HOPEWELL VALLEY COVID-19 TIME CAPSULE

We’re living through a moment in history that appears to have the potential to rewrite our politics, our economy, and our society.

Years from now, we will be retelling the stories of this pandemic and how it impacted our families and communities. The Hopewell Valley Regional School District, Hopewell Valley Historical Society and Hopewell Museum would like to preserve this history to show how the Hopewell Valley community came together in a time when it seemed like the world was falling apart.

HOW CAN YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE COVID-19 TIME CAPSULE?

Contributing your own oral history and primary sources to the time capsule will enable you to share your stories with future generations and preserve this moment in history. Some ideas:

  • Record a video or take a picture with your family of what you are doing during the quarantine. 

  • Keep a journal for a few days and record what is going on in our community or the world. 

  • Share news articles or publications that describe the evolution of the pandemic. 

  • Time Capsule sheets for young child

  • Take pictures of your teddy bear/rainbow hunts and sidewalk chalk activities. 

  • We have many talented artists in our community; draw a picture or create a collage that represents what is going on. 

  • We also have talented musicians that can write songs about the pandemic (see HVCHS English teacher Mr. Holland's  Hey There, My Students ('Hey There Delilah' Parody)). 

  • Share stories of what others are doing in the community to help (for example, our Hopewell Valley Mobile Food Pantry and Meals on Wheels). 

  • Share pictures of those fighting on the front lines of the pandemic and what they mean to you. 

  • If you are making masks or other resources, share a piece of fabric or your design. 

  • Unfortunately, this is going to hit a lot of our small businesses and families hard. Share documents that show the economic impact of this pandemic. 

  • Teachers and classes can share thoughts of remote learning and how this impacted their education. 

This is just a short list but the possibilities are endless. We want to show the reality of this pandemic and how it has impacted the Hopewell Valley community. 

WHERE DO I SEND MY ARTIFACTS?

DIGITAL ARTIFACTS:

  • You can upload your digital artifacts using this form.

  • If you do not have a Google account or are experiencing difficulties with the form, please email danaheller@hvrsd.org directly. 

PHYSICAL ARTIFACTS:

  • Please sent your artifacts to: 

    Attn: COVID-19 Time Capsule
    Hopewell Valley Regional School District
    425 S. Main St.
    Pennington, NJ 08534

  • Please make sure to include your first and last name and HVCHS graduating class (if applicable). Please add a written explanation if the artifact needs to be put into context of its time and place (e.g., Who is in the picture/video? Where was it taken?). 
     

  • Please note:

    • Any artifact submitted will not be returned. If not used for the time capsule, items may be disposed of.

    • Do not leave/send anything that is perishable.

    • For larger artifacts, please contact Dana Heller (danaheller@hvrsd.org) to discuss other arrangements.

WHO CAN SEND ARTIFACTS?

ANYONE! We would love for this to be a community project. Please share this with friends and family who may not have young children in the school system.

WHEN WILL THE TIME CAPSULE BE OPEN?

The plan is to have a community event in 2033; that is the year that next year’s kindergarteners will be graduating high school.

HOPEWELL GRATEFUL WALL 

At the community event, we would love to assemble a wall with images of what our community was grateful for during this time. In addition to artifacts, please include a picture (individual or group), that shows what you are grateful for (see image to the right).

INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED?

Are you a member of a local organization or municipality or just someone interested in getting involved? We are looking for volunteers to help with this project. Please contact a member of the committee for more information.

COVID - 19 Time Capsule Committee

STAY STRONG WE MISS YOU