Dear Little Kindergartener Mailey, 

   Hi! It’s you 13 years later, and you’re about to graduate high school. I know you are still a young girl and have many years before you have to think about anything related to graduation, but I wanted to write to you and share some advice. 

   Pinewood, the school you go to kindergarten right now, is also where you will be graduating from high school! It is a truly special place. Although I’ve known this all my time here, now that my Pinewood career is coming to a close, the magic that Pinewood holds has become so much clearer to me. I know you’re still a little bit scared to read aloud during language arts and to stand up for yourself when the other kids are mean to you, but I also know you LOVE singing the “50 States” song, jump roping around the field, and talking to Terry the Turtle in the science classroom. I can promise you that your fear will only fade, and your passion will only grow.    

   Throughout your next decade at Pinewood, you will have the most amazing support system that will help you grow into a strong and confident individual. You will have amazing teachers, many of whom become some of your best friends. And above all, you will connect with your classmates, each one special in their own way, and learn so much from all of them. 

   It won’t all be easy. You are gonna cry when you don’t get the roles you want in the 3rd and 4th grade plays. You are gonna fight back tears when you get sent to the office for something you didn’t understand was wrong. In first grade, Mrs. Bates is going to threaten to take away your ClassDojo points because you made a joke during silent-reading time, and it will crush you. And yes, 12th grade me still remembers the feeling of my stomach dropping on that day. But you’ll get over it! In fact, you’ll end up working with Mrs. Bates on ASB junior and senior year, and she’ll become one of your best friends. What I’m saying is, you move on. Things will rock you, but you just have to always remember who you are.

   Throughout your time here, you will also discover a love for school spirit. In 4th grade, you will go to an Upper Campus girls basketball game. You will have two stripes of face paint on your face, two big, green pom-poms in your hands, and all your little friends around you. You’re gonna stand somewhere in the middle of the crowd, just in front of the parents but behind all the other older kids. You are going to watch in amazement as all the high schoolers in the front run all sorts of crazy cheers for the whole crowd. You’ll think: I want to do that one day. 

   My advice for you, little Mailey, is to always keep your dreams like that one in mind, because at Pinewood, anything is possible. When you are at the front of the Panther Pit, you’ll find that anyone can start a cheer to spark the spirit. Even you can start one, and that one will quickly turn to many.

   You are in for a ride, little Mailey, and I am so excited for you to feel the accomplishment when you achieve your goals. Now that I’m leaving Pinewood soon, I give the credit to this amazing community for being the perfect support system that has enabled me to develop into the person I am today. Don’t take that for granted, little Mailey. Throughout the next 13 years, build countless connections, find your passions, and always stay true to who you are. 

Sincerely,

Senior Mailey Wang

This article is dedicated to my kindergartener brother, Brooks, who I hope is inspired by this letter to always believe that anything is possible.