Dear
Teacher: Today Mommy cried. Mommy asked me, “Jody do you really know why
you are going to school?” I said, “I
don’t know, why?” She said it is ‘cause
we are going to be building me a future.
I said, “What is a future? What
(does) one look like?” Mommy said, “I
don’t know, Jody, no one can really see all your future, just you. Don’t worry, ‘cause you’ll see, you’ll
see.” That’s when she cried and said,
“Oh, Jody, I love you so!” Mommy says
every one needs to work really hard for us kids to make our futures the nicest
ones the world can offer. Teacher, can
we start today to build me a future?
Can you try especially hard to make it a nice pretty one, just for Mommy
and for me? I love you, Teacher. Love, Jody
Bilding Me A Fewchr
© 1990 Frank Trujillo
All rights
reserved. Unauthorized use
subject to full
enforcement of the law.
“Bilding Me A Fewchr” was written, at age
41, by Dr. Frank Trujillo, former teacher, school superintendent and university
professor. It then took Frank several
months of trial and error to ensure the artwork for “Jody’s letter” was just
right. Especially challenging for Frank
was the “child’s” scrawl, which he achieved only after having attempted it some
forty or forty-five times. Ultimately,
his efforts resulted in the creation of a beautiful 24” x 36” full-color poster
– designed, illustrated, and produced by Frank Trujillo.
24” x 36” Poster |
Once completed, Frank began marketing his
poster to schools throughout the country via ProTeach Publications, the small
teacher and student empowerment company he founded in 1986. Thousands of copies have since found their
way into classrooms, school offices, district meeting rooms – and, from there,
deep into the hearts and minds of teachers, parents and children. Many individuals throughout the world first
saw and read Trujillo’s “Bilding Me A Fewchr” in the book Chicken Soup for the
Soul, the New York Times bestseller written and compiled, in 1993, by Jack
Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen.
Subtitled, “101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit,” more
than 5 million copies of this inspiring book have already been sold,
catapulting what some call “Jody’s letter” into the ranks of best read
stories. “Bilding Me A Fewchr” has
touched millions and will assuredly continue to inspire and motivate countless
millions more. It is a true
classic. “If it impacts and forever
changes just one teacher or just one parent,” says Frank, “if it helps us in
some way to raise the standard for caring – if it helps build a better future
for just one child, then it will all have been more than worthwhile.”
“Bilding Me a Fewchr” is the basis for
the ongoing national Build Me a Future Project, a non-partisan
letter-writing campaign initiated several years ago using our poster by
McLean-Waynesville School in McLean, Illinois.
Kids of all ages are encouraged to send letters to President Clinton
(and, of course, to our next President) suggesting ways we can work
together to help build us all a better future.
Interested in having your students participate? It’s easy!
Simply send all letters to:
President Bill Clinton, c/o Build Me a Future Project, The White
House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20500
…and here is what they’re saying…
“I saw your poster
‘Bilding Me A Fewchr’ last week in a school I was substitute teaching in. I absolutely loved it…”
“Please send our school a copy of the poster ‘Bilding Me A Fewchr’ so we can be reminded of the heart of teaching.”
“I would like a
copy of your company’s catalogue. My principal
has the poster ‘Bilding Me A Fewchr’ and I fell in love with it!…”