A Lasting Memento of an Extraordinary Accomplishment

[SAN MATEO, CA, June 15, 2023] Treering Yearbooks – an innovative San Mateo-based company focused on making yearbooks accessible to all students – partnered with the San Mateo Union High School District Bridge program (SMUHSD Bridge) to build the program’s first-ever yearbook. Using Treering’s user-friendly software and donation feature, every student ended the school year with a book filled with cherished memories celebrating their unique journey. 

As a school dedicated to fostering inclusivity and embracing diversity,  San Mateo Union High School District Bridge program newcomer students face the challenges of adapting to a new educational system and a different language. Most are unaccompanied newcomers from Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico. Many come to the U.S. to flee violence or to reunite with a family member. Students range in age from 16 to 18, and 95% also work full-time to support family in their home countries.  The students and staff worked together to build the first-ever program yearbook using Treering’s collaborative software. All yearbooks were purchased utilizing Treering’s donation feature; no student had to pay for a book.

Recognizing the importance of documenting experiences and achievements, Cristina Gutierrez, SMUHSD Bridge yearbook editor and Social Science teacher, embarked on an ambitious endeavor to create a physical reminder to honor the student’s remarkable journey. With Treering’s new donation option, Gutierrez encouraged parents, teachers, and community members to donate yearbooks from their smartphones or computers. The yearbook not only preserves cherished memories but also serves as a testament to the students’ resilience, determination, and growth throughout their first year in a new country.

“Yearbooks are powerful. Designing our yearbook with Treering meant students could participate in the creation and take away valuable skills like graphic design, photography, and storytelling that can be used later in life. Now they have a physical reminder of their Bridge experience. Fiestas, home country Independence Days, soccer league championships, and awards ceremonies – all our memorable moments are included,” explains Gutierrez. 

To learn more about Treering’s accessible yearbook options, visit www.treering.com.
To learn more about the SMUHSD Bridge program, visit their website.

Treering is a company specializing in designing, creating, and printing quality yearbooks. The traditional yearbook only includes a few photos of each student. In today’s smartphone world, students have thousands of pictures of themselves and their friends, making the traditional yearbook much less relevant. Treering brings the yearbook into the internet generation with custom pages, online signatures, crowdsourcing options, and more while operating at zero cost to schools, only printing books parents decide to purchase.