*Burlok stands in front of the blackboard in his old Kindergarten class*

Uh, hi kids. My name is Burlok, and I'm a Four Star Cup champion and Texas Renegades prospect. I'm due to make the leap to the big leagues next season, and I used to go to school in this very room!

Today I wanted to talk about change, and growing. Because I know for you guys starting Kindergarten is a huge change, right? You're here without your parents, and for the first time you're in a whole different world than what you're used to. A lot of you are probably enjoying it and that's awesome, but I know that some of you probably aren't. That's OK too! Change is hard, and that never stops, not even for a big bearded SMJHL champion like me.

Like I said I'm due to move to the SHL after this year, and that scares me! I have a lot of friends in Detroit that I'm going to miss every day, and who knows if I'll be successful in the big leagues? It's uncertain and it's frightening. But what always helps me, and what I hope will help you too, is remembering that change doesn't mean it's over for good. Yeah I'll be in Texas next year, but I'll still be able to talk with all of my friends when I want to! And yeah I might not get as many points, but that's a chance for me to learn more about hockey and grow further than I have so far.

Same for you guys! Yeah you're at school on your own right now-- but at the end of the day you can still sit down in the home that you know, with the parents that you love, and talk about the day that you had. You'll always have that support from friends and family. Sure everyone around you is a new face, and you might not know exactly how to act in every new situation, but that's a chance to learn and grow just like I will be next year. If you hold on to the people and the things that you love, change doesn't have to be so hard.

New people and new opportunities means new chances to love and to grow beyond who you are now, and your teachers and your parents and I are here to support you all the way through that. So if your scared this year or next year, or any year after that, just remember that even me, big hockey star Burlok, is scared a lot too! But now you know my secret to feeling better, and you know that we'll both get through it together. Sound good?

*the class claps quietly. a student stands to ask a question.*

Um, Burlok? You said, uh, prospect? What's that?