Humans have always had a fixation with the past. Memories help shape who we become and are a driving force in our development. While some argue that we should focus more time on the present and the future, the fact of the matter is that the past is part of what defines us.

In 8th grade, students were given the task of writing a letter to their future selves. They would be given this letter when they graduated. Mrs. Hall, English teacher and Scituation adviser, started the tradition herself in 2007, nine years ago. The letter served as a reflection on the past. Students could look back and witness the difference between the people they were in 8th grade and the people they became over the course of their high school career. The differences in the values, opinions and what one views as significant illustrated through this letter serves to show students that 8th grade and even high school is merely a stepping stone to the rest of one’s life.

Unfortunately, current juniors who were in Mrs. Hall’s Team F English classes won’t have the luxury of being able to reflect upon their past selves when they graduate. A construction accident on Friday, May 6th, would prove to be the end for many of these letters. The box of letters was being stored in a closet on the second floor, but construction in the auditorium caused the room to become unstable and eventually collapse sending the box crashing to the first floor below. The concrete remains of the closet showered down onto the box of letters, damaging many and ruining some. Though many were salvaged, some were damaged to the point of no return.

The letters of students on Team B and E were found safe in the English bookroom. Come the end of senior year for the class of 2017, most students will receive their letters and reflect back on their lives in 8th grade. However, for the few students who no longer have letters, they will never have the same opportunity to look back. Though this unfortunate construction mishap did occur, students from Team F were able to band together, read through the letters that were salvaged, and reminisce on the easier times that seemed so difficult back then.  The letters may be destroyed, but the dreams and goals of those past 8th graders are still alive in the current juniors today.