North Texas Principal Pens Handwritten Letters To 443 Graduating Seniors

Yahoo

14 hours ago

In a heartfelt gesture, a North Texas high school principal wrote letters to each graduating senior at his campus, encouraging them to practice acts of kindness.
Summit High School Principal Jason Mutterer, affectionately known as 'Coach Mutt,' handwrote 443 short letters, one for each graduating senior in the Class of 2025. He enclosed a one-dollar bill with each note to symbolize the power of small acts of kindness. The students received the letters along with their diplomas at the commencement ceremony.
In one letter posted on social media, Mutterer thanked the student for serving as an office aide during the recent school year and added, 'Please share the Summit Love and the light you possess with others who are blessed to come in contact with you on your life's journey! With Summit Love — Coach Mutt.'
The ripple effect of the handwritten notes goes beyond the moment, as exemplified by Brian Nelson II's comment to the post, saying, in part, 'I still have mine you wrote me yeaaaaaaars ago!'
Mutterer spent over 24 hours crafting the personalized letters. During the graduation ceremony, he turned his back to the audience to address the seniors directly, emphasizing the potential impact of their collective actions.
'I've done a small act of kindness by providing each of you with a handwritten letter and a dollar, but 443 random acts of kindness can start a ripple,' he said, per Fox 4 KDFW. 'So slow down. Slow down and see others who simply want to be seen. Graduation is simultaneously an ending point, but it's also a starting point.'
The one-dollar bill included with each letter served as a tangible reminder of Mutterer's message: even small gestures can create a ripple effect of kindness. He encouraged the graduates to spread kindness and make a positive difference in their communities.
Mutterer, known on campus as 'Coach Mutt,' has worked in various capacities at Summit High School in the Mansfield Independent School District for 23 years, first as a teacher and coach before eventually becoming the school principal.