‘Notes to My Younger Self’ 

There are things we all wish we had known when we were younger, and we often think they could have changed the trajectory of our lives. Based on this premise, Liberty High School is offering a program to its students called, “Notes to My Younger Self.” 

The program runs Monday mornings during the school’s Academic Enrichment, available to high school students. Each session features a guest speaker who shares their personal journey, lessons learned, and advice they wish they could have given to their younger self. These community members invest their time to share inspirational real-life stories with students. 

“The goal of the program is to give our students authentic voices of resilience, growth, and encouragement from people in our community and beyond,” says Tyson Figueroa, student success coordinator.

Figueroa says the response from students has been positive. He says students have been respectful, engaged, asked thoughtful questions, and truly connected with the speakers and their messages. 

“It’s been really validating to see how much they value hearing real-life experiences and different paths to success when it’s done the right way,” Figueroa says.

Some of the speakers have included Amanda Haas, a firefighter, entrepreneur, and certified dog trainer, and Dan Shinder, founder of Drum Talk TV, one of the largest online media companies in the music industry. 

Figueroa said they are always looking for people to participate in the speaker series. He said they purposely have a rigorous vetting process. 

“I believe deeply in real stories from real people, but standing in front of a room full of teenagers without knowing where you’re taking it, can be stressful for speakers and awkward for everyone involved,” said Figueroa. “The structure helps keep it grounded and meaningful, and honestly protects both the students and the speakers.” 

The idea of the speaker series originally came from LHS Director Abigail Jennex. Figueroa said she mentioned to him that she wanted to invite local business owners and community members to come in and talk to the students. 

“I took the angle of wanting them to share their stories and experiences in a more personal angle,” he says. “I guess it was a team idea.” 

Other speakers in their series have included Ashlyn Figueroa, a Certified Nursing Assistant, student, wife, and mother, plus Kristen Walker, a licensed therapist who shared her journey through illness, resilience, and building a professional practice.

The staff at LHS are seeking more speakers for this series. They say no experience is needed, just a message, passion, and compassion. 

Anyone who is interested may email: tfigueroa@liberty-high.net or call 928-402-8024.