This Teacher Gave His Students The Most Meaningful Assignment Of Their Lives

Bruce Farber asks his students to write letters to their future selves — and holds on to them for 20 years.

For decades, Mr. Farrer has been keeping track of the letters his students write to their future selves. Twenty years later, he manages to track them down, all over the world, and sends the letters.

The video is part of WestJet’s “above and beyond” campaign.

As assigned by Mr. Farrer, the letters had to be 10 pages long. Looking back, his former students reflect on the magnitude of the project.

Mr. Farrer says there is a lot of “detective work” in finding his students, and is excited by the fact that they have spread out all over the world.

It’s not difficult to see how powerful the impact of receiving these 20-year-old letters can be.

Mr. Farrer says: “I know I’m not an outstanding teacher. I’m just a regular teacher, who happened to assign a rather different assignment.”

Mr. Farrer, you definitely are an outstanding teacher and a remarkable human being. Thank you, Mr. Farrer, and all of the “regular” teachers out there who are changing lives every day.

Feeling inspired to write a letter to your future self? Bummed that you don’t have a Mr. Farrer in your life? Have no fear, FutureMe.Org is here! You can write a letter and decide how far into the future you receive it.