Our public middle school took an idea from a Catholic school and expanded it so that every student each year can participate. We bolted a 350-pound vault to the floor in our lobby under spotlights. All students pass it several times every school day. Upon entering our school for the first time they quickly ask questions about his strange object in the lobby. They are told it is for letters they will write to themselves about their lives and plans for the future. They do this in Language Arts class the first month they are in school.

They then take that letter out of the vault years later in the 8th grade and re-write it the last week of 8th grade before they leave for high school. The focus is on the future. They pose holding the final draft of the letter in front of the vault, called the School Archive, for a photo with their Languag Arts class the last week of 8th grade. After the photo they place the letter inside the vault. The next day the get two copies of that photo with details of their 10-year 8th grad class reunion on the back. They are reminded that they will be invited at that reunion to speak with the then current 8th grade classes about their recommendations for success. They are warned to be prepared for questions from these decade younger students such as “Would you do anything differently if you were 13 again?”

Dropout rates are going down over 25% due to this simple $2 per student project. This year 5 more schools in Dallas are installing vaults to start School Archive Projects. See details at http://www.studentmotivation.org for this simple solution. It helps good teachers deliver the message they have always delivered to their students: be prepared for the future.