Wantagh School District Puts Time In A Capsule Ahead Of America’s 250th

WANTAGH, NY — As the United States gears up for its 250th anniversary, the Wantagh School District is already looking ahead to the 300th.

The district put a time capsule in the ground at the high school-middle school campus Friday, with items inside courtesy of Wantagh students. The capsule is slated to be opened in 50 years, when the country is approaching its 300th anniversary, district officials said.

“As we put these capsules to rest, let us remember that America is a continuing story,” humanities director Julie Rosslee said. “Each generation adds its own chapter. May these student voices inspire those who open the capsule in 2076 to keep building a better nation – one rooted in hope, responsibility and liberty.”

As for how the students used those voices, students from grades 6 through 12 wrote reflections on life as a Wantagh student, life as an American teenager or what they think the future might look like. In total, district officials said there were almost 1,500 reflections in the time capsule, made up of four tubes that now lay in the ground beneath a pair of picnic tables. Along with the students’ writing was a copy of the Declaration of Independence and an American flag pin, with a hole for the capsules dug by school district buildings and grounds staff.

In addition to Rosslee, Nassau County legislator and Wantagh graduate Kayla Knight spoke at a ceremony for the time capsule, while almost 20 middle school and high school students took turns throwing a little bit of dirt on the top of the capsule.

Rosslee said there would be a stone placed at the site of the time capsule, marking its location for future generations so that people will know the right time to dig it up.