual and verbal. The strongest entries didn’t just look beautiful. They captured the spirit of their schools through headlines, repeating visual elements, and coverage.

Bottom line: the spreads in each of yearbooks below reinforce the story that began on the cover. 

Grand prize winner: “Gallery”
Johnson Creek High School, Johnson Creek, WI

What impressed the judges wasn’t just the technical execution: it was the discipline. 

Cover designer, junior Sophia Lawrence, created 200 images by hand. The yearbook team snapped the portraits of students and staff. Lawrence used Photoshop to convert each into a negative image and used the theme color palette to create the front, and reversing the image to create the panels on the back.

The cover features every student and full-time teacher in the school. It took four months and 600 layers to create. 

Their “Gallery” theme became more than a visual concept: it became the framework for the whole book. They curated content and framed the highlights of the school year in an exhibition of the Johnson Creek Community.

Each grade had a class color defined by the theme. Standouts, club photos, and athletic features repeated the familiar color chip aesthetic. The yearbook team demonstrated consistency throughout the yearbook and showed advanced photo editing skills without the use of AI.

The bold color creates energy and is balanced by high-contrast black-and-white images, making students the focal point.

Adviser Ryan Molley’s 11 yearbook students do not meet together in a formal class period or club session. Instead, they independently work in his classroom while he teaches his core subjects. 

“We are making artifacts that are beautiful,” Molley said.

Runner up: “All That & More”
Northern High School, Durham, NC

The use of color gives an initial “wow” moment, followed by clear design hierarchy and visual treatment of the ampersand. By using the faces of the students who fill the pages, the cover doesn’t depend on stock images or Treering graphics. The bold text functions like a challenge: open the book and we’ll prove it. (And they totally did!)

Adviser Lauren Casteen and her editorial board brainstormed over the summer to capture the story of who really walks the halls. In their audit, they realized they are surrounded by “Renaissance people” because their classmates are involved in many activities

The four students on the back cover embody this: an every season athlete, an ROTC student in the band, a sorority sister-slash-soccerplayer-slash-dancer, and an early grad.

What a still image does not show: UV gloss text with some of the identities Northern High students hold, such as Theta, historian, graduate, and brother.

The question became: how do we show that? The short answer: maximalism.

They wanted every page to feel full, and Casteen pushed them to have boundaries and remember design rules still need to have a place. The editors responded by researching the maximalist movement and creating a style guide to support “over the top” graphics and layering. They employed

1. White space
2. Limited color palette
3. Clean fonts (exceptions: headlines and stylized pull quotes)
4. Textures, fills, and mixed media

Northern High School's cover is proof that successful yearbook design isn't determined by budget, software, or equipment. It's determined by vision, creativity, and the willingness to keep refining an idea until it works. The result is a cover that feels both ambitious and deeply personal.

Runner up: “Untitled” 
Waldorf School Orange County, Costa Mesa, CA

Senior Doris Zhang created the cover depicting a toddler, child, and teen doodling. There are fingerpaintings, eraser marks, and hatching. On the first few passes, the judges thought it was a composite of multiple classes rather than a single student’s creation.

We were never so glad to be wrong.

“[Zhang’s] concept, design, and execution of the 2025–26 yearbook cover stand as a shining example of the lasting impact that artistic integration can have on a student’s confidence, vision, and relationship with art,” adviser Kathy Christian said.

The spreads within begin with parent-infant classes, progress through elementary, middle, and high school grades, and finish with the faculty guides. The organization itself mirrors the journey Zhang began in the cover.

“Yearbook is a visual showcase of what students do, not what students do best,” said Christian, who recognizes the challenges of creating a yearbook for an audience that runs from infancy to 12th grade. 

The yearbook editorial team completes eight passes of the book to ensure students are in their class portraits and have their art showcased. Their goal is to showcase the journey of progression over time.

‍

Runner up: “To the New Era”
Cesar E. Chavez High School, Delano, CA

Adviser Karen Hernandez said she didn’t know where to begin as a first-year adviser. The students came up with theme projects which they pitched to the class. The top four went on a Google Form and “To the New Era” won.

At the time, the concept was difficult to develop. They wrestled with it and eventually changed the yearbook theme to “Off Script,” which visually had a 90s ‘zine aesthetic. 

Mid-year, they got the news: the school will be renamed for the 2026-2027 school year. Again, they pivoted. The news became the catalyst for their original theme: now, there was a story.

“This is a send off,” Hernandez said.

The winning cover submission was the fourth iteration, and featured some of the original concepts, including the mascot photo which a yearbook student took.

Judges praised cover elements such as the diagonal bar projecting upward movement, school colors, and the gold leaf, all of which appear throughout the book—even the index is stunning and connects to the cover. 

Visually, it was a celebration of Cesar Chavez High School’s community. And that won’t change with a new name.

As you can see, the judges consistently rewarded authentic representation over decoration and storytelling over trends. We are proud to showcase the top entries to represent the creativity, passion, and student-centered connections that preserve school memories beyond a social feed.

‍

Treering’s annual design contest celebrates the creativity, storytelling, and talent that make yearbooks meaningful. This year, we combined the contests for cover, custom pages, and spreads, creating our biggest challenge yet.

Your response was incredible.

Three groups of judges evaluated over 1,000 entries from parents and school leaders for

• Design quality
• Storytelling
• Visual impact
• Relevance to content

In the elementary student art category, the top entries were not over-designed. Quickly a trend in the top designs emerged: collaborative pieces celebrated community. These handcrafted images felt human and truly owned by the students they reflect. 

Grand prize winner: All Saints Catholic School, Lewiston, ID‍

Zooming in on this cover, the judges drew a collective breath. Brush strokes, raw paper edges, newsprint, and layer upon layer emerged from the collective art piece that formed All Saints Catholic School’s cover.

The base

‍Third and fourth graders created the colorful canvas for the foundation.

Students also drew an outline of the school, which they cleaned up and painted using digital tools.

The mascot

‍Others studied different pictures of a husky and created an outline using what they deemed ideal qualities (tail curvature, facial expression, etc.). 

“Pattern pieces were created out of the different areas of color, then the students cut out an excessive amount of individual pieces of scrapbooking paper to create the base colors on the dog,” adviser Miranda Green, who is also the school’s art teacher, said.

Green and the students compiled the pieces (one paint, one digital, one torn paper) using Photoshop, uploaded the artwork to Treering, and added the copy. 

The result is a blended mixed media piece of art deeply rooted in school identity. 

Runner up: Burgin Elementary School, Arlington, TX

Judges called out “extreme inclusion,” “it celebrates how students see themselves,” and “coverage goals” when they saw the 350 hand-drawn self-portraits on the cover of Burgin Elementary’s cover. You can see PK artists, 6th graders, and every student in between. The grid system kept it from being overwhelming and the variation of color and style kept us looking.

“I wanted it to be all about the kids,” yearbook coordinator Cole Perrine said.

Perrine has every yearbook from his school days. He couldn’t wait to start the tradition with his daughter for her first year of school. Then he discovered that Burgin’s PTA hadn’t had a yearbook for a decade. And they didn’t have a PTA. So he helped initiate both.

As a professional in film and television, he emphasized the craft over using AI to create the yearbook. His yearbook club students created their own layouts. They took candid photos and worked with staff to crowdsource submissions. 

Perrine also worked with the art teacher to develop the school-wide portrait project. Using their yearbook portraits as inspiration, students developed their own, which Perrine scanned in batches of 10, downloaded them to his computer, and repeated. His wife created the layout for both cover panels.

The students celebrated with the first-ever yearbook signing party on campus.

“Yearbook was everything when I was in school,” Perrine said. 

Runner up: Maplebrook Elementary, Naperville, IL

Looking at the cover, it feels like a yearbook about making things. Yearbook coordinator Emily Tonon adapted the Treering “Collage” theme kit to reflect students’ creativity by featuring classroom artifacts, sketches, artwork, and the art instructor who inspired it all.

It feels like a vision board. Layers, mixed media graphics, and multiple focal points invite visual exploration. Maplebrook Elementary’s cover told us they are a school that values creativity, experimentation, and student expression.

Inspired by art installations on campus, Tonon brought them in the book. Beyond the cover, she created student art features throughout the yearbook as another way to cover students and the work they do.

Runner up: Olita Elementary, La Habra, CA

Judges fell in love with the details: shadows from the cacti, spines in all directions, use of negative space, strong readability, and “Olita” spelled out with the lasso. The student creator hand drew the art on his iPad.

PTA president Christie Fisher continued the 25-year tradition of having 6th graders create the cover art. The submissions are blind judged and they must include Ollie the owl and the school year theme, “Saddle up for excellence.”

This cover conveys the school's personality and demonstrates student ownership.

As you can see, the judges consistently rewarded authentic representation over decoration and storytelling over trends. We are proud to showcase the top entries to represent the creativity, passion, and student-centered connections that preserve school memories beyond a social feed.

‍

The annual Treering Yearbook Design Contests celebrate creativity from schools and families across the country. This year, we’ve made them one celebration of storytelling and design. Advisers, parents, and school staff can submit their best yearbook covers, spreads, and custom pages for a chance to win prizes, be featured in Treering’s 2026 Idea Book, and inspire schools across the country. 

Whether you're designing the official school yearbook and aiming for a show-stopping cover, or you're a family creating custom pages that capture your student's unique memories, this is your opportunity to share your best work.

Your designs deserve to be seen.

Contest entry period: May 18-June 3, 2026 at 11:59 pm PT

Incomplete entries and those submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

‍Eligibility

• Entrants must be 18 years or older
• Must be affiliated with a US Treering school for the 2025–2026 school year
• No purchase is necessary to enter

‍Categories

Cover design

Submit your school’s yearbook cover design in one of the following:

• Elementary art
• Theme or visual identity
• School spirit

Limit: one cover submission per school

‍Yearbook spread

Submit a two-page yearbook spread that showcases your design work

‍Custom pages

Submit a two-page custom page spread created for an individual student

‍How to enter

To enter the yearbook design contest:

1. Go to the entry form at contests.treering.com
2. Select your category: cover, spread, or custom pages
3. Upload your design
4. Complete the submission form

All entries must include:

• A clear screenshot of the design in JPEG or PNG format
• Optional description of your design
• Treering school name
• Contact information
• Entrant role
• Confirmation of age (18+)
• Acknowledge the media release

Incomplete entries will not be accepted

Submission requirements

• Designs must be created for the 2025–2026 school year
• Images must clearly show the full design:
  
  • Cover: front and back
  • Spread: two-facing pages
• Custom pages: two-facing pages
• Entries must be submitted through the official contest form

‍Judging and selection

A panel of graphic designers, yearbook advisers, and marketing pros will review all eligible submissions.

Entries will be evaluated based on:

• Design quality
• Storytelling
• Visual impact
• Relevance to content

Judging will occur in multiple rounds, including shortlist selection and final review.

‍Winners

Six grand prize winners will be selected in the following categories:

• Cover design:
  
  • Elementary art (1)
  • Theme or visual identity (1)
  • School spirit (1)
• Yearbook spread
  
  • K-8 (1)
  • K-12, high school (1)
• Custom pages (1)

Additional finalists will be recognized

Prizes

Cover and spread grand prize winners (school)

• DSLR camera (grand prize)
• 10 free yearbooks for 26-27
• Feature in Treering’s 2026 Idea Book
• Spotlight on Treering blog and social channels

Cover and spread grand runners-up (school)

• $50 gift card
• 3 free yearbooks for 26-27
• Feature in Treering’s 2026 Idea Book

Custom pages grand prize winner (family)

• $300 gift card
• Feature in Treering’s 2026 Idea Book
• Spotlight on Treering blog and social channels

Custom pages runners-up (family)

• $50 gift card
• Feature in Treering’s 2026 Idea Book

‍Winner notification

Winners will be notified via phone and email. Eligibility must be confirmed prior to the formal winner announcement, June 15–21, 2026.

Winners may be required to provide additional materials for promotional use.

‍Release

By submitting an entry, you confirm you have permission to use all images and content included and grant Treering the right to use your submission, name, and school for marketing purposes. This includes, but is not limited to website/blog, social media, press releases, the Treering Idea Library, and other marketing materials.

This includes use without additional compensation.

Additional terms:

• Treering reserves the right to disqualify incomplete or duplicate entries
• Decisions made by the judging panel are final
• A list of winners and finalists will appear on Treering’s blog during the announcement period, June 15–21, 2026

‍FAQs

Do I need social media to enter?
‍No, social media is not required to participate

‍When is the deadline to enter?
‍All entries must be submitted by June 3, 2026 at 11:59 pm PT. Incomplete entries will not be considered.

‍Can I submit more than one entry?
‍Custom pages and yearbook spreads: yes
Covers: limited to one per school

‍I designed a yearbook spread, but I’m not 18. Can I still enter?
‍Students can participate if a parent, adviser, or school staff member submits the entry on their behalf. Prizes for the cover and spread designs will be awarded to the school.

‍Do I need to purchase a yearbook to enter the design contest?
‍No purchase is necessary to enter.

‍When will winners be announced?
Winners will be announced between June 15–21, 2026

‍How will winners be notified?
‍Treering’s marketing team will contact the winners by email and phone to confirm eligibility prior to announcing the winners. A complete list of winners will be on Treering’s blog June 21, 2026.

‍Will other entries be featured?
‍Yes, top entries may also be featured in the Idea Book, blog, or social media at Treering’s discretion. Please review the media release.

‍How will I receive my prizes?
‍Treering will ship the DSLR cameras directly to the school. All gift cards will be sent digitally to the email address on the submission form. Free yearbook codes will be placed in the school’s 26-27 Treering account by Friday, October 2.

‍Can I edit my submission after I enter?
‍No, submissions may not be edited after submission. Duplicate submissions will not be considered.

The annual Treering Yearbook Design Contests celebrate creativity from schools and families across the country. This year, we’ve made them one celebration of storytelling and design. Parents and school staff can submit their best custom pages for a chance to win prizes, be featured in Treering’s 2026 Idea Book, and inspire families across the country. 

If you're a family creating custom pages that capture your student's unique memories, this is your opportunity to share your best work.

Your designs deserve to be seen.

Contest entry period: May 18-June 3, 2026 at 11:59 pm PT

Incomplete entries and those submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

Eligibility

• Entrants must be 18 years or older
• Must be affiliated with a US Treering school for the 2025–2026 school year
• No purchase is necessary to enter

Categories

Custom pages

Submit a two-page custom page spread created for an individual student

How to enter

To enter the yearbook design contest:

1. Go to the entry form at contests.treering.com
2. Select custom pages as your category
3. Upload your design
4. Complete the submission form

All entries must include:

• A clear screenshot of the design in JPEG or PNG format
• Optional description of your design
• Treering school name
• Contact information
• Entrant role
• Confirmation of age (18+)
• Acknowledge the media release

Incomplete entries will not be accepted

Submission requirements

• Designs must be created for the 2025–2026 school year
• Custom pages: two-facing pages
• Entries must be submitted through the official contest form

Judging and selection

A panel of graphic designers, yearbook advisers, and marketing pros will review all eligible submissions.

Entries will be evaluated based on:

• Design quality
• Storytelling
• Visual impact
• Relevance to content

Judging will occur in multiple rounds, including shortlist selection and final review.

Winners

There will be one grand prize winner; additional finalists will be recognized

Prizes

Custom pages grand prize winner (family)

• $300 gift card
• Feature in Treering’s 2026 Idea Book
• Spotlight on Treering blog and social channels

Custom pages runners-up (family)

• $50 gift card
• Feature in Treering’s 2026 Idea Book

‍Winner notification

Winners will be notified via phone and email. Eligibility must be confirmed prior to the formal winner announcement, June 15–21, 2026. Winners may be required to provide additional materials for promotional use.

‍Release

By submitting an entry, you confirm you have permission to use all images and content included and grant Treering the right to use your submission, name, and school for marketing purposes. This includes, but is not limited to website/blog, social media, press releases, the Treering Idea Library, and other marketing materials.

This includes use without additional compensation.

Additional terms:

• Treering reserves the right to disqualify incomplete or duplicate entries
• Decisions made by the judging panel are final
• A list of winners and finalists will appear on Treering’s blog during the announcement period, June 15–21, 2026

‍FAQs

Do I need social media to enter?
‍No, social media is not required to participate

‍When is the deadline to enter?
‍All entries must be submitted by June 3, 2026 at 11:59 pm PT. Incomplete entries will not be considered.

‍Can I submit more than one entry?
‍Custom pages: yes

‍I designed a custom page spread, but I’m not 18. Can I still enter?
‍Students can participate if a parent submits the entry on their behalf. 

‍Do I need to purchase a yearbook to enter the design contest?
‍No purchase is necessary to enter.

‍When will winners be announced?
‍Winners will be announced between June 15–21, 2026

‍How will winners be notified?
‍Treering’s marketing team will contact the winners by email and phone to confirm eligibility prior to announcing the winners. A complete list of winners will be on Treering’s blog June 21, 2026.

‍Will other entries be featured?
‍Yes, top entries may also be featured in the Idea Book, blog, or social media at Treering’s discretion. Please review the media release.

‍How will I receive my prizes?
‍All gift cards will be sent digitally to the email address on the submission form. 

‍Can I edit my submission after I enter?
‍No, submissions may not be edited after submission. Duplicate submissions will not be considered.

‍

Treering’s free yearbook curriculum has expanded. From a new adviser handbook to 40 standalone lessons, you can take a recess from yearbook planning stress and put effort into yearbook production.

What’s new?

Teachers updated Treering’s previous curriculum. Another group of teachers tested it. We can confidently say it is teacher-authored and teacher-approved.

Each of the eight student-facing modules has a pacing guide and instructional slides. The pacing guides give you an overview of each module’s five grab-and-go lessons, including teaching resources, should you choose to expand instructional time. If it’s your first time teaching yearbook, the pacing guide also breaks down terminology used and shows connections between lessons.

Each lesson also includes Google Slides with

• Learning target
• Bell ringer
• Interactive lesson with guided student practice
• Exit ticket

You do enough. However, Treering knows no two schools/classes/clubs are alike, so we made our free curriculum 100% editable. 

Curriculum FAQs

What’s free?

Everything. Charging extra for resources and support isn’t our thing. 

How can I use the curriculum if I only have a club?

The first lesson in each module is a standalone one designed to give you the foundation for teambuilding, theme, design, writing, photography, marketing, and proofing. We recommend club groups do these eight lessons throughout the year.

Is Treering’s curriculum only for new yearbook students?

No, it is for yearbook creators of all backgrounds.

If you have mixed abilities in your class, we suggest:

• Using leaders to teach the first lesson in each module
• Flipping instruction: ask students to go through the slides on their own and be prepared to do the practice session in class
• Use mentor pairs for hands-on activities

Do I have to use Treering to use your yearbook curriculum?

Some theme, design, marketing, and editing lessons involve Treering tools. 

‍Get Treering’s free yearbook curriculum

Module 0: adviser handbook

This handbook also contains all your yearbook prep templates: a student application, syllabus, grading rubrics, and staff manuals. It’s formatted vertically for printing.

Access the Adviser Handbook

Module 1: yearbook 101

Building a yearbook culture on campus starts with your club or class. Each lesson in Module 1 focuses on team building, establishing clear expectations, and how students can use their individual strengths to build a unified product. This module builds a foundation for the following seven.

Module 1 learning targets:

• Understand the yearbook advisor’s expectations and the class structure
• Locate key information in the syllabus related to grading, expectations, deadlines, and responsibilities.
• Reflect on their personal strengths and interests related to team roles
• Identify and define core yearbook design terms by analyzing real spreads.
• Write specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for the school year.

Access the Module 1 slides / Module 1 pacing guide

Module 2: kicking off the year(book)

Because yearbooks are part history book and part narrative, Module 2 helps students understand how and why the book they will create will stand the test of time. They will spend time creating a structure for their book and sharing their own stories through an “About Me” yearbook spread.

Module 2 learning targets

•  Explain how yearbooks act as historical documents and cultural artifacts.
•  Collaborate with peers to build a cohesive and well-organized ladder.
•  Understand where and how to store content throughout the school year.
•  Use yearbook vocabulary in context while giving and receiving peer feedback.
•  Determine the central theme or message being communicated through advertisements.

Access the Module 2 slides / Module 2 pacing guide

Module 3: theme

Theme is more than just a visual concept, and Module 3 will help you and your yearbook team create one that looks, sounds, and feels like the story of their year.

Module 3 learning targets

•  Understand the purpose and components of a yearbook theme.
•  Collaboratively brainstorm relevant and original theme ideas.
•  Connect theme ideas to the student body and school year.
•  Explore the tone, personality, and voice of themes in a creative way.
•  Create a plan to apply the theme across content areas.

Access the Module 3 slides / Module 3 pacing guide

Module 4: design

Building upon the theme developed in Module 3, Module 4 is all about bringing that theme to life and learning how to design yearbook pages that guide the reader on a visual journey. Intentional design is the core of this module.

Module 4 learning targets

• Identify the building blocks of design.
• Use Treering’s design tools to create a yearbook spread.
• Create a color palette to express the yearbook theme’s tone and personality.
• Explain the impact of font family, size, weight, and contrast in yearbook design.
• Create text styles to support the visual theme.
• Identify and apply principles of design hierarchy by organizing visual elements (text, images, and white space) on a yearbook spread to guide the reader’s attention effectively and create visual flow.

Access the Module 4 slides / Module 4 pacing guide

Module 5: writing

Many times, students tell us they don’t want to add copy to the yearbook because “no one reads it.” Captions, stories, and pull quotes add to the visual story. These voices provide the context, insider information, and even names for your photos. 

They are worthy of pursuit.

Module 5 learning targets:

• Identify the different forms of captions: ident, summary, and expanded.
• Examine photographs to identify key information to craft summary and expanded captions.
• Define the five common topics. 
• Structure an interview.
• Synthesize and interview by writing body copy and captions.

Access the Module 5 slides / Module 5 pacing guide

Module 6: photography

Transform an ordinary photo into an extraordinary visual story through hands-on activities and real-world applications. With your class, explore how angles and lighting and exposure settings can drastically alter a photo’s impact on a yearbook spread.

Module 6 learning targets:

• Identify the composition elements of a photo and evaluate.
• Photograph a subject using six angles.
• Compose an image using natural and artificial light sources.
• Recall the three parts of the exposure triangle and how they work together. 
• Use Treering tools to present a photograph to its advantage in a layout.

Access the Module 6 slides / Module 6 pacing guide

Module 7: marketing

Learning targets:

• Identify the components of a marketing campaign.
• Identify, classify, and rank yearbook value props.
• Differentiate marketing messaging based on audience.
• Initiate community participation in yearbook creation.
• Plan milestone celebrations for reaching yearbook creation goals.

Access the Module 7 slides / Module 7 pacing guide

Module 8: proofing

Learning targets:

• Discuss and develop a consistent framework for all copy elements and community-submitted content.
• Review editing guidelines to help catch errors and maintain consistency by reviewing content early and often.
• Identify tools and methods to carefully proof both visual and written elements for accuracy and clarity.
• Use checklists and tools to ensure every page aligns with your yearbook’s design standards.
• Learn to use Treering’s editing tools to establish and maintain clean lines and a polished, professional look.

Access the Module 8 slides / Module 8 pacing guide

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