As the Hamilton High School Class of 2025 prepares to walk across the graduation stage, a unique and heartfelt tradition gave students the chance to pause and reflect: opening letters they wrote to themselves years ago.
Some letters were from just a few years prior — penned as wide-eyed freshmen. Others came from as far back as sixth grade, and a few even traced their roots all the way to first grade. The result? A flood of memories, laughter, and emotional moments as students confronted their younger selves’ dreams, predictions, and snack stashes (yes — one student, Kaden DeWys left himself a saltine cracker and a dollar coin for the future).
“I wrote about some of the goals I had for wrestling and said hopefully Michigan wins the national championship and the Lions make the playoffs — which both happened," said Malachi Kapenga, "That’s pretty sweet,” he said with a grin.
The letters varied in tone — some were humorous and light-hearted like Madison Fales who wrote, “Dear me, you are 5’6” or 5’7”… Your post-high school job would be a babysitter or McDonald’s worker”, while others carried surprising depth and introspection. One student wrote, “Things happen for a reason, and tell yourself that the hard things are hard, and you will try," added Abigail Kramer.
Students were reminded of favorite childhood hobbies like ice fishing, dirt biking, and gaming. Some proudly noted they followed through on early interests — Layla Wiklepleck predicted Spanish would be her favorite high school class and is now planning to minor in it in college. Abatu Dykstra wrote about a passion for football in sixth grade, “Dear Abatu, I hope you are the best football player and break records… Oh, I’m not a football player.”
Beyond the fun and nostalgia, the experience created space for gratitude and perspective.
“It’s kind of like talking to my younger self,” added Kramer. “I’m a sentimental person, so things like notes are really important to me. It’s really cool.”
The letters also gave students a powerful reminder of growth. From misspelled words and simple goals to thoughtful messages about perseverance and purpose, the reflections highlighted just how far they’ve come — as students and as people.
“I can see that I really didn’t try that much freshman year,” added Riley Van Der Hulst, “but looking back now, it’s sweet to see how far we’ve come.”
As the Class of 2025 counts down its final days at Hamilton High School, these letters offered a rare and meaningful window into their own personal journeys — from childhood curiosity to young adulthood, and from “Dear Me” to “You made it.”
