It’s easy to forget that the adults at the front of the classroom were once students and children themselves. Rarely do students stop to wonder who those teachers were before lesson plans and grading rubrics became a part of daily life—this photostory aims to answer that very question.

The project pairs teachers with their favorite childhood items that they have held onto for years. These are objects that once naturally fit into their lives, and now exist as cues for nostalgia and remembrance of a simpler time. A photograph captures each teacher with their item, while their brief reflection provides a deeper insight into the story: where it originated, why it mattered and what it represents today.

Identity isn’t built all at once; it accumulates, and that’s why remembering our childhood is so crucial to crafting our identity today. Childhood is where curiosity, confidence, fear, and ambition take their first steps—and those early traits often resurface in ways we don’t even recognize. When people acknowledge their past selves, it affirms that growth is a process rather than an immediate reinvention.

For students, this perspective can be grounding. High school often feels like a defining moment, as if mistakes and successes follow you in every venture you take after youve finished your four years. Seeing teachers reflect on their childhood reminds students that change is inevitable, and the person they see in the mirror is only a chapter in the longer story of life. For teachers, remembering childhood keeps perspective fresh; it reinforces empathy for students who are still navigating their way through life.

This project argues that honoring the past is just as important as critiquing it. It’s about recognizing continuity, and understanding that who we are translates to how we live, teach and learn today. By preserving core memories, objects, or any other device for remembrance, the photostory highlights the value of reflecting on every version of ourselves, from the child we once were to the person we are becoming today.