Coverage tips

It all started with a yurt. A mom on campus posted a photo of her daughters in front of their temporary home in a field. As a part of their Sukkot observance, they lived, ate, and gave thanks in the yurt for nearly a week. After asking around, three other families on campus celebrated similarly. This sparked something in our yearbook program: who else lives a life about which we know little? (Answer: everyone!) And this became the catalyst to broadening the scope of our off-campus student life coverage. Read on for tips on inclusive coverage for diverse holidays and celebrations that reflect the individuals in your halls.

Make Celebrations Individualized

When we work with our students to learn from one another, we model and facilitate courageous conversations. Many of us parents grew up with the adage: politics and religion never make for polite conversation. By focusing your interviews on the individual—versus the religious or cultural practice—you will see it through his/her eyes.

That said, it is never one student’s job to be the “ambassador” for their faith or home country. That’s why we prepared this list of questions to focus on the individual’s celebration. (Just think about how even members of your extended family celebrate birthdays differently!) The narrative that will unfold is about the student or staff member rather than a book report on the celebration. Avoid comparing or contrasting.

• What does [celebration] mean to you?
• What traditions does your family have?
• What food do you eat on [celebration]? What ingredients make it special?
• How do you prepare for [celebration]?
• What music makes it special for you? Why?

Diverse Covergage Ideas

Symbols spreads

Ideally, you’d have photographs of the decor that surrounds your students during the season. If that isn’t possible, use some stock images and position pull quotes of students describing how they use them. 

Mini-Modules

Re-enactments of major events, such as Eid, that happen at a student’s place of worship can focus on the process, such as the challenges of memorizing lines or balancing rehearsals with school work. Lunar New Year festivals are another area to cover. Ask students about music, food, and decorations.

Winter or Spring “specials”

Plan ahead for one of the holiday seasons by interviewing students about their celebrations using the questions above.

Spring hosts Easter, Holi, Passover, Ramadan, and Vesak. Fall and winter are the seasons for Bodhi Day, Christmas, Diwali, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Thanksgiving. (Please note, these are in alphabetical order, by season, not chronological as some days change because they are on a lunar calendar, not our American solar calendar.) 

Research First

There’s an iconic episode from The Office, “Diwali” that gives us a picture of what could go wrong (and oh-so-right). In typical Michael Scott fashion, he fills a meeting with inaccuracy, and his actions and lack of truth impact those around him. Moral of the story: be Dwight.

As you prepare to extend coverage to include diverse holidays and celebrations, do a brief study of the symbols and history of the event. These are great classroom opportunities to brainstorm questions and talking points. You can even give a few non-examples to help students filter.

We’ll leave you with this bonus fact: Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. It’s not even a national holiday in Mexico.

Starting and finishing strong isn't just for marathons (although advising yearbook sure feels like one at times). The fall months are ideal for beginning the momentum for your yearbook program. From building your team to selecting a yearbook theme, the fall is an ideal time to begin working alongside your school community. Fall in love with these tips to crowdsource more yearbook photos during September, October, and November.

Fall Celebration Photos to Crowdsource

Use the fun “National Holidays” to create dress up days, activities, or even sidebar coverage for your yearbook. Libraries and DEAR Time can be the focus on September 6, Read a Book Day. Photographs of students with their stuffed friends on September 9’s National Teddy Bear Day make for a cuddly sidebar that pairs well within a classroom PJ Day. And let’s face it, nothing says volunteer and teacher appreciation like National Coffee Day on September 19!

Some other fall holidays to use when sourcing photos include:

• World Smile Day on the first Friday in October
• National Coaches’ Day on October 6
• National Reptile Awareness Day on October 21
• National Sandwich Day on November 3
• National STEAM Day on November 8
• National Education Week during the week before Thanksgiving

Source POV Photos

Social media continues to be a steady stream of photographs and posts from the perspectives of parents, staff, and students on your campus. Commenting, “May we use this in the yearbook?” is a way to build excitement for the book and encourage a student whose photo is truly worth sharing beyond their social feed. Some Treering schools promote a hashtag that equates reprinting permission and also makes it easy to search for images.

Using photographs sourced from parents, staff, and students adds a layer of authenticity to your yearbook because it involves new perspectives. Consider crowdsourcing photos from

• Fans at athletic events
• The cast and crew of the musical
• Art students and their in-progress works
• Two students snapping the same event, from different angles
• A period of time, such as the prep hours before the Homecoming dance

As always, a call to contribute to the yearbook is also a call to purchase a yearbook. Use these fall events as opportunities to sell yearbooks as well.

Partner with Classroom Teachers to Source Yearbook Photos

There are those record-keeping, awareness-raising, champions of academia on campus who photograph student activities. Those are the teachers with whom to connect. (For every teacher-storyteller on your campus, there will be one overwhelmed with the idea of one more thing to do. Know your audience.)

https://blog.treering.com/classroom-photo-tips/

Classroom photos don't always have to be posed group shots of students. Classroom photographs can also include workspace photographs. Flat lays of student and teacher desks or open backpacks offer insight into personality, workstyle patterns, and any quirks. This is also a way to feature those camera-shy campus personalities.

Some teachers choose to incorporate photography in their lessons. You may use the results as a way to showcase student art and cover classroom happenings.

Whether you're excited to get the kids out of the house and into the classroom or kind of dreading the hussle that back-to-school season brings, another year is here! Fear not, we’ve got your yearbook back, cover, custom pages, and everything in between. We’re a yearbook company after all! The first six weeks of school are the best time to set up your yearbook for success.

This might sound overwhelming given you already have to absorb a million new routines, teachers, rules, and other back-to-school rituals, so we’ve simplified it to 5 simple steps to yearbook success this school year.

Set the Yearbook's Tone: Enthusiasm is Contagious

The first six weeks of school are when everyone is ready to take photos. Welcome back Moma-razzi! It’s a new year, with new friends, new teachers, and new pencils. Bringing this energy into the yearbook can set the tone for the entire year (with rough patches, obviously. We’re all human). The more excited you are to start the book, take and collect photos, the more excited everyone around you will be. Enthusiasm is contagious and engagement is demonstrated by leaders. If the yearbook editor and/or committee is excited, then it’s way more likely everyone else will join in.

Be in the Know: Reboot Your Inner Gossip Girl

Ok so maybe not exactly like the Gossip Girl reboot, but you get the idea. If you’re editing the yearbook, this is the time to know what’s going on. Since most yearbooks show the year in chronological order, be prepared for the first day of school photo opportunities like the car line, opening assembly, and bus drop-offs. You can even reach out to teachers (who are yearbook editors’ best friends) and try to either get inside a couple classrooms for first-day activities or ask them to share all the amazing photos from the day.

You’ll want to know all the back-to-school plans from the school —including the PTA calendar of events. Once you’re in the know, you can work with other parents and/or teachers to take some photos so you don’t feel like you have to be everywhere. If you’re working with students in yearbook creation, make sure you’re in the know about what you’re going to be teaching with an updated staff syllabus and curriculum.

K.I.S.S.: Keep it Simple Silly

Alright, you’re excited and you know what’s going on the first day of school! You’re almost ready for a fantastic year of yearbooking fun, but we highly recommend getting ready for yearbook by setting up an easy photo system for contributors, whether they are coming from teachers, parents or students. Yearbook can be hard and stressful, so that’s why setting up a system where parents can upload pictures, like a Google Drive, or using a hashtag that’s specific to your school can be beneficial. By using a hashtag, you can tell parents that if they use it, it gives yearbook staff permission to use the photo. This can really take some of the burden off. Your unique hashtag can help you categorize the photos, and, since we’re all on social media these days, possibly get more photos than past years.

Another easy system to think about: Set up a regular posting cadence on the parent Facebook page, PTA group or the school’s main social media to encourage anyone with great photos to submit to the yearbook. Setting a realistic schedule up front makes it easier to stick to, and contributors get used to hearing from you. Starting a bi-weekly schedule up front instead of reaching out after the first six weeks of school will likely result in more photos. After all, it’s a lot less intimidating to send a couple photos at a time versus the “photo dump” some parents or teachers may have from the first six weeks.

Pay Attention to Your Yearbook Provider: They're Your Friends

Pay attention to “getting started” emails from your trusty yearbook company friends. The friendly yearbook companies - the ones with excellent customer service, not to name any names - will help you get your yearbook started, you just have to pay attention. Keep an eye out for email blasts to help kick off yearbook creation by walking advisers through back-end aspects of yearbooking. (Yes, it IS a verb!) Depending on what you’re looking for, you can get a mini-course on how to create a yearbook, more advanced design resources, marketing assistance and more. For a #MarketingMoment, brainstorm with your yearbook team on capturing your theme in your group photo. For example, if your theme is an anniversary book, you may want to photograph each member with a past yearbook. Another #MarketingMoment idea: Hype up your last yearbook to the PTA, students and teachers, and sprinkle in all the new plans you have for the first six weeks to build excitement!

Find Your Yearbook Crew: Even if it’s Just One Other Parent

Finding someone that can help you manage shot lists, reach out to teachers and come up with ideas is so important. As you know, and it bears repeating, yearbook is a lot, but it’s also a treasure for kids growing up. That’s what’s most important and what makes getting involved so worth it.

Food-for-thought on where and how to get involved:

Get in with the teachers. Classrooms can become like second homes to students, and their teacher is always there - that’s why they’re your best friend for photos. Ask to bring food and drinks to a staff meeting in exchange for 15 minutes to talk about the yearbook. Give teachers and administrators easy blurbs, talking points and material about the yearbook to include all of their back to school communications. There are some teachers who will not allow us to pull kids for interviews EVER, and some who prefer the first or last 15 minutes of class, so be prepared.

Start a "gotcha!" list. Using the early enrollment roster from the front office, make a card for each student with their name and grade. Once a week or so, go through your coverage report/index and mark off the students you’ve captured. Set a goal to interview or photograph every student at least three times with questions of the day or activities they’re involved in.

Celebrate! Set easy wins to give yourself, your crew, the PTA or school a reason to celebrate. Oh, you received 50 photos from the first day? BAM! Let’s go get dinner. This classroom submitted the most photos after the first six weeks of school? BAM! Reward that teacher and students with a little prize. Even small milestones deserve a celebration, and each celebration will motivate more people to participate.

Have questions on how to start building a better yearbook? Check out our Help Center for customer support.

When it comes to crafting memorable yearbooks, superlatives are a staple. These awards allow students to celebrate their peers in fun and lighthearted ways while preserving memories of who they were during the school year. However, the classic titles like Teacher's Pet, Most Likely to Succeed, and Class Clown—while timeless—can feel a bit overdone. That’s why we’ve curated a fresh list of over 100 yearbook superlatives that go beyond the clichés and embrace today's students' diversity, creativity, and individuality.

Senior Superlative Ideas for Any High School Yearbook

The best yearbook superlatives celebrate individuality and avoid focusing solely on physical attributes. By shifting the focus to creativity, character, and accomplishments, your yearbook can reflect the dynamic personalities of your class while creating moments of joy for everyone who flips through its pages.

And they are no longer just for your senior section. We're also seeing superlatives for elementary and middle school students plus teachers.

Superlatives For the Pop Culture Fanatics

1. Future viral sensation
2. Most likely to be verified on social media
3. Most likely to get a deal on Shark Tank
4. Next big TikTok trendsetter
5. Future Marvel hero
6. Most likely to direct an Oscar-winning film
7. Most likely to write a best-selling YA novel
8. Next reality TV star
9. Most likely to produce a Grammy-winning album
10. Most likely to host a podcast

Standouts for World-Changers

11. Future Nobel Prize winner
12. Most likely to start a nonprofit
13. Best candidate for the CIA
14. Most likely to be a UN ambassador
15. Most likely to create a greener future
16. Most likely to invent the next big thing
17. Most likely to solve world hunger
18. Most likely to lead a humanitarian mission
19. Most likely to make space travel affordable
20. Most likely to change the world through art
21. Most likely to reform the education system

The Standouts in Personality

21. Most likely to brighten your day
22. Best advice giver
23. Most likely to laugh at their own jokes
24. Best at making new friends
25. Most likely to win at trivia night
26. Most likely to remember your birthday
27. Most likely to cheer you up with a meme
28. Most likely to have a cool hobby you didn't know about
29. Most likely to be a secret genius
30. Most likely to travel the karaoke circuit

Tech & Innovation Superlatives

31. Most likely to work at a tech giant
32. Future app creator
33. Most likely to go viral on GitHub
34. Most likely to build the next social media platform
35. Most likely to win a robotics competition
36. Most likely to design a sustainable city
37. Future AI specialist
38. Most likely to lead a virtual reality revolution
39. Future cybersecurity expert
40. Most likely to write the code that changes the world
41. Most likely to build a flying car

Creative Superlatives

41. Most likely to design a fashion line
42. Future Disney Imagineer
43. Most likely to illustrate a graphic novel
44. Most likely to be a professional photographer
45. Most likely to write/produce/star in a Broadway musical
46. Future art gallery curator
47. Most likely to star in a viral dance challenge
48. Most likely to edit an award-winning film
49. Most likely to open a boutique
50. Most likely to host a DIY show

School-Spirit Leaders

51. Most likely to plan the best reunion
52. Most school spirited
53. Most likely to remember every school tradition
54. Most likely to stay involved as an alum
55. Most likely to be voted into the Hall of Fame
56. Most likely to name their pet after the mascot
57. Most likely to preserve all their yearbooks
58. Most likely to organize the class group chat
59. Most likely to wear school colors forever
60. Most likely to volunteer at every school event
61. Most likely to return as a teacher

Celebrate Explorers and Adventurers

61. Most likely to backpack around the world
62. Most likely to climb Mount Everest
63. Most likely to be on a national geographic cover
64. Most likely to travel in a tiny home
65. Most likely to road trip across America
66. Most likely to work on an antarctic research base
67. Most likely to be a wilderness survival expert
68. Most likely to discover a new species
69. Future travel blogger
70. Most likely to live on a sailboat

Humanitarian Superlatives

71. Most likely to be a first responder
72. Most likely to work in public health
73. Most likely to foster rescued animals
74. Most likely to start a free library
75. Most likely to volunteer internationally
76. Most likely to champion mental health awareness
77. Future advocate for marginalized communities
78. Most likely to win a humanitarian award
79. Most likely to organize a food drive
80. Most likely to host fundraising galas

Superlatives that Celebrate Unique Skills

81. Most likely to master a new language
82. Most likely to memorize the entire dictionary
83. Best at solving a Rubik’s cube
84. Most likely to train a pet for tv
85. Most likely to start an e-sports team
86. Most likely to be a Guinness world record holder
87. Most likely to excel at any board game
88. Most likely to master culinary arts
89. Most likely to be a pro dungeon master
90. Best at remembering random facts

Community Superlatives

91. Best neighborhood organizer
92. Most likely to run for local office
93. Most likely to open a community center
94. Most likely to start a neighborhood tradition
95. Most likely to build a successful co-op
96. Most likely to run a food truck everyone loves
97. Most likely to revitalize a downtown area
98. Most likely to be a local celebrity
99. Most likely to mentor future generations
100. Most likely to make everyone feel included

Athletic Superlatives

101. Most likely to be in the Olympics
102. Most likely to compete in the X-games
103. Most likely to coach a championship team
104. Best teammate
105. Most likely to design athleisure wear
106. Most likely to become a fitness instructor
107. Most likely to run a marathon on every continent
108. Most likely to be a sports journalist
109. Most likely to win a Superbowl/Stanley Cup/World Series/MLS Cup/NBA Championship
110. Most likely to build an inclusive sports league
111. Most likely to train the next MVP
112. Most likely to win a Heisman

How to Choose the Right Superlatives for Your School

When brainstorming yearbook superlatives, consider your school’s culture and student body. What resonates with your classmates? Are they passionate about social causes, obsessed with pop culture, or deeply involved in athletics?

Here are four tips to guide your process:

1. Survey students: Your yearbook team should come up with the categories and the student body should nominate the winners.
2. Focus on positivity: Avoid potentially negative or divisive categories.
3. Stay relevant: If you arent using your theme to determine which superlatives to offer, incorporate trends in technology, media, and culture to keep your list fresh.
4. Celebrate achievements: Recognize contributions across academics, arts, athletics, and community involvement.

Yearbook surveys and polls are a great way to get a pulse on your school community for a specific year. Not just any survey will do that, though. Your yearbook poll results will be way, way better if you ask great questions and help people give great answers. Inside this post, we’ll show you how to do just that. And, as if teaching you how to fish wasn’t enough, we’ve got Atlantic salmon on deck: over 50 of our most fantastic survey questions to get your gears turning. Read on to get them.

How to Write Yearbook Survey Questions

Yearbook survey questions should be low-stakes and, more importantly, fun. They shouldn’t relate to anything that might spark controversy or offend anyone --politics, religion, etc.-- Structurally, you want to create questions that pair obvious inquiry-based words (who, what, where, when, why, how, etc.) with a specific set of responses. Questions can range from “what was the song of the year” to “best place to buy jeans” to “snacks the cafeteria should start stocking” (though that last one could start a small riot). These are fun questions, great for putting students at ease, and building trust before asking them to share personal opinions and anecdotes. Recycling the same questions every year isn’t necessarily a bad thing (provided the list you’ve created is full of excellent options). And of course, it goes without saying, you’ll have to change the answers listed to reflect the inevitable cultural changes (hello 20-21 school year changes).

Source Multiple Choice Responses Like a Pro

You’ve got three phenomenal resources at your disposal when it comes to generating the response options for your yearbook survey questions. Let’s take a look at them:

• Last year’s book. As we mentioned earlier, re-using older questions is perfectly fine: using old response-options? Not so much. That being said, they’re a fantastic jumping off point. Maybe Justin Bieber isn’t one of the best male singers this year. Perhaps Chipotle will cede its crown as the go-to pregame dining spot.
• Your staff. You might think you’ve got your finger on the student body’s pulse, but your student staff members are infinitely more plugged in. Grab a couple of pizzas one afternoon and have a brainstorming session to come up with responses. Not only will this help craft great answers, it’ll let you find if your questions actually resonate with students.
• Social media. Simply by paying attention to what’s happening in the student version of the world you can generate oodles of survey response ideas. Look at what’s trending on Twitter or TikTok and start keeping a running list.

When it comes to good multiple choice questions, you want to make sure you limit your responses to no more than 5 choices. Any more than this and students could have a hard time selecting only one. It might also become hard to read when you transfer the results into your yearbook, thereby missing the benefit of capturing this information for your students. Now, without further adieu, here’s our list of over 50 yearbook survey questions.

Over 50 Yearbook Survey Questions For Better Polls

Perhaps the easiest way to tackle this big list of questions is to divide them up the way we divide all questions: Who, what, when, where, why, and how. The biggest reason for doing it this way? Doing so gives you a bunch of options when it comes to laying out your yearbook polls spreads. Who...

• Is the best male singer/band?
• Is the best female singer/band?
• Would you you like to see speak at graduation?
• Was the most memorable performer (student)?
• Was the best actor (professional)?
• Was the best actress (professional)?
• Had the best athletic performance (student)?
• Was your favorite professional athlete?
• Wrote the best book?
• Made you turn off the TV?

What….

• Were the biggest differences between this year and last?
• Is your favorite professional sport?
• Do you wish the cafeteria had served?
• Was the most difficult class you took?
• Was the most memorable quote?
• Subject do you wish you tried harder in?
• Food did you try for the first time?
• Genre of music was most popular?
• Word did you hear most often when roaming the halls?
• TV show was everybody talking about?
• Jingle gets stuck in your head all the time?
• Accessory can you not live without?
• Is your favorite school outfit?
• Is the weirdest trend of the year?
• Decade would you pick to grow up in?

Where...

• Did you go after prom/school?
• WOuld you like to go this summer?
• Would you most like to take a nap in school?
• Would your team go to celebrate a victory?
• Are you happiest?
• Do you like to shop?
• Is the best pizza in town?
• Should there be a field trip to?
• Would you spend a free period?
• Are the school’s most comfortable chairs?
• Did you spend most of your allowance?

When...

• Did senioritis set in?
• Did you submit college applications?
• Did you start considering what you’d like to do after graduation?
• Do you get to school in the morning?
• Did you stay up the latest?
• Are you most productive?
• Do you do your homework?
• Did you cheer the hardest (school event)?
• Was the student body most excited?
• Is it okay to stop playing Pokemon Go/scrolling TikTok?

Why...

• Should school start 30 minutes later?
• Do you want to go to college?
• Do you prefer books to screen-reading?
• Aren’t there more students on the yearbook staff?
• Did [thing] happen on [show]?

How...

• Many books have you read this year?
• Many social media platforms do you use?
• Often do you send Snaps?
• Can teachers better-use technology in the classroom?
• Should the school go about picking new electives?

Got all that? Good. Great yearbook survey questions (and great multiple choice answers) will help you elevate any polling coverage you might include in your yearbook. Even better? It’ll help you spot trends that can lead to story ideas.

Like retro trends themselves, what goes into a throwback yearbook theme gets updated (can we call it updated?) every few years. Because those trends are usually rooted in fashion or pop culture, they can take a good amount of creativity to link back to your throwback yearbook theme.  Right now, though, there’s one retro trend that fits the yearbook perfectly, without making any adjustments or working hard to make a creative connection: the laser photo background. Yup, you read that right. We’re talking about that 80s-style school photo backdrop emblazoned with neon lines and electric bursts, because they’re back, and they’re pretty meme-tastic. Don’t believe us? Do a quick Google search and you’ll be bombarded with some amazingly awkward glamour shots. While we don’t advocate purposely creating cringe-worthy student portraits for your yearbook, we do suggest you find a few ways to fit this retro trend into your throwback yearbook theme (funny yearbook superlatives, anyone?). Keep reading to learn where laser photo backgrounds came from, where to find them today, and how to create your own.

A Brief History on the Laser Photo Background

The laser photo background was all the rage in the 1980s, when many school portraits featured backdrops crisscrossed with bright, glowing lights. Back then it was totally stylish—and not at all ironic. The fad faded (or fizzled, if you will) and was banished to old yearbooks and family photo albums until 2007. That’s when a blogger posted this photo, titled “Me in ‘91”. It was, up to that point, the first laser photo background on the blog, which described itself as being dedicated to “the celebration of the perfect portrait.” (There is, in case you’re wondering, some sarcasm involved there.) Pretty much everybody sharing the image and basking in its cheesy glory essentially made that single portrait a meme before memes were even popular. The following year, a Tumblr blog called “We have Lasers!” debuted and—yup, you guessed it—it was dedicated entirely to school portraits with a laser photo background. As Lindsey Weber, the blog’s creator wrote in it’s “About” section: “You begged your mom to pay the extra $4. A tribute to the greatest school photo backdrop there ever was.” To say “We have Lasers!” took off would be an understatement: People submitted more than 500 portraits to be featured on the blog in less than two years, and the blog was featured on NPR, CNN, Time, and CBS News. Quickly, laser photo backgrounds went from meme to viral to mainstream. Popular sites, such as Awkward Family Photos and BuzzFeed, began featuring compilations of people posed in front of the iconic background. Even celebrities began recreating laser photo background images as spoofs (re: this picture of former 98 Degrees frontman, Nick Lachey). The Internet was, and in a lot of ways still is, in a laser-photo frenzy. So, how do you pull this trend into your throwback yearbook theme?

Where to Find—And How To Use—Laser Photo Backgrounds in Your Throwback Yearbook Theme

There are two places to find laser photo backgrounds:

• Buy an actual laser photo backdrop, in the form of a poster, online at Zazzle.com.
• Use this free laser photo background, created by Emily Coxe.

The poster at Zazzle.com comes in a bunch of different sizes. Deciding which size to buy is based pretty much entirely on deciding how you’re going to use it. So, before you pull the trigger and shell out a few bucks for a bit of nostalgia, think through your use cases and make sure you order the right one for your needs. The easiest way to do that? Do a test run of your photo shoot by placing your subjects against a plain wall and marking off the various poster sizes with painter’s tape. When you frame up your shot, pay attention to which size poster markings are inside the viewfinder, and order the next size up. If the idea of planning out your photo shoots and spending cash has you feeling a little bummed (and, hey, we get it; we make creating a yearbook free for schools), you can always work a little Photoshop magic. Really, if you have some super-creative students or parent volunteers on your yearbook committee who know their way around Photoshop’s masking tool, this is the way to go. In fact, even if you don’t have someone like that on your yearbook committee, but you have someone who is willing to give new stuff a try, this is the way to go. Because you can even use PowerPoint to do this. Here’s how to add a laser background (or any background, really) to a photo in Photoshop:

1. Choose your image. A picture with a plain background is easiest to work with, so—if you have control over this—have your subject stand in front of a plain wall or against the side of a building to capture some natural light.
2. Mask it. In Photoshop, use the pen tool to mask the person in the image. (Learn more about masking here.) You can also use more sophisticated Photoshop techniques, depending on how precise you want the image to appear. If you’re new to Photoshop, however, we recommend sticking to the basics.
3. Insert the background. Drag and drop, or copy and paste, the laser background of your choice. Size and position, save your image, and you’re good to go.

Here’s how to add a background to a photo in PowerPoint:

1. Add your image to a PowerPoint slide. Again, a picture with a plain background is easiest to work with.
2. Use the “Remove Background” feature. When you upload a photo in PowerPoint, your toolbar should automatically reset to display the “Format Picture” options that are available. You’ll want to be on that section of the toolbar, so make sure you’re there. Then, under the “Adjust” settings, choose “Remove Background.” PowerPoint guides you through the process from there, and it’s super simple.
3. Insert the background. Once you upload the background, you’ll want to size it appropriately and position it, like you did in Photoshop. Make sure you adjust your layers, so that the background is in the back. You can do that by finding the “Arrange” section in the “Format Picture” toolbar, and using the “Reorder” feature.
4. Save your image, but be sure to save your image as a .png, .jpg, or .gif file, and not a PowerPoint file.

That’s all there is to it. Not bad, right? Adding (or should we say “beaming”?) laser photo backgrounds into your throwback yearbook theme will totally put you in touch with today’s retro trends. It’ll also add a bit of irony and hipster style to your book, and we totally endorse that more than we endorse some of the other trends that are making comebacks.  

We think that teachers should always be treated like the rockstars they are. But that’s a double-edged sword. Because of their school “celebrity” status, we can sometimes get a little tongue-tied when it comes time to snag some quotes.

So if you’ve got a mod that needs some teacher insight, a spread offering a look ‘behind the curtain’ about teachers, or if you’re writing an article on a specific teacher and are looking for some pizzazz, you’ll need to ask some great questions. And we’ve got just the list.

Set up a time for the interview, take a moment to brush up on your interview skills, and then take the bull by the horns with these quote-baiting questions for teachers.

About Life Outside of School

• What is one of your hidden talents?
• What would the students be surprised to find out about you?
• What’s a typical Saturday night like for you?
• How often do you accidentally start speaking Spanish at home? Lecturing about fractions? Correcting grammar? [personalize to their subject].
• What are some pets you’ve had or would like to own?
• What is your dream vacation?
• How do you spend your summer breaks?
• What are your “trapped on a desert island” books or movies?
• What would your last meal be?
• What can you cook to perfection? Are you willing to share the recipe?
• If you won the lottery and decided to give up teaching, what would you do instead?

About School Life

• What are some traditions or superstitions you have for the First Day of School?
• What makes a ‘good day’ at school?
• How do you show your school spirit?
• What accomplishment fills you with pride so far this year?
• What is your favorite dish from the cafeteria?
• What sort of morning routine do you have to get jazzed for class?
• How do you keep things fresh? [particularly good for seasoned teachers]
• What inspires you?
• How does technology make teaching more simple or difficult?
• Are there any embarrassing teaching moments you’re willing to share? What are they?
• What’s the best/worst thing about being a teacher?
• In which other teacher’s class would you like to enroll, even for a day? Why?

https://blog.treering.com/65-academics-headlines-for-yearbook/

About the Students

• What current trends are baffling to you? Why?
• So many students admire you. How do you make those connections? [*note: question should only be asked if the teacher is universally known for making great student connections]
• What differences do you see in your morning students versus the afternoon classes?
• If you could pass on any wisdom to your students, what would you share?
• How do you remember all of your students’ names?
• What’s a school sport or activity you enjoy watching?
• If you could take the students on a field trip to anywhere in the world, where would you take them?
• Why do (or don’t) you friend former students on Facebook?

Along the Lines of a Specific Article or Theme

• What kind of driver were you when you first got your license?
• If you were to be given a superlative when you were in school, what would it have been?
• Our yearbook’s theme this year is [....], how do you work to bring that to life in everyday classes?
• What song should students listen to when doing work for your class?
• What is your first memory from school?
• When or why is (or isn’t) a picture worth a thousand words?
• How do you think students will remember you and your class?

https://blog.treering.com/classroom-photo-tips/

About Nothing—Just for Kicks (or Mods)

• How long would you survive a zombie apocalypse? Why?
• In which Hogwarts house would you be sorted?
• If you could grow up in any decade, which would you choose?
• What are your thoughts on astrology? Do you know your sign?
• What are your must-have smartphone apps?
• Did you see the new Star Wars on opening night? What memories do you have from the first movie you ever saw in theatres?
• Is there a quote or saying that you live your life by?
• What would your perfect party look like?
• What is your spirit animal?
• What song do you know all the lyrics to?

And there you have it—48 yearbook questions that you can choose from to build an interview with a teacher. It’s important to remember that an interview is a conversation. Keep it natural, and use your time wisely. It’s better to get five quality responses instead of a dozen one-word answers. If you see a hook, run with it. Don’t be afraid to veer a bit off course when the opportunity presents itself. Wherever the conversation goes, these questions are a great start to an intriguing spread or mod, and can add some wonderful insight from your teachers to this year’s book.

Some yearbook articles practically write themselves (looking at you, sports and activities), but a great yearbook will feature additional articles that give a holistic view of your high school’s student body. Coming up with ideas for these articles is as simple as considering what the students will want to remember. We’ve broken down some potential ideas into categories. Even if you don’t use any of these exact ideas, we’re sure they’ll get your brain kicking into high gear.

School Life

Academics are important, but high school is also about socializing, gaining responsibility, and becoming an adult. Some of the most vivid memories are created outside of the classroom.

• Most embarrassing moments
• Hitting the snooze bar: do or don’t?
• Homework style: git ‘er done or procrastinate?
• Worst school-related nightmares
• Locker or backpack?
• Passing time during passing time
• This year I was proud of…
• Backpack must-haves
• Favorite class experience
• Lightbulb moments
• Making time for everything
• School uniforms: love or loathe
• What’s your commute: busing, driving, or walking?
• School rivalries: why we’re the best!
• Morning routines

Coming of Age

Throughout high school, students are growing up. Each year brings unique challenges and changes. It’s fun to celebrate these milestones.

• First concert
• Getting your driver’s license
• Rock the vote: politics in school
• First jobs
• Taking the ACT/SATs
• What’s next?
• Summer job earnings: spend or save?
• Have you ever been grounded?
• AP classes or college in the schools
• Too old for toys?
• Childhood foods you’ll never let go
• Curfews
• Doing chores
• Naps: be a kid again

Leisure Time

Sometimes school is more about the fun over the fundamentals. Reserve some space to tell the stories that are happening when the students are kicking back and listening to cassettes on their boomboxes (they still do that, right?).

• Gaming
• Fantasy football
• Favorite books
• Obsessions (Taylor Swift, TikTok, binge-worthy shows, etc.)
• Social media
• Hangouts
• Friday night social
• Garage bands
• Non-school sports (skateboarding, snowboarding, figure skating)
• How we shop: in-store or online?
• Constant communication: how many texts do you send in a day?

Current Events

One of the most fun aspects of the yearbook is that it is essentially a time capsule. Up the ante by overtly including current events, music, and trends of the year.

• What’s in the news this year?
• Fashion trends
• Style inspiration
• All about hair, makeup, and beauty
• Favorite TV shows
• Music: best bands and favorite concert experiences
• Dance moves of the year (The Git Up)
• Knowing all the words to your favorite song
• Movies and blockbusters
• Seeing it first: midnight showings
• Your go-to memes/gifs
• New technology: wearable tech and hoverboards

Lunchtime

Whether it’s chatting with friends, playing games, or finishing up some late homework, a lot of stuff goes down in the cafeteria. With these ideas, you can focus on the food or the fun.

• Healthy or not?
• Best lunchtime traditions
• Droolworthy school lunches
• Who packs your lunch
• The best playground games
• Cafeteria workers tell all
• What school food will be missed the most?
• Who do you sit with during lunch and why?
• If you were cooking for the school, what would you make?

People

The most interesting part of anything (including high school) is the people. There are loads of fascinating dynamics, talents, and relationships to explore.

• Siblings
• Nicknames
• Unsung heroes: custodians, school nurses, and admin
• Friends since...
• Fresh faces: a spotlight on new teachers
• Who do you look up to?
• Hidden talents
• How did you become friends?
• Your biggest change in the last four years
• Legacies: kids who go to the same school as their parents

Places

Every story needs a setting, but these ideas turn the setting into the story.

• Rumors about the school: secret hallways, ghosts, hidden treasures
• If you could change one thing about the school, what would it be?
• The best restaurants in town
• Regional specialties (growing up near the beach, Texas football, big city living, etc.)
• Fun facts and quirks about the school building
• Spring break locations
• Where do you want to travel?
• Must-see locations in town
• Indoors or outdoors: where’s the fun?

Time of Year and Events

Over the course of the year, a lot of specific activities take place based on holidays or the season. You can use these triggers as a launch point to look back on the year.

• Homecoming parade
• Halloween: costumes and scares
• Thanksgiving and being thankful
• Seasonal activities: summer, fall, winter, spring
• New Year’s Eve: school resolutions
• Valentine’s day: love or loathe?
• Can we have class outside?
• Field trips
• Science fair
• Graduation

Categories Lead to Brainstorms

Hopefully some of these ideas will lead to some winning articles for your high school’s yearbook. If not, no biggie (we won’t take offense). You can still use these categories to springboard some new article ideas of your own design. Ask your students what they want to remember, and go from there.

People put a lot of thought into naming their children (and even their pets). Well, this yearbook is your baby, so you want to give it a name that lives up to its content. We’ve put together some tips for how to get the brain juices flowing when it comes to choosing your title, and also some great title ideas we’ve come across over the years.

https://blog.treering.com/how-to-improve-yearbook-headlines/

Set Some Guardrails

The number of yearbook title ideas rivals the number of fish in the sea, so it helps to narrow your sights before you cast the net. One thing that helps is to pull the yearbooks from the last five years and take note of their titles.

You should also decide on the tone. Some like yearbook titles to be inspirational, while others like to provide a nod to the overall theme. And for some, being straightforward works best. Regardless, it’s helpful to set the scene in your mind so you can measure your options against your expectations.

Different Approaches to Yearbook Titles

There are a few different routes to take when pursuing a title:

• Tie it to your School. You can use the school’s name, colors, mascot, or location as a jumping off point.
• Time-Specific Title. Make a reference to this current point in time, by calling out the year, referencing a sign of the times like sustainability or social media, or by using a current song lyric or movie quote.
• Timeless Titles. These ideas capture the overall intention of a yearbook by speaking to nostalgia, memories, and the passage of time.

Whether you build on your school’s spirit or pay tribute to the collection of memories within, your yearbook’s title should capture the essence of your book and give the reader a sense of the journey to come. Select a few ideas and try them on for size. Share them with your committee and gather some feedback. After you let them marinate, you’ll find that one perfect idea, and it will practically jump onto the cover itself.

Yearbook Title Ideas

Interested in a few examples? We’ve compiled several options from the types of covers mentioned above. Feel free to poke around, and take whatever inspiration this list offers.

School-Inspired: Mascots

•  The Year of the {School Mascot}
• The Shine of the {School Mascot}
• From the {School Mascot}’s Den
• The Eye of the {School Mascot}
• This is {School Mascot}Country
• {School Mascot} Territory
• {School Mascot} Pride
• In Our Hearts | On Our Sleeves
• Peace Love & {School Mascot}
• Keep Calm & {School Mascot} On

School-Inspired: Colors

• {School Color} Memories
• Seasons of {School Color}
• Seeing {School Color}
• A Splash Of {School Color}
• Better In {School Color}
• In Color
• Color Commentary
• Showing Our True Colors
• Showing Off Our Colors
• {School Name} In Color
• Life In {School Color}
• These Colors Don't Run
• More Colorful Together
• In Living Color

School-Inspired: Location

• From the Heart of the Rockies
• From the Desk of {School Name}
• {School Name} Presents…
• United States of {School Name}
• {School Name} Is Buzzing
• If These Walls Could Talk
• The Writing On The Wall
• Inside {School Name}

Time-Specific: The Year

• 202X Voices
• We Are #202X
• 20/20 Vision
• The Stars of 202X
• Reward: 202X
• Rocking 202X

Time-Specific: Pop Culture

• The Pensieve
• Snapped
• Blank Space
• 100% Home-Grown, Farm-Fresh {School Name} Memories
• See You Again
• The {School Mascot}: Age of {School Name}
• Reduce, Reuse, Remember
• #No Filter
• Picture This
• Instant Reply
• Filtered
• Catching Fire
• 201X-202X: A Lot To Like

Evergreen: Nostalgia

• Encore
• No Place Like Home
• Total Recall
• Sand Through the Hourglass
• Good Times
• Wouldn’t Change a Thing
• Wrapped Up
• Old Stories
• A Time To Remember
• As Time Goes By
• A Picture In Time
• A Year In Review
• Reflections
• Sands Of Time
• A Point Of View
• A Look Back
• Always and Forever
• Anthology

Evergreen: In the Moment

• It’s Our Time
• Viva la Vida
• Time of Our Lives
• Perspectives
• Meanwhile
• More Than Words
• Side by Side, Hand in Hand
• Nothing But the Truth
• Scratching the Surface
• Our Year
• Highlights
• Living The Dream
• This Is It
• Profiles
• A Closer Look

Evergreen: The Future

• A Future So Bright
• New Traditions
• A New Day
• Bright Futures
• Finding Our Way
• New Takes | Old Traditions
• Unlocking The Future
• Endless Memories
• Into The Future
• The Road to Tomorrow
• Make Your Mark
• Chapter Infinity
• Gateway
• No Turning Back
• Take a Chance
• The Best is Yet To Come

Evergreen: Showbiz

• Welcome To The Show
• Under The Big Top
• The Main Event
• In Lights
• Headliners
• Bright Lights
• Behind The Scenes
• Action!
• Showstoppers
• A Fresh Take
• All Stars
• Stars of {School Name}

Evergreen: Social Media

• Leaving Our Mark on the World
• [Year] Notifications
• Follow Us
• Shareworthy
• For the Likes
• #NoFilter

Evergreen: Documentary

• Write It Down
• For All To See
• A Blank Slate
• The Whole Picture
• Our Story To Tell
• Put It In Ink
• Not Just Another Year
• Take Note
• A Year In Pictures
• Words Aren't Enough
• A Look Inside
• A Story All Our Own
• Quoted
• (Re)Writing History
• Another Chapter
• Newsworthy
• Headlines
• Signed Sealed Delivered
• Memories: Delivered
• Noted
• Pass It On

Evergreen: Technology

• A Bright Idea
• Keyed Up
• Wired For Success
• Pushing Buttons
• Always On
• Press Play
• Plugged In
• What Makes Us Tick

Evergreen: Nature

• Rising & Shining
• Where The Grass Is Greener
• Life's A Beach
• Riding The Wave
• On The Vine
• In Bloom
• Roots
• Planting A Seed
• Watching {School Name} Grow
• Out of Our Shells
• In a Nutshell
• What's the Buzz?

Evergreen: Journeys

• The Road Less Traveled
• Off The Beaten Path
• Over The Hills & ...
• {School Name} Marks The Spot
• In Flight
• Expanding Our Horizons
• New Views
• Out Of This World
• Unchartered Territories
• Horizons
• Setting Sail
• The Sky’s The Limit
• Going Places
• Have Education Will Travel
• Beyond The Shore
• A Bigger World
• Headed In The Right Direction
• Onward & Upward

Evergreen: Adventure

• Amazing Adventures
• Tall Tales
• A Wild Year
• {School Name}'s Safari
• The Sights We've Seen
• The Amazing Adventures Of 2016
• Super {School Mascot}
• The Incredible Story Of {School Name}
• Oh, the Places We've Been!
• {School Name} Superheroes
• Our Heroes

Evergreen: Inspirational

• Better Than Ever
• Naturally Awesome
• Loud & Proud
• Dream It | Do It
• Shooting For The Stars
• Be Happy
• What A Wonderful World
• How Sweet It Is

Evergreen: Success

• Whatever It Takes
• Tricks Of The Trade
• Pulling It All Together
• It's How You Play
• A Whole New Game
• A Streak of Good Luck
• Wired For Success
• Coming Up Aces

Evergreen: Building

• Blueprints for the Future
• A Year of Building
• Building Towards the Future
• Planning Ahead
• Future Plans
• Blueprints for Life
• Blueprints
• Just Like We Drew It Up
• Dreaming Big
• Towering Memories
• Skylines

Evergreen: Individuality

• Express Yourself
• Expressing Ourselves
• Individuals Together
• Just Like This
• Formalities Aside

Evergreen: Community

• It Takes All Of Us
• How We've Grown
• Coming Together
• Putting It All Together
• Pieces Of The Whole
• Parts Of A Whole
• Done Our Way
• What Makes Us
• Who We Are

Evergreen: Creativity

• Hand-Drawn
• Breaking The Mold
• Drawing It Out
• An Artful Year
• Painting A Picture
• A Colorful Take
• Paint The Town
• Strokes of Genius
• A Picture Of Success
• The Fabric of Our Year
• Tightly Knit
• Painting Memories
• Focus
• A Different Perspective

Creating a yearbook is no easy task. There are countless components from design and photography to storytelling and marketing. If you're teaching a class, there are documents to write and objectives to obtain. Club advisers also need a starting point. We know no two schools/classes/clubs are alike. You will find ALL the resources you need in a 100% editable format here. Our modular yearbook curriculum is flexible enough to work for any class, and even parent groups, and covers each yearbook topic. Oh, did we mention it's FREE? And CTE-aligned?

Module 1: Getting Started for the Adviser

This first module helps you as the teacher get organized and off to a great start. You'll find templates to help you customize your syllabus, grading rubrics, and so much more. You'll be ready for recruiting, parent orientation, and accreditation in a few clicks.

Module 2: Kicking Off the Year(book)

Set your students up for success. Here they will learn the importance of the yearbook, the purpose of the different roles, and how to work together as a team.

Module 3: Getting on the Same Page

The key to yearbook success is an organized plan. Your students will learn how to build a yearbook ladder, set up their photo folders, and begin assigning spreads.

Module 4: Creating a Theme From Beginning to End

Coming up with a yearbook theme is more than picking colors. Here, your students will learn the purpose of the yearbook theme and how to develop one on their own while applying it to this year's book.

Module 5: Design Makes it Real

Yearbook design is more than making a page pretty. In this module of the yearbook curriculum, students will learn the various elements of design and how to apply them consistently to their yearbook to re-enforce their theme.

https://blog.treering.com/teaching-graphic-design/

Module 6: Raise Your Voice: Yearbook Storytelling

Telling the story of the year through headlines, captions, and interviews can be intimidating when working with limited space on each spread. In this module of the yearbook curriculum, students will have fun removing their fears and getting to the heart of the story.

Module 7: See the Year Through Your Favorite Lens

Level up your students' photography game. By learning some basics in exposure and composition, your yearbook photos will go from standard snapshots to professional, story-telling photographs.

Module 8: Spread the Word & Make Your Yearbook a Sell-out Success

Whether you're using your yearbook as a fundraiser or not, selling and marketing your yearbook is an important part of the yearbook process. Help your students build a marketing plan to reach their sales goals.

https://blog.treering.com/teaching-yearbook-making-a-marketing-plan/

Module 9: Edit or Regret It

Mistakes happen to everyone. With this step-by-step checklist, your students will learn how to avoid as many as possible before sending your yearbook to print.

Using the Free Yearbook Curriculum

Like all things Treering, this yearbook curriculum is flexible. Here's how advisers and coordinators told us they use it:

• Flipped classroom: assign a reading and discuss it the next day
• I Do, You Do, We Do: student editors take a chunk of a module, model it, teach it, and then the class applies it together
• Traditional instruction: plug and play!

You know your students best!

Yearbooks are for every student, not just those who attend brick-and-mortar schools. In fact, parent-led home-based education may currently be the fastest-growing form of education in the United States. That makes for a lot of memories to capture!

With the unparalleled flexibility of Treering Yearbooks, it’s never been easier for homeschool families and organizations to effortlessly create a personalized yearbook for each student, capturing the essence of their unique educational journey. We remove the guesswork and simplify the yearbook process for everyone involved. Here are a few yearbook perks that Treering offers to homeschools:

1. No hidden fees, no surprises. Our per-book price is all-inclusive, covering everything from easy-to-use software to friendly support and custom covers featuring your child’s artwork or family photo. 

2. No minimum order requirements.  Whether you only need one book or many, Treering can accommodate your needs. We’ll even provide a code so grandparents can purchase, too.

3. No contracts. You're never locked into working with us. We believe in our service, but you can walk away anytime (although we're confident you won't want to!).

4. No deadlines. Not working on a traditional timeline? Same here. Treering empowers editors with the flexibility to control and change their print-ready date at any time without incurring fees. Our three-week turnaround means you’ll receive your masterpiece in no time. 

5. No set page count. Treering allows for creating a yearbook with as few as 20 pages. You can even adjust your page count as the school year - or a fun last-minute field trip - dictates.

6. Free custom pages: If you create a book for multiple students or just one, each can become a personalized keepsake. Capture milestones, family vacations, extracurricular activities, art projects, and more inside each student's unique copy.

Discover the Ease of Treering’s Software for Homeschoolers

While all of the above advantages benefit homeschool communities, Treering’s easy-to-use software is one of our most important - and most loved - features. Our intuitive, drag-and-drop yearbook builder makes it easy to craft a beautiful yearbook. Choose from hundreds of professionally-curated themes, or unleash your creativity and design your own.