Time capsule sealed at North Bergen’s new junior high, not to open until 2051

Last Friday, inside the hallways of North Bergen’s newest school, a group of students watched as a time capsule was sealed shut. They won’t be the ones to open it. Their children might.

The capsule, buried at Nicholas J. Sacco Junior High School, is packed with more than 30 items from the 2025-2026 school year. It won’t be opened until June 26, 2051.

School officials say the capsule is meant to preserve the first year of the district’s newest school — the memories, the traditions, the everyday moments that might otherwise be forgotten. But for the students who helped fill it, the ceremony was something simpler: a chance to leave a mark.

What’s inside

The time capsule contains items that tell the story of the school and the world around it. There’s the original key to the building, a blueprint of the facility, and the first yearbook ever published at Nicholas J. Sacco Junior High School. There are photographs, student and staff rosters, and graduation memorabilia.

There are also artifacts from the wider world. Newspaper front pages from the New York Knicks’ 2026 NBA Championship. A pair of AirPods. A USB drive packed with digital memories. And a single penny from its final year in circulation — a small piece of history that, by 2051, may seem as quaint as a typewriter ribbon does today.

The capsule was put together by a committee of administrators, teachers, and staff. They wanted to capture not just the big events but the feel of everyday school life. Speeches from the dedication ceremony are included. So are ribbon-cutting invitations and photos. A letter to future students and staff sits in the mix, waiting to be read by someone not yet born.

Why this matters now

North Bergen has seen plenty of change over the decades. The opening of this junior high school is part of that story. Mayor Nick Sacco, who the school is named after, said in a statement that the capsule preserves “the first chapter of what will become a long and proud tradition.”

“50 years from now, I hope those who open this capsule will not only see how much the world has changed, but also recognize the values, dedication, and sense of community that have always defined North Bergen,” he said.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. George Solter echoed that sentiment. “Every school has a story, and this time capsule preserves the very first chapter,” he said. “The items chosen reflect not only the accomplishments of our students and staff, but also the excitement, optimism, and pride that surrounded the opening of this remarkable building.”

What it means for families

For parents and kids in North Bergen right now, this capsule is a time stamp of a moment that will feel distant soon enough. The student who helped place that yearbook inside may be a grandparent by the time it’s opened. The teacher who wrote the letter to future staff may have retired long ago.

But that’s kind of the point. Time capsules force us to think about what we value. What do we choose to pass on? A penny. A pair of headphones. A championship newspaper. These items say something about who we were in 2026 — and who we hoped to become.

For kids at Nicholas J. Sacco Junior High, the ceremony was a reminder that they are part of something bigger than a single school year. They’re the first class. The ones who set the tone. In 2051, students will open that capsule and see what mattered to the people who came before them.

What’s next

The capsule is now sealed. There are no plans for another one until 2051. But school officials say they hope this tradition continues — maybe with a new capsule at the 25th anniversary or the 50th.

For now, the capsule sits somewhere in the school, waiting. Twenty-six winters and summers. Twenty-six years of students walking the same halls. One day, someone will open it and find a piece of North Bergen history, frozen in time.