School yearbooks, personalized for each student

By virtue of the sheer numbers of students typically involved, most school yearbooks don’t include more than one or two shots of each individual child. Aiming to make school yearbooks more about the student and less about the school, TreeRing is a platform that lets schools create yearbooks that can be customized. By combining the efficiency of just-in-time digital printing, the collaborative power of online social networks and an array of DIY customization features, California-based TreeRing strives to create personalized yearbooks for each child while also reducing the financial burden for schools. Toward that end, it has built a solution that allows schools to create a traditional “core” yearbook that includes the entire school, but to also invite parents and students to customize their own yearbook pages. Customization can be achieved via templates and drag-and-drop functionality using a combination of personal and shared photos and information captured about each student’s stage in life—best friends, favorite activities, future aspirations, etc.—making the end result a record of each student’s entire year, both in and out of the classroom. Once a student’s yearbook is complete, TreeRing’s state-of-the-art digital printing technology then prints that custom version. Pricing is between USD 10 and USD 25, Examiner.com reports, including four free customizable pages. By allowing families to order online directly, TreeRing eliminates all yearbook costs for schools, including burdensome yearbook deposits. The company also offers a greener alternative to the traditional yearbook by planting a tree for every yearbook sold, thanks to its partnership with Trees for the Future. Could this be the next model for yearbook publishing? (Related: Personalised newspaper targets young readers — Customised magazine from Lexus, Time & Amex — Personalised music mag — Customised cookbooks stir in online recipes.) Spotted by: Cecilia Biemann