A piece of Deerwood Elementary School’s history was unearthed Wednesday as a 34-year-old time capsule was opened. The capsule had been enclosed in bricks since 1991, with instructions to be opened in November 2025.
“It’s going to be a surprise, because none of us knows what’s in it,” said Principal Dr. Millie Torres. “Our media specialist has been here the longest, but this was already there when he came, even though he’s been here 29 years. He said that all he heard was they wrote notes and things like that,” she said.
Because the school didn’t have yearbooks in the early 1990s, Torres said she wasn’t able to find and contact former students about the capsule’s opening. “After we open it, we are going to invite like the community to come view the contents of it.”
First out of the capsule was a letter from the principal at the time, Virginia Phillips. “The hard work and dedication of this staff was unsurpassed by any with whom I’ve worked during my career,” Phillips wrote. “The challenge to those who come after is to learn all that you can become productive, moral, educated, and enlightened citizens. May God bless you all in your achievements.”
Among the contents were class photos, handwritten papers, artwork, and a teddy bear — many showing signs of water damage but still filled with nostalgia. As the items were laid out for viewing, onlookers could be heard reacting with delight: “Oh! Look at that picture!” “‘My music is DJ Jazzy Jeff.’” “‘My goal for 1991 is to drive a car.’”
“The people who sealed this capsule all those years ago believed in the power of education, in the strength of teamwork, and in the bright future of this school,” Torres said. “And today, we’ve proven them right.”
