Time Capsule

2026 was the Palms Middle School Year of the Time Capsule, with the programs, contests, and ceremonies described below, including the excavation and opening of a 50-year Time Capsule and the burying of a new 50-year Time Capsule.

1976

Fifty years ago, as part of the 1976 celebration of the United States Bicentennial (200-year anniversary), students at Palms Junior High School (as it was known then) buried a Time Capsule on the central quad.

2026

In 2026, Palms celebrated the United States Semiquincentennial (250-year anniversary) with programs, contests, and ceremonies related to U.S. history and to the 1976 and 2026 Time Capsules. The Palms Year of the Time Capsule should be especially memorable to the Palms Classes of 1976, 1977, 1978, 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029!

For most of the 2025-2026 school year, we didn't know what the 1976 time capsule looked like, how big it was, or what was in it. We dug it up near the end of the school year. We opened it in a Time Capsule Ceremony on Saturday May 16, 2026, attended by over 300 current and former Palms students, staff, and special guests.

ABC News coverage of the Time Capsule Ceremony

2076

Fifty years from now, as part of the 2076 celebration of the United States Tricentennial (300-year anniversary), we expect Palms students to dig up the 2026 time capsule and learn about our world in 2026.

Time Capsule Art Contest

Students were invited to submit original artwork on the theme of "Study the Past! Observe the Present! Imagine the Future!"

Students considered three questions:

1. What was it like in the year 1976, when the U.S. celebrated its 200th anniversary?
2. What's it like now, as the U.S. celebrates its 250th anniversary?
3. What will it be like in 2076, when the U.S. celebrates its 300th anniversary?

The contest ran from December 1, 2025 to January 23, 2026.

Winners were selected for each grade level. The winning artwork will be placed in the 2026 Time Capsule, buried in Fall 2026, and opened in 2076. Digital scans of all contest artwork will also be placed in the Time Capsule.

Art Contest Winners

1st place:

• Eleonora Beylin (6th grade)
• Adelaide Wallis (7th grade)
• Abigail Rison (8th grade)

2nd place:

• Nicolas Van Den Bosch (6th grade)
• Naomi Ominsky (7th grade)

3rd place:

• Josephine Rademacher (6th grade)
• Caitlin Cardano (7th grade)

Student Surveys and Charts

Each week from January to March 2026, Palms students voted for their favorites by filling out a Time Capsule Weekly Survey. Palms students in the year 2076 will open the Time Capsule and learn about the opinions and preferences of Palms students from way back in 2026.

Palms math students created charts showing the results of each survey question. Three charts – made by 6th grade students Annaly Garcia, Naomi Jackson, and Rylie Lovejoy – will be placed in the 2026 Time Capsule, buried in Fall 2026, and opened in 2076. Digital scans of all charts will also be placed in the Time Capsule.

Three Students in Leadership – Crystal Martinez, Aubrie Mendez, and Tristan Ortonio – made large posters showing the results of survey questions.

Time Capsule Apparel

Friends of Palms sold specially designed Time Capsule T-shirts and Time Capsule hoodies celebrating the Palms Year of the Time Capsule and the United States 250th Anniversary. Both had the Palms panther logo on the front and a red, white, and blue U.S. history timeline on the back.

Only a limited number were made available, as keepsakes and souvenirs of the Time Capsule events. As of Fall 2026, only a small inventory is left. Contact Friends of Palms for a last chance to purchase a T-shirt or hoodie. Once they are sold out, they are gone for good!

Palms Press

Each issue of the school newspaper, the Palms Press, covered an aspect of the Year of the Time Capsule.

See the Palms Press page for back issues containing the following articles:

Palms 2026 Yearbook

The Year of the Time Capsule was the theme for the Palms 2026 yearbook.

Some pages had students' answers to questions: What do you think is inside the Time Capsule? If you could go back in time to any point in history where would you go and why?

One page was a "Then and Now" gallery with photos of former Palms students from 1976, showing their 1976 yearbook photo and their current photo.

Yearbook back cover, with the 1976 Time Capsule plaque

"What's in the Time Capsule?" contest

Oscar Ashby, Zurie Dinani, and Ela Veli

Time Capsule Ceremony

Over 300 people attended the ceremony for the opening of the 1976 Time Capsule on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

Speakers included:

• Principal Mr. Enriquez
• Magnet Coordinator and emcee Dr. Kelley Girvan
• California State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (District 28)
• Los Angeles City Council member Katy Yaroslavsky (District 5)
• Mia Thiagarajan, representative for U.S. Congress member Ted Lieu (District 36)
• Karen Calderon, representative for California State Assembly member Isaac Bryan (District 55)
• LAUSD Board of Education member Sherlett Hendy Newbill (District 1)
• Event Coordinator Dr. Neil Cuada
• 1976 Palms Junior High School Student Body President Dr. Kyndall Brown
• Students from Sixth Grade Leadership
• Students from Senior Leadership

Palms was presented with three Certificates of Recognition for the occasion.

A new Palms Panther mascot and flag were presented, the 1976 Time Capsule was opened, and 19 Palms students put the first items into the 2026 Time Capsule after showing each item to the audience.

What Was in the 1976 Time Capsule

Download these documents to learn what we found in the 1976 Time Capsule. The first PDF has a summary of the items. The second PDF has descriptions and photos too.

Students from 1976

We set out to find as many former Palms Junior High School students as we could. Using social media, people-finder websites, genealogy records, and word-of-mouth, we found potential contact information for about 300 of the 1,400 students from the 1976 school year. The effort was led by Palms parent Bethany Phillips.

After we sent out messages using the contact information, we heard back from just over 100 former Palms students. We asked each former student what they remembered about their time at Palms, and shared news with them about the Time Capsule project.

We collected recent photos of 60 former Palms Junior High School students, paired them with their 1976 (or 1975) yearbook photo, and created a Then and Now photo booklet, which we shared with each participant.

Class of 1976/1977/1978 Reunion

On May 16, 2026, about 60 former 7th grade, 8th grade, and 9th grade Palms Junior High School students from 1976 gathered in the Student Cafeteria to share a meal, reconnect with long-lost friends, and reminisce about attending Palms when the 1976 Time Capsule was buried. The reunion ticket price was $19.76.

Some former students took a walk through the tunnel, which they remembered from their early teen years. Some admired the exhibit of The Oasis, the school newspaper issues from 1976. Some won raffle prizes. Everyone had a good time visiting their old school.

What Will Be in the 2026 Time Capsule

The items we're putting in the 2026 Time Capsule were selected by the Time Capsule Committee based on student and staff suggestions. Some items were donated, some collected, and some purchased. Each item will be enclosed in archival-quality packaging. Desiccants will be included to absorb moisture, along with oxygen-absorbers to slow degradation.

Download these documents to learn what will be in the 2026 Time Capsule. The first PDF has a summary of the items. The second PDF has descriptions and photos too.