Staff Report
Newsome High School’s (NHS) Blue Letter Envelope tradition was inspired by the national Red Letter Envelope program. Each year parents, grandparents, family, teachers, clergy, friends, or anyone impactful to the student can send their senior a special card, letter or note congratulating them and wishing them well as they graduate and prepare for their next endeavor.
The Blue Letter Envelope team carefully stores the cards and letters for each student and distributes them prior to graduation at the Senior Breakfast. The letters and cards are kept confidential until they are given to the students.
This year’s NHS PTSA Co-Chairs of the Blue Letter Envelope Committee are Monica Weaver and Liz Hallman.
Weaver said, “I can remember my son Jordan saying that reading his cards and letters made him feel invincible; like he could do or become anything he wanted to be.”
Weaver and Hallman want to get the word out early about this time honored tradition. The holidays are a great time to let family and friends know that you will be reaching out to them to participate. Even though this tradition reaches most parents and the community through school communication, the website and Facebook, some parents are still not aware of the program. As a result, some students may go without a special letter or card. The hope is this year every senior receives a special sentiment.
“You never know how inspirational your words may be to a student and how expressing those sentiments might fuel them to achieve great things,” Weaver noted.
A sample of a letter you can send to your special senior can be found at www.newsomehighschoolptsa.org. Follow these guidelines: Cards or letters no larger than 8×10 (no packages); Do not send anything of value (cash, checks, gift cards, etc.) to the school; If sending several envelopes inside a larger envelope, put the student’s full name on all envelopes; and keep letters and cards flat.
All cards and letters must arrive at the school by Monday, May 2, 2016, but participants are encouraged to send letters as early as possible.
Letters and cards can be dropped off at the Newsome High School Main Office mailed to:
Student’s Full Name, Newsome High School PTSA- Blue Letter Envelopes, 16550 FishHawk Blvd., Lithia, FL 33547.
For more information, email Weaver and Hallman through www.newsomehighschoolptsa.org under contacts.
