Shrey Nemani: As graduation gets closer and seniors enter their final two weeks of school, there’s something powerful about looking back at where it all began. One of the most meaningful traditions this time of year is hearing seniors read their Torch stories from the lower school: words they wrote when they were just kids, long before they knew who they would become or where they’d end up. These moments feel like a full circle experience, connecting who they were then with who they are now. It’s reflective, sometimes funny, sometimes emotional and always memorable. Today, I’m talking with Hugh Adams about the Torch story he wrote back in fourth grade.

Nemani: Can I have your full name, grade and pronouns?

Hugh Adams: My name is Hugh Adams. I’m a senior and I use he, him pronouns

Nemani: Great. So, can you go ahead and read your torch story from fourth grade?

Adams: Yeah, the future could just be tomorrow and it could also be in 50 years. This is what I think will happen in the future. Hope you enjoy it. I think there will be auto-driving cars, because car companies have almost done it correctly. I also think drones will deliver our food, because they could right now. And there could be very fast speed planes. I also believe there will be space elevators that go to space and deliver space cargo and people. And if you want to go to Mars, you go to a different one. Hope you enjoyed my predictions and hopefully they’ll all come true.

Nemani: Nice, nice.

Adams: Beautifully written, if I don’t say so myself.

Nemani: What do you remember when writing this, if anything?

Adams: I don’t remember anything. I mean, I clearly didn’t remember how to use periods, because everything is a comma. But I don’t think I remember anything from this. I didn’t even remember writing this. I do remember submitting a bunch of crap to, what is it, the torch?

Nemani: Yeah

Adams: Yeah. That’s all I really remember. I think I probably wrote this with Johann, is my guess, because I used to write everything with Johan.

Nemani: Well, your predictions aren’t that absurd. What do you think of them?

Adams: I think I gave myself some good cushioning here, because I said, in the next 50 years. I think some of my predictions were kind of bland, because I said stuff that was already happening. But the space elevator one, that’s a crazy take. We’ll see if it comes true. I don’t know. Maybe in 500 is what I would say.

Nemani: Does anything in the story feel like you today, any part of it?

Adams: Like, would I say it today, or would I agree with it? I think my auto-driving cars, my autonomous cars and my drones, I think that’s correct. You don’t really see drones delivering packages, though, unless you’re in Las Vegas. Yeah.

Nemani: What would your [fourth] grade self think about you now?

Adams: Probably that I’m an old man. I don’t know. I had a lot of fun in fourth grade. I did a lot of games and stuff, writing random whatever I wanted to do. I think I would be sad that I have less free time and that I have less time for my, I don’t know, just goofing off. Because I feel like in fourth grade, I was really just doing nothing all day.

Nemani: If you could give one piece of advice to your fifth grade self, what would it be?

Adams: Let me think about it. Let me think about it. I thought of it. It’s going to sound generic. Be passionate about what you like. Whatever you do, if you’re passionate, even if it’s bad, that’s all you can really ask for. That’s how you get really good. You might not have a good first thing. I’m thinking of prototypes or designing stuff. You might not have a good first thing, but by the end, if you’re passionate, you’ll create something worth having.

Nemani: Definitely. How do you think you’ve changed since fifth grade? And how do you feel? Do you feel like a full circle moment reading this again? Or fourth grade, sorry.

Adams: I think it shows that I was kind of, I liked tech. I mean, I wrote something about Minecraft. I remember I wrote a story about Minecraft, so it kind of reflects my interests. And I still have a lot of interests that I had in fifth grade. I mean, maybe less so, but they’re pretty much the same. I kind of knew what I liked at that point. So yeah, in a way, it is kind of full circle.

Nemani: So you’re a senior, you have two weeks left of school.

Adams: I think 14 days, I’m counting them down.

Nemani: Describe your journey since fourth grade. Are you sad that it’s coming to an end now, or ready for the next step? What’s on your mind?

Adams: So I came to St. Paul Academy and Summit School in second grade and I remember all of elementary. It was, we were kind of focusing on just having fun, learning, doing whatever you, I mean, I remember like our art classes. Middle school is kind of a blur that kind of all just happened instantly. And in high school, I was kind of more sentient. I’ve said this a lot because people keep asking me, but I feel like, especially in the second semester of senior year, I’m doing the same amount of work just so I don’t fail. But everyone’s like, oh, enjoy your senior year, enjoy your senior year. But I’m hoping it would be faster, just so I can get my test done. And then like, I can enjoy my friends like during the summer. I would like to enjoy my senior year, but it’s kind of stressful.

Nemani: Oh, really?

Adams: Yeah, yeah

Nemani: As we wrap up today’s episode, it’s clear that reading these Torch stories isn’t just about looking back: it’s about recognizing how much growth can happen between fourth grade and senior year. With only a couple of weeks left before graduation, moments like these remind seniors how far they’ve come and how their younger selves were already pointing them toward who they are today. Traditions like this make the end of high school feel meaningful, connected and memorable. And hearing Hugh Adams reflect on his fourth grade Torch story is a perfect example of what makes this full-circle moment so special.

Music: Acoustic Folk Relaxing Positive Story from WeVideo Music Library