Dear Mini,
I am a recent graduate, leaving Mini-School in 2000 after going through an extra year, as most students do. (Ha) So, I am writing you because my life has been changing a lot lately, and I don’t think you guys have any idea.
Well it all started this last January when a classmate Mike Ayotte and I got an idea that we would join the National Guard, currently Mike is at Ft. Knox, KY. I on the other hand have been living on the west coast in a small town in Oregon, but starting April 2001, I too will be heading to Ft. Knox, except not in the National Guard — in just the Army.
Well I must tell everyone who is still there you all were an inspiration to me. The trips, the day-in, day-out environment, have made me who I am today. A little advice to you who are there today: take advantage of what you have sitting right in front of your face when you have those ideas to leave and you say to yourself, “What’s another day, I can skip.” Trust me, I said that to myself about three times a week for quite some time, and now I am kicking myself just to have to wake up and go to school.
You all can’t see it right now, and I am not saying everyone in Mini is like this, but this letter goes to anyone who thinks, “Just do what you have to do to get by.” Trust me when I say, you will be sorry.
I have told about everyone I know out here about my high school, and what I did and where I went. They all would give anything to be as lucky. So remember how lucky you all are. Ramona and Pauline you two probably were the only ones there when I was there, thank you both for always putting 100% behind me even when I must have let you both and the program down. I will keep in touch from Ft. Knox and then you guys can send me a Com-Mini or something.
Matt Thompson