Hi Jeff,
Happy 15th birthday!
Congratulations on completing your first year at Algonquin. You should be proud of your freshman year of high school. Mom and I are delighted to see your maturity and dedication to academics and athletics. Job well done!
I'm most impressed by your hard work on track and field. Honestly, I'm not sure I could do that at your age. But you did it, and you did it well. Running is a lifelong sport, and you need to be resilient, challenge yourself, and keep improving your records. You are running against yourself. Every moment I stand by and cheer you on is a "Daddy's Pride Moment." It doesn't matter whether you are in the first or last position.
I deliberately don't talk about academics with you because I want you to have it yourself. But I always check with Mom and hear you are doing great. I know you struggled a bit with algebra at first, but I see you spent many evenings catching up, and I can see you are doing your best. Let's keep working hard in the second year and try to do better.
As you turn 15, I want to share some thoughts about your upcoming sophomore and high school years. I hope they help you go through your teenage years and prepare you for adult life 3 years later.
First, stay focused.
Staying focused applies to many things.
When you do something, you will do it with 100% or even 120% effort. For example, when you run 5K or 2 miles, you 100% focus and do your best to create new PR. When you're focused on your studies, you want to do your best to get good grades. Once you set a goal, stick to it, and don't give up easily if you believe it. There are a lot of distractions or noise out there, but you must stay focused and do your best to achieve what you value most.
Sophomore and junior years are the most critical period for applying to colleges. Stay focused on whatever matters to you the most to get ready for college application. If you have any targeted colleges you like to apply to in your senior year, you need to prepare from sophomore year.
Yes, stay focused and do your best.
Second, manage your time well.
Sometimes I find that you still struggle with managing your time. Schoolwork, track meets, scouting events, and your own "secret" moments. In modern society, as the world moves faster and faster, multitasking skills are becoming increasingly important. So how managing your time well and balancing your homework, sports, and leisure time is very important.
Third, make lifelong friends in high school.
High school is the most colorful time, and you may make lifelong friends in your high school. I know you are not an outgoing boy. But try making friends in your classroom, track team, or scouts in the troop. You are a very nice boy. So be open to yourself and enjoy the joys of friendship.
Fourth, do something that makes you uncomfortable but meaningful.
I am very surprised to learn that you were running for the Student Council and Secretary for the Class of 2026. Marvelous! I hope you have enjoyed your "secretary" job so far. I am amazed that you can stand in front of hundreds of classmates and run for the role of secretary. For me, this is a big step.
Doing something that makes you uncomfortable is a great opportunity to learn and grow. I share my story with you, the first time I presented the project review in English to our senior vice president, I was scared to death, but I did it.
So, go ahead and challenge yourself. Stepping out of your comfort zone and doing things that you don’t feel comfortable, but you know will benefit your future.
Finally, have fun and enjoy your high school life.
High school can be tough with all the homework, socializing, sports, and all that teenage stuff, but it's also the most colorful time of one's life. So, enjoy every moment and have fun!
I am very much looking forward to your sophomore year and the rest of high school. I have no doubts that you will do well. I can't wait until you graduate high school when you're 18. As a promise, I will write you a letter on your 18th birthday.
Love you from the bottom of my heart! June 23, 2023
