StudentMotivation.org Project

Building connections, from age 3 to 23, between students, families,
family history, and life goals, changes everything!
Read Project History to better understand how it works at https://schooltimecapsule.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-studentmotivationorg-project-history.html

Guided by Letters:

Letters to Student

The Project Foundation is centered in annual letters to students at any age, from 3 to 23, from each parent, grandparent, great grandparent, and close relative, that inspire connection and reflection. These letters will always include dreams for the student and a new story from family history. One, or more, parents for each 60 students volunteer to be Grade Postmaster Volunteer for their child's class. They store envelopes in the School Time Capsule Vault and return them for each student 10 months later. They follow their child's class year to year doing this priceless work.

Pre-K to 2nd grade Letters

The letters start being written to children age 3. Parents and relatives capture the magic of the early years with heartfelt annual letters to their child about goals and family stories. They always read the letter to their student until the child can read it themselves. They answer questions their child may have. What grandparent would not want to have such priceless time with their grandchild? All letters are placed into one self-addressed envelope to be sent to school where the Grade Postmaster Volunteers collect them to be stored in the School Time Capsule Vault. Postmasters return envelopes in 10 months. Letters are re-read preparing for the next year's letter writing.

3rd to 11th grade Letters

Once students can write they themselves write a letter requesting the letters from the family members who have written before, sometimes adding a new one. They immediately read the letters they receive, and ask to meet with the writer to discuss details. All letters are brought to class the same day for students to prepare their self-addressed envelope. Then they write a letter to themselves about each letter received and their own plans for their future. Again the same Grade Postmaster Volunteer collects the envelopes and stores them for 10 months in the Schools Time Capsule Vault. The annual pattern is repeated.

12th grade Letters

All 12th grade letters address dreams for 10-years into the future. Letters received continue to be read immediately and be discussed with the letter writers, in person if possible, or by phone if long distance. But the envelopes with these letters, including the most important letter by the graduating student about their own plans, will remain in the School Time Capsule Vault until the first class 10-year reunion.

10-year Reunions

The Journey Continues in 10-years as classmates reunite to share stories, reflect on 10-year letters and inspire the next generation. The Postmaster Volunteers who have followed this class, with their own student for 14 years, will be at a table to return these valuable envelopes to students they have gotten to know.

Is there any doubt student achievement will have grown dramatically during all 14 years due to the focus on goals and family roots?

How Voluntering to be Postmaster for Your Child's Class Changes Life!

Volunteers see the change!

Postmasters work less than 20 hours over the entire school year for their child's grade they are Postmaster for. They can volunteer to be Postmaster for more than one grade. They help these priceless letters follow the students and return home at the end of 10 months. The goal is to have one Postmaster Volunteer for each 60 students.

Project is very low cost!

It is recommended a parent fund-raising campaign be done after the first year for the 700 pound vault needed to function as the school Time Capsule holding the letters for high schools. Other schools may have a smaller vault as they are not keeping letters for 10 years. The fundraising time is a time for more educating of families about the Project. The vault should be located in the highest visibility location possible in a school so as many students as possible see it daily, usually in the school lobby.

Obvious Growth in student academics

Schools will experience a lowering of dropout rates with rising grades and achievement. Fewer behavioral issues will be hindering such progress! Student self-confidence grows! With all students in all grades receiving annual letters from each parent, grandparent, or other close relative, student achievement soars!

correlation between letter writing & progress is clear

See the report in the "Research" section of this web site covering the School Effectiveness Indices (SEI) scores from 2006 through 2023 in 32 non-magnet DISD middle schools. The writing of letters for the School Time Capsule Project by all students is now more highly correlated with ever higher student achievement through the SEI scores in Dallas ISD!

Student, parent, & Educator Testimonials

While hundreds have valued this project since 2005, the online collection of statements is just starting.

Improve schools you love anywhere

This simple project focused on family roots and student goals can dramatically improve any school in the World with the work of volunteers supported by educators. As an open-source project it is free to use. We only ask that improvements discovered be shared with our online community.
The StudentMotivation.org Project uses 500, or 700 pound vaults in high school, to symbolize the value of Roots & Goals!
School Time Capsule Vault
South Oak Cliff High Schjool (SOC) in 2024 was first DISD high school to have all students in all grades write letters themselves about their plans for their future.