Each year, I have the privilege of sharing a few words of wisdom with students as they complete one chapter of their educational journey and prepare for the next.

This year’s message was delivered to our Grade 5 students as they celebrated the completion of elementary school and prepared for the transition to middle school.

As I reflected on what I wanted to leave them with, I kept coming back to a simple idea: while the world often asks young people what they want to be, perhaps the more important question is who they want to be.

Here are the words I shared:

I am going to start with a wonder… What do you want to be?

That is a question that gets asked from the time you start school, to the time you begin your career, and beyond. The answers go from firefighter, mom, doctor, to astronaut, designer, lawyer, and so much more.

But as you leave elementary school, I want you to turn that question around.

Think not what you want to be, but who you want to be.

It’s not about the job; it’s about who you are, who you want to be, and what you want to create.

And that’s what the NLEs are all about. You’ve heard them throughout elementary school:

We are ethical.
We pursue challenges.
We are creative.
We make connections.
We take ownership.

These are not just simple phrases. They are qualities that help shape the people you become: people who treat others as they wish to be treated, people who think about what is possible and dare to make it happen, people who hold themselves to high standards, take responsibility for their actions, and connect ideas and people in pursuit of knowing, caring, and taking action.

But hold on, I am getting ahead of myself.

You are still children. No, actually, you are young adults.

You are still learning how to live these ideas. You are still experimenting, making mistakes, and figuring things out. And that’s okay. The adults in your life, at school and at home, are here to guide and support you as you grow. That is one of the beautiful things about school.

Each and every one of you has an incredible gift inside of you. You may not know what that gift is yet, but you are all unique. You are all talented in your own way.

As you transition into middle school, go forward confidently. You have the tools and talents you need for success.

And when you get to middle school, remember how you feel on your first day. Excited. Maybe a little nervous. Maybe a lot nervous.

Remember that feeling.

As you move into higher grades and later into life, remember that everyone feels that way sometimes.

Treat people with kindness, empathy, joy, and positivity. Help others feel that they belong, just as you want to feel that you belong.

All the best, Grade 5.

Now go show middle school and the world what you’re made of!