Alabama Litchfield High School, Gadsden
"At the end of the 20th century, America seems to be far too concerned with the materialistic perspective of life. Our hope for the future would be a revitalized pursuit of the moral excellence inherent in self-sacrifice, patriotism, and doing "the right thing'' just because it's the right thing." A single dollar bill was included to symbolize materialism.

Alaska Seward Middle School, Seward
"Of all things that are a part of modern America, electronic technology is by far the most important in how it affects our day to day lives and our understanding of the world."

Arizona Palomino Elementary School, Phoenix
Arizona 2nd graders chose a computer to represent the 20th century in America. The students submitted a large, crayon-colored picture of a computer with dancers on the screen along with the phrase "Presiona rechur para continuar" (press return to continue).

Arkansas Carl W. Stuart Middle School, Conway
"Hometown newspapers are still vital to the education of our citizens and continue to be one of the best bargains in our society." Students submitted a copy of their hometown newspaper, the Log Cabin Democrat, as a symbol for hometown newspapers around the country.

California California High School, San Ramon
"The Past and our Future: In the 21st century our generation will stand up against ignorance and hate and unite across foreign boundaries as we become citizens of the world." Students submitted a collage titled, "California and the Nation" featuring images of famous Californians and California locations.

Connecticut Tolland High School, Tolland
"Our idea that represents America at the end of the 20th century is an image of our greatest achievement of this century, man landing on the moon. We choose to depict this achievement through the eyes of a homeless person as he watches the event on the television screen in a department store window. We believe this image represents the wonderful achievements in science, media and technology that we have made in this century, as well as the need to end personal suffering on this earth, yet to be achieved."

Colorado East Ridge Elementary, Aurora
Individual statements of hope

District of Columbia Burrville Elementary School
Individual statements of hope

Delaware Mount Pleasant Elementary School, Wilmington
"At the end of 1999 we are really worried about smoking, drugs, and alcohol because they kill you. If you drink when you are driving you can get severely hurt or die. Smoking gives you bad breath. If you smoke and you don't put it out it can start a fire. We want to see the world 'cigarette-less.'"

Florida Inverness Primary School, Inverness
Individual statements of hope

Georgia Bay Spring Middle School, Villa Rica
Individual statements of hope

Guam John F. Kennedy High School, Tamuning
"Living on an island and with many of our children coming from islands throughout the Pacific, the coconut tree holds much symbolism for us. The tree, like our country, is bountiful and life-giving…it is strong like America."

Hawaii Olomana, Kailu
"Students at Olomana School selected the Hawaii state flag as the artifact to be included from our state in the time capsule because they felt that it had historical significance with our past, present, and future."

Idaho Hayden Meadows Elementary, Hayden Lake
"[My students] felt that advances in medicine and the abilities of our military are the best representatives of America at the end of the 20th century. They appreciate the improvements in our lives that medical research has afforded and they appreciate the freedoms we have due to this great country."

Illinois Highland Park High School, Highland Park
"The class chose the idea of advancement to symbolize the United States…The United States continues to advance in the areas of 'promoting and testing' democracy, technology, being a member of a global society, and not mistreating nature. Advancement is a reflection of learning and this country learns from its mistakes."

Indiana (two classes participated)
Ben Davis High School, Indianapolis
"When one thinks of greatest accomplishments, leadership, you can't help but think of one word…America. The atom bomb, man on the moon, and the recovery of the Great Depression. Greatness is our history and future."

Connersville High School, Connersville
"The theme of 'technology' was an overwhelming choice. It is exciting to think that when this time capsule is opened in 2100, things that we haven't even dreamed of yet will have replaced our current technology." Students submitted a collage representing technology in 1999.

Iowa (two classes participated)
Avoca Hancock Shelby Tennant Middle School, Shelby
Students submitted a calendar entitled "From the Farm to You - Products Made From Iowa Commodities."

East High School, Des Moines
Students submitted a 30 minute video cassette tape entitled, "Voices of Change: Students Vignettes about Social and Ethnic Problems and Solutions."

Kansas Emporia High School, Emporia
Students submitted a video in which each student presented his or her own hopes for the future.

Kentucky Price Elementary School, Louisville
"Our idea of an item to represent America at the end of the 20th century for the National Time Capsule is a picture of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as a Drum Major for peace…Dr. King's image would indicate rights for all Americans with the underlining focus on peace."

Louisiana Northshore High School, Slidell
Individual statements of hope

Minnesota North High School, North Saint Paul
Individual statements of hope

Maine Vinalhaven High School, Vinalhaven
"Technology has improved the quality of life for those entering the 21st century. How much farther can it possibly take us, and how far do we want to go?…Although technology has enhanced learning in the 20th century, enough is enough. The consequences of too much technology are too much to deal with too fast. If we try to slow things down, there will be more time to deal with this country's problems."

Maryland Plum Point Middle School, Huntingtown
Students submitted a representational CD made out of leaves of aluminum foil and imprinted with the following, "Greatest Hits of the 20th Century: 1. Automobiles 2. Airplanes 3. Telephones 4. Radio 5. Television 6. Personal Computers 7. Internet and World Wide Web 8. Rockets 9. Communication Satellites 10. Robots."

Massachusetts Amherst Regional High School, Amherst
Students submitted a Ralph Ellison's book The Invisible Man to highlight "the struggles and promise of America at the end of the twentieth century."

Michigan (two classes participated)
Roosevelt High School, Wyandotte
"We who are here at the turn of the 21st century and the dawn of the new millennium extend our greetings and best wishes to our future generations. We pass on to you the most sacred of our possessions, that which has been defended with blood for the past 224 years, the power of the people."

Eastlawn Elementary School, Midland
"Technology Represents America! We think technology represents America the best because technology is used everywhere. We have space exploration, sites on the Internet are fun to go to, and computers control our life and make our life easier… People of the United States use technology everywhere. There are many different kinds of technology such as appliances, phones, tvs, radios, telescopes and computers. We can't imagine what life in America would be like without technology!"

Mississippi Sudduth Elementary School, Starkville
Mississippi students submitted a laminated booklet containing their hand-written statements of hope along with their fingerprints and a class photo.

Missouri Leland O. Mills Elementary School, Lake Ozark
"Most of my second graders thought that the computer was one of the most important to mention. It has enabled us to be a part of just about any historical moment…We believe that the computer can help bridge differences between countries, bring about understanding, and world peace…By supplying information and statistics about diseases into a computer, treatments and cures may be found. We hope that cures for many diseases will be found in the next 100 years. We look forward to experiencing life in the new millennium."

Montana Lewis and Clark Elementary School, Great Falls
Montana students were asked to bring in a photograph of one thing they thought of when they think of today. The resulting submission, a collage of picture cut-outs, includes images of toys, technology, and political leaders both domestic and foreign.

Nebraska Seward High School, Seward
"Technology will remain a hot topic in the next millennium."

Nevada Green Valley High School, Henderson
Individual statements of hope

New Hampshire John Stark Regional High School, Weare, New Hampshire
"Look at the arts of a particular society and you will understand its culture and the hopes and beliefs of its people. A piece of art from the turn of this century would show something of our freedoms, for we live in a society that allows us to present our ideas, thoughts and feelings in whatever way we choose. The arts represent our freedom to choose, to express and to interpret. The arts are a reflection of the past, a mirror of the present, a window to the future."

New Jersey Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Schools, Parsippany
New Jersey students submitted a computerized, color, modified U.S. Flag with some foreign flags substituted alternately within the field of stars. The image signifies the immigrant history of the United States and the current national and linguistic diversity in their own school.

New Mexico Los Alamos High School, Los Alamos
Individual statements of hope

New York Northport High School, Northport
New York students submitted pictures and mementos from the 60000 Nicaragua Project - a program that has placed Northport students and New York teachers in Nicaragua to help build playgrounds and schools and deliver educational and medical supplies.

North Carolina Northwest Cabarrus High School, Concord
"Money is our item of the century because it is linked to all of us in one way or another. Money is not a new thing to us. It has been around since the birth of this nation, with even the first settlers coming here in search of gold. Money has its own story and past, and will continue to play a big part in the future…"

North Dakota Beulah Elementary School, Beulah
"We believe children are timeless. It is our hope and dream that children will be free to learn and grow wherever they are in the world." Students submitted a book entitled Shhhh! The Teacher's Coming!, signed by all of the children in the class.

Northern Mariana Islands Tanapag Elementary School, Saipan
"Our 5th grade class voted on 'freedom' to best represent U.S. history in the past and at the end of the 20th century. We choose freedom because it gives us the power to live, learn, and love. Freedom is the best thing everyone has ever had or ever known. It is the #1 idea in our world…"

Ohio New Vienna Elementary School, New Vienna
Students submitted a bound book that has each of their personal statements of hopes and dreams. And includes a pin with the state motto, "The Heart Of It All." They sent a book, One Giant Leap, about Neil Armstrong who was also from a small town in Ohio. It is one of their favorite books.

Oklahoma Jenks East Elementary School, Jenks
Oklahoma students chose the eagle to represent freedom because it is a symbol of the past, the present and will endure in the future. They worked with their art teacher to create an eagle out of construction and origami paper. Each feather is made of origami paper and on it is written a freedom or a right enjoyed by a student in the class. They recorded a song about an eagle they learned in music class and added two original paragraphs explaining their choice of the eagle and the importance of freedom.

Oregon Clackamas High School, Milwaukie
Oregon students submitted a series of individual statements about America at the end of the 20th century. Achievements mentioned include space exploration and landing on the moon, activist teenagers , U.S. international aid during crises, advancements in women's rights, progress in understanding the human genome, the entertainment industry, and the reality of Dr. King's dream.

Pennsylvania Pocono Mountain Intermediate School- North Campus, Tobyhanna
"Telecommunications [is] the most representative idea of the United States at this point in its history. The students admire the technology, freedom, education, creativity and innovation that have enabled mankind to communicate with the most remote areas of our world and our universe…Most of these gifted young people look forward to the future with optimism. Nearly all hope to play a role in improving life for their fellow citizens of the world."

Puerto Rico Demetrio Rivera Marrero Community School, Corozal
(written by the teacher) "At the end of the 20th century, I can see America as a nation that reflects a growth in many areas. In education, we have come so far using technology in our classroom...We can see a nation in growth and in progress hoping that the best will happen to America."

Rhode Island George J. West Elementary School, Providence
Individual statements of hope

South Carolina Petersburg Elementary School, Pageland
"We believe computers represent best what our country has become and will continue to become in the new millennium. More and more technology is being developed which need the use of computers. Even space crafts are worked by computers. Computers are important to people, especially students, who gain knowledge and information by using computers. Computers are our connection to the rest of the world. Computers help countries share ideas and exchange products. Computers help families keep in touch. We don't have to keep things on paper anymore. Computers have changed our world and will keep changing our world in the future."

South Dakota Parkston Elementary School, Parkston
South Dakota students submitted a copy of the November/December 1999 issue of "South Dakota" magazine. The cover story of this issue is entitled "Goodnight 20th Century: What Has Survived South Dakota for All of These Last 100 Years: A Century-Ending Special."

Tennessee McNairy Central High School, Selmer
Tennessee students put together a collage to represent America as the curtain closes on the 20th century. It includes images and words centered around a flag motif rendering of "2000" in the middle. Items or events referenced included: Barbie; a man on the moon; Jesus; President Clinton; computers, credit card; "Americanization;" Mark McGuire; and an Uncle Sam U.S. Army poster.

Texas O.C. Taylor Elementary School, Colleyville
"Our concept is 'Expanding Horizons'..This picture represents the extraordinary advances in communication that have literally and figuratively expanded our horizons resulting in an explosion of knowledge, more opportunities for travel, and demanding greater understanding of diversity.

Utah Clayton Middle School, East Salt Lake City
"For our country and ourselves in the new millennium, we request that we Honor the lessons of our past, Work to fulfill the hopes of our present, Continually learn and alter our aspirations for our futures."

Vermont Hardwick Elementary School, Hardwick
"Opportunity, Equality: our wishes for the new millennium."

Virginia Salem High School, Virginia Beach
"Our class got together and decided that what we would like other generations in the future to know is that they should respect each other. Respect refers to being tolerant of one another's dress, culture, religion, gender, and race. There would be an end to hate crimes and stereotyping because people in the future would have respect for each other..."

Washington Shorecrest High School, Seattle
Students submitted a box decorated with various images and phrases representative of their feelings and attitudes. Within the box are individual statements, a word collage of thoughts on their community, a Millennium Twinkie, a class photo and a timeline of events that have taken place from WWII to the present day.

West Virginia Point Pleasant High School, Point Pleasant
"If one idea was to be selected to represent America at the turn of the century, it would have to be a factor that has consumed our nation through the past several years. As a class, we have decided this element is technology and our continuing reliability upon its services."

Wisconsin Gibraltar Middle School, Fish Creek
Wisconsin students submitted seeds accompanied by an original poem - which explains how the seeds represent democracy, freedom, equality, liberty, justice and peace.

Wyoming Beitel Elementary School, Laramie
"…Baseball is a sport that developed in the late 19th century and has become a symbol of 20th century America…millions of Americans follow baseball closely…Baseball has provided a unique opportunity for members of minority groups to get ahead in American society, and baseball is a sport that, while centered in the United States, has a true international appeal."

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