Alumni and students unearth Chugak High School’s 1976 time capsule, recall teacher Andy Kirk’s influence

Abigail Lanehart, a Chugak High School student who said she will graduate in 2027, opened the event by introducing herself; fellow student River Howell followed with a similar introduction.

The gathering centered on a time capsule buried in 1976 during the U.S. bicentennial. Event organizers and alumni described the capsule as a 25-gallon barrel that six graduating classes contributed to and said the project was originally proposed by history teacher Andy Kirk to bring students and faculty together across generations.

Organizers and attendees said the capsule had been unearthed and moved multiple times over the decades. After one removal and subsequent return, the capsule was kept in the principal’s office before being reburied; school community members later sealed it in concrete to deter further tampering and had to jackhammer the seal when opening it for this event.

Participants said recovered items included cassette tapes, a newspaper and a hockey puck, and attendees joked about finding a Twinkie among the contents. The narrator at the event said the 1976 graduating class had approximately 177 students. Several alumni and speakers emphasized that the capsule represented not only objects but memories and the influence of teachers on students’ lives.

Speakers repeatedly pointed to Andy Kirk’s role at the time, saying he led student government projects and encouraged a long-term, student-run tradition of curating the capsule for future students. One alumnus described using tapes Kirk recorded about the school’s early years as the basis for a tour of the campus that culminated at the courtyard where the capsule was kept.

Organizers said attendees would need to be present for the scheduled Friday opening to see the full contents and emphasized the event’s mix of curiosity and nostalgia. Participants suggested practical changes for any future capsule—using a sturdier container, laminating paper items and more robust sealing—to preserve contents better over decades.

The ceremony closed with informal conversation among alumni about their memories; event organizers and attendees framed the unearthing as a moment to connect present students with school history and the teachers who shaped their experience.