Seniors' Fourth Grade Memories Unearthed

It had been many years since these Souhegan seniors have seen the contents of Mrs. Zall’s time capsule.

Wilkins Elementary teacher Jo-Ann Zall brought a time capsule made by her fourth grade class eight years ago to Souhegan High School on Thursday.

The now-grown students buzzed with excitement as they gathered around the box that contained their childhood memories. One by one, Mrs. Zall took out items out that had been left by the students' younger selves.

Inside lay pictures, spelling books, student planners, assignments, bookmarks and even a paper clip chain made by some less-attentive students.

“Its like a blast from the past, it is really crazy,” said senior Sumner Bailey as he looked over an old assignment. “My handwriting has gotten much worse.”

So much has changed since he put his items in the time capsule, he said, from small things like a favorite television show to the much larger differences in future goals and aspirations.

His fondest memory from his time in Mrs. Zall’s fourth grade class was his friends who are still with him to this day.

Senior Alexis Ierardi looked over her childhood works and remarked how interesting it was that life had taken her down a completely different path, but some things never change.

“I still had big goals when i was younger, and I continue to have large goals,” she said.

Ierardi reminisced about the projects she used to do in fourth grade, especially a world research project she had worked on about China. Looking back it now, she said it was much like a small-scale senior project.

“It is full circle,” said Ierardi. “It is crazy how things you learned in fourth grade are carried with you, even in senior year.”

Zall has been presenting these time capsules to seniors for the past three years and is always amazed at the changes these students undergo.

“It is really a 360,” she said. “You see kids start putting pedal to the metal, find their niche and explore their talents.”

She said that the Amherst elementary schools and middle school do a great job preparing the students, but Souhegan really brings out the talent.

She attends the high school’s graduation ceremony each year to see her former students off as they go onto their next adventure. Of course, she usually sends them a picture of their fourth grade selves, along with a congratulatory note.

“They just bloom,” said Zall.

Seniors From Mrs. Zall's Fourth Grade Class:

John Arsenault
Sumner Bailey
Jason Barsky
Shelby Belak
Chris Chininis
Colby Jackson
Greg Crawford
Chase Dembisky
Dan Frenette
Devin Gilligan
Alexis Ierardi
Alexander Kempf
Morgan A. King
Mattie King
ALicia Meehan
Josh Norton
Alex Price
Claudia Rallis
Jake Rettig
Colleen Walsh
Jazmin West