SAN JACINTO – Juan Bautista De Anza Elementary School hosted a special time capsule opening ceremony on April 30, revealing pieces of the past placed by students and staff 25 years ago in the year 2000. Despite unexpected water damage to the capsule, the event offered a heartfelt trip down memory lane for approximately 30 former students and staff members in attendance.
Among the attendees was Sheila Hunt, who was the school’s principal when the time capsule was sealed. Ms. Hunt made a special effort to attend, adjusting her travel plans from Arkansas, where she had flown in for another event, so she could witness the opening alongside former colleagues and students.
Former De Anza student, Abraham Gomez, who came to the event dressed in a retro De Anza “Where the Cool Go To School” t-shirt, found the paper he had placed into safekeeping 25 years ago.
The capsule had been opened a few weeks prior in preparation for the event, only to be found filled with water. However, thanks to the diligent work of current staff, many documents and mementos were carefully dried and salvaged. Items recovered included student essays, class schedules, school memorabilia, and heartfelt letters addressed to the future.
Two classes joined the celebration in person as their teachers, Mrs. Walker and Miss Woodman were also part of the De Anza staff in 2000. The remaining classes were able to watch a livestream of the event thanks to the San Jacinto High School Tiger Media Network students. Current students and staff have come together to create another box of mementos and pages filled with their dreams for the future, which will be tightly sealed and preserved – until the next time capsule “reveal” in 2050.
“It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come and how much has changed—yet how connected we still are as a school community,” said one attendee. “This time capsule reveal was about so much more than preserved mementos; it is like a family reunion, which speaks so well to the caring culture within SJUSD,” commented another.
The event offered time for reflection, laughter, and even a few tears, as alumni and former staff shared stories, reconnected, and honored the legacy of Juan Bautista De Anza Elementary School.
