Jennifer Garner shares childhood school project, reveals she once described herself as 'Actress, Peanut Butter Eater, Poet'
Washington DC, June 29
Actor Jennifer Garner has taken a nostalgic trip down memory lane by sharing a childhood school assignment in which she listed the qualities that made her "special," offering fans a glimpse into her early years in Charleston, West Virginia, according to People.
Garner, 54, posted the decades-old school project on Instagram on Sunday after it was discovered in her mother's closet. The assignment, titled "What makes me special," asked students to list their best qualities and write a poem about themselves.
The actor, who appeared to have received an "A" grade on the project, also shared a smiling childhood photograph alongside the assignment, according to People.
In the list of qualities, Garner described herself as: "1. Actress, 2. Cat owner, 3. Clown, 4. Ice cream maker, 5. Peanut butter eater, 6. Piano player, 7. Poet, 8. Reader, 9. Sailor, 10. Skater, 11. Swimmer, 12. Violinist, 13. Writer."
Her accompanying poem read, "The things I am, the things I am are all part of me. If they weren't, then would I be?," according to People.
She continued, "The things I am are really keen. Really, all in me and can be seen."
The poem concluded, "The things I am are special, too. They explain all about me, and not of you."
Garner shared the school project on both her Instagram feed and Stories, captioning the posts, "From Mom's closet in West Virginia. Number three kind of nails it...," referring to her childhood description of herself as a "clown."
The childhood photograph is not being shared publicly for the first time. In 2020, Garner posted the same picture on Instagram while joking about her inexpensive haircut, writing, "This week I'm grateful for.....@hairbyadir.." along with the hashtags "#SometimesThe8DollarHaircutWorked #SometimesItDidnt #WithVirtue, of course," according to People.
The nostalgic post comes days after Garner paid tribute to her father, William Garner, and the father of her three children, Ben Affleck, on Father's Day.
Sharing photographs of her father along with previously unseen images of Affleck with their children -- Violet, Seraphina and Samuel -- Garner wrote, "My sisters and I loved to spoil our dad; he never wanted for fresh baked cookies or a bowl of ice cream. I see the way my kids dote on their dad and I'm happy for them. To love and be loved by a great dad is a gift," according to People.
She concluded the heartfelt Father's Day message by writing, "Happy Father's Day to all of the dads and to the kids of dads, too."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, I find it refreshing that she still keeps such mementos from her childhood. In India, we tend to focus so much on marks and career from a young age. This assignment getting an 'A' is a reminder that being well-rounded matters more than just grades. Her poem is cute too - 'the things I am are special, they explain all about me and not of you' - so mature for a child.
This is so wholesome! Jen's list is everything - actress, peanut butter eater, poet, clown... she knew who she wanted to be even then. And her mom kept this for decades in her closet. Our Indian parents also save every school project and drawing we made. These small memories are priceless. 💛
While I appreciate the nostalgia, I wish we could have more coverage of Indian celebrities and their childhood moments instead of always looking at Hollywood. We have so many talented actors here who also have interesting backstories. But I won't deny, this is a sweet glimpse into her early life - especially the part about her father and Ben Affleck.
This is so cool that she kept her childhood project! The list is amazing - from actress to sailor to peanut butter eater. The poem is surprisingly deep for a kid. And her caption about 'number three nails it' shows she still has that playful spirit. As someone who grew up in the US, I know how cringey these projects can be later, but she owns it beautifully.
Lovely to see that even celebrities had such innocent school assignments. That poem
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