I normally like to end high school for my seniors in a way much like they started their educational career — with a picture book. For the past three years of teaching seniors, I have always read “Oh The Places You’ll Go” for them on their last day of school, full of nostalgia as I read out of the copy of the book that my parents gave me back when I graduated high school. I read the inscription written by my parents, and then pray that I can make it through the book without crying too hard. Some years I make it to the next to last page, other years I barely make it halfway through.

This spring, the end of the year looked much different. We had our last day of school without even realizing it was our last day of school, so I didn’t get to plan anything sweet or sentimental for my seniors. Due to the global pandemic and social gathering guidelines, faculty couldn’t even attend graduation this past Sunday. So in my attempts to do something special for my graduates, I recorded myself reading “Oh The Places You’ll Go” and made each one a handmade and handwritten card.

It should come as no surprise that, as an English teacher and writer, my love language is words of affirmation. And now it is my hope and prayer that my seniors — and hopefully all seniors — from the Class of 2020 feel loved and encouraged that while this season of life may not have gone as planned, they still grew in ways that none of us could have imaged.

P.S. I have an extra special place in my heart for this class because the first class I even taught as seventh graders back in 2014 graduated high school this year. It has always been my plan to return to Texas to attend their graduation, but the world had plans otherwise. To my Schim students, I love and miss you guys. I so badly wanted to be there to celebrate you all as you graduated, but I hope that our paths will cross again one day! (And if you guys want a card too, email me your address! hannah.pressley.2@gmail.com)