PVHS preserves time, celebrates renovation projects

SPRING MILLS — A ceremony was held by Student Council and National Honor Society members on Oct. 15 at the Penns Valley High School, celebrating the installation of a time capsule and the completion of a major renovation project.

The construction added a new 1,200-seat gymnasium, auditorium upgrades, modernized library, updated administrative offices, a new front facade, entryway and band room and air conditioning installation throughout the building.

The high school building was constructed in 1955, and opened in September 1956. Since opening, the school has seen three renovation projects in 1968, 1996 and 2017.

High school Principal Dustin Dalton said before the renovation, students used hallways and empty lobbies to work on assignments. With the renovation, he said they now have collaborative, multi-use classrooms designed to house students working on group projects.

To fill the time capsule, Dalton asked members of the class of 2019 and the class of 2020 to choose items to put inside it. Last year’s graduates wrote letters to themselves and current seniors were responsible for finding objects to include that were representative of Penns Valley and its students. Students donated photos, Penns Valley swimming caps, cellphone cases, wristbands, dodge balls, a yearbook and other items to be included in the time capsule, which will be placed in the cornerstone of the newly constructed gymnasium. It is planned to open the capsule in 30 to 50 years.

Dalton speculated on the future of cell phones.

“What’s a cellphone going to look like in 50 years?” he said. “Are you even going to have cellphones or are you just going to have some kind of chip in your arm and walk around and talk into it?”

Dalton said he wants the students and educators who open the capsule will get to see something different.

“The idea behind it is to leave something interesting for the class to find,” he said. “We could not go without placing the yearbook in there. If you’ve ever looked at a yearbook from 50 years ago, just the hairstyles alone are enough,” said Dalton.