Letter to Future Self - from 2014 to 2017

Albany Junior & Senior High School 

Year 10 English class - 2014

It was a lifetime ago, well three years to be precise. As I had the privilege of teaching the extension English class for two years, I decided to mix it up and offer them an alternative activity. It was the year 2014 - Valentine's Day, a day of arohanui, love, and an opportunity to consider loving your future self.  Rather than the time capsules we had created the year before, I invited them to write a letter to their future self, to be opened in 2017 - their final year of high school - Albany Senior High.

The instructions for 'Letter to Future Self'

Fast forward to Spring 2017, time for new life, new hope, and a special delivery...time to deliver the promise I made to my then Year 10s. 

They say a picture says a thousand words...

Moments like these make me realise that as teachers we truly DO make a difference. These awesome young men and women are our future - and that is EXCITING. They were emotional, grateful, surprised and appreciative. I believe this will be a moment in time that they will never forget. Their letters were comprehensive, full of hopes, dreams, advice and future goals. Some were impressed I remembered, others amazed that I had kept their letters safe, and taken the time to return them, as I promised!

Ms Robson...is super proud of each and every one of you! Please keep in touch, maybe take the time to write yourself another letter - and seal it up. Make your hopes and dreams reality for your future self. Check out these memories

I would like to acknowledge Barbara and her team at Albany Senior High School. My 'babies', now young adults have clear pathways and are already making an IMPACT locally and globally. One ASHS mantra lights up the wall - a fabulous reminder that:

"It's not IF you are BRIGHT

It's HOW you are BRIGHT"