Celebrating History

3-3-12 parade opening Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge
Right click to enlarge and/or print.

As Dallasites embrace and celebrate our history, as in this West Dallas parade with images of some of the West Dallas leaders who went before us, we will better work toward our own future, and thrive!  This is the most powerful lesson we can share with our students.

This month thousands of parents and children will be writing letters about the past and the future, working to master this same powerful lesson. 

Parents will be writing letters to their middle school and high school age children about their dreams for them.  They are encouraged to include stories from their family history to possibly explain their dreams for their child.  Students will then bring these priceless letters to school to use in working on their own letters to themselves about their dreams and goals for the future.  Eighth graders and 12th graders will be writing about their plans for 10 years into the future. Then these letters will both be placed into one self addressed envelope for each student.  Then these envelopes are placed into time capsules at each school until the first 10-year class reunions, separate 10-year reunions for middle school and for high school.

At these reunions students know they will receive their letters back.  They know they will also be asked to then speak with current students about their recommendations for success.  They are warned to prepare for questions such as "What would you do differently if you were 13 again?"  

Hopefully conversations surrounding this process will help it become easier to understand the value of history, goals, study, and work.   This will be a very busy month at three middle schools and two high schools in Dallas.