At Rocky River Elementary, a unique vision took root—one that will grow and flourish in the years ahead. Under the guidance of school nurse Ilene Jackowitz, students created a Time Capsule Park that celebrates hope, growth and progress.
What began in 2019 as a simple Career Day reflection has blossomed into a legacy project for the school community. After Career Day each year, students quietly write letters to their future selves, sealing them inside individual time capsules. Traditionally, the capsules were buried on campus, marked only by painted rocks. But Jackowitz imagined something greater: a dedicated space where students’ dreams could be honored and preserved—with help from the wider community.
This spring, that vision became a reality. Supported by a $1,500 LIFT Grant from the Union County Education Foundation and early partnerships with local organizations, the Time Capsule Park now features benches for reflection, a stone walkway representing life's journey and flowering shrubs and trees symbolizing growth and resilience. Crates bearing graduation years safely house the capsules until students return as high school graduates to reclaim their reflections.
“I always tell them to sit quietly and ask themselves: If I could be anything, what would it be?” Jackowitz said. “This park is a space to honor those dreams.”
From the start, Jackowitz emphasized that students would build this legacy. Fifth-grade STEM teacher Adam Haas wove the project into his curriculum, helping students design the garden, draft technical plans and manage a real-world budget. Students applied for leadership roles, guiding teams responsible for benches, plaques, plantings and creating a birdbath and birdhouse.
“It’s not just about writing something down,” said Eden Edwards, a fifth-grade team leader. “It’s about putting your heart into it. Planning, budgeting, designing — it’s all critical thinking.”
For Eden and his classmates, the experience was a creative challenge and a personal journey.
“This project is wonderful because it lets students get their creativity and positivity out," he said. "When you open that capsule later, it's like talking to your younger self and seeing how far you've come."
Adelyn Smead, another student leader, stepped outside her comfort zone after hearing one of Haas’s frequent reminders: "Get comfortable being uncomfortable."
“I thought this project would be a great way to challenge myself,” Adelyn said. "It’s fun and creative, but it also took a lot of careful planning, budgeting and teamwork."
When early flower choices did not divide evenly among the groups, Adelyn proposed adjusting the order to maintain fairness — a real-world lesson in flexibility, leadership and collaboration.
Growing community roots
A chance encounter early in the planning stages greatly expanded the project’s reach. By sharing her vision with Habitat Builders of Union County, Jackowitz secured the park’s first community partnership, bringing donated shrubs and professional landscaping expertise to the project.
“The outcome is amazing,” said Kristyna Culp with Habitat Builders. “It was incredible to have more than 20 kids working together — we planted everything in about 40 minutes. It felt like a convergence of humans, everyone focused and working toward something good."
Culp also guided the students in choosing plants that would thrive year-round and support pollinators and native wildlife.
“Almost all the plants in the garden are native to the Piedmont region of North Carolina—except for two lantana plants,” she explained. “Those were carried over from the summer because they're incredibly hardy, and pollinators love them. So, while they’re not native, they’re still beneficial.”
Currently, the garden includes 83 plants, with more on the way.
“We’re excited to be adding 18 more, thanks to a grant we received from Backyard Butterflies, a great organization based in Hillsborough,” Culp added. “All of the new plants are native species as well—we’re just still figuring out where to place them.”
Reflecting on the journey, Culp emphasized the chain reaction of projects like this. “It’s funny how this kind of project has a ripple effect. One great idea leads to more exciting opportunities. I love that!”
The momentum kept building. After seeing a request from Jackowitz on a local community page, Scott Robba, owner of Easy Green Lawn and Landscaping, joined the effort.
“I saw a post asking for landscaping donations for the project, and it just struck a chord with me," Robba said. "This is a great community, and it’s important to stick together and invest in our kids' futures."
Thanks to this spirit of generosity, the Time Capsule Park has been recognized as a Certified Wildlife Habitat and will soon be listed as part of North Carolina’s Butterfly Highway, officially placing Rocky River Elementary on the map for environmental stewardship.
A legacy for tomorrow
Yet the true heart of the project lies not in its flowers or benches but in the message it sends: your dreams matter — and you have the power to shape your future.
“We told them, ‘You will be the first. No one has ever done this before at our school,’” Jackowitz said. “One day, they’ll come back with their children and say, ‘I helped build this.’”
Today, as students walk the freshly laid stone path and pass by saplings and sprouting flowers, the Time Capsule Park stands as a promise in progress—a symbol of vision, leadership and community taking shape. Though still early in its journey, the space holds a meaningful legacy—preserved in handwritten letters and planted in the hearts of every student at Rocky River Elementary.
04/30/2025
