Akshay Vadlamani | The Chronicle
In fifty years, when future Mason residents unearth our time capsule, what will they learn about who we were in 2025? The items we choose to preserve tell stories about what we value most. For this feature, we asked six diverse members of our community—from longtime residents to newcomers, students to city leaders — what single object they would contribute to a Mason time capsule and why. Their answers, as varied as the people themselves, weave together to create a snapshot of our town at this moment in time. These everyday objects, cherished mementos and symbolic items offer glimpses into what makes Mason special to those who call it home today.
I would include a copy of Home Away from Home by Cynthia Lord. Former MI students might remember reading Rules by the same author. Home Away from Home explores themes of environmental conservation, friendship and the challenges of growing up. More than that, it has been one of my favorite read-alouds with my fifth graders over the past two years. Sharing stories aloud with students is one of my most cherished memories as a teacher, and this book perfectly represents the joy and connection that comes from that experience.
I’d include a receipt from my first visit to Chipotle after moving to Mason. Coming from India, these fast-casual restaurants offering customizable meals felt distinctly American to me. That receipt represents not just a meal, but my introduction to a new culture and the beginning of making Mason my home. It reminds me of how welcoming this community has been during my transition and how even small, everyday experiences can become meaningful landmarks when you’re building a new life somewhere. Mason has given me a sense of belonging I wasn’t sure I’d find after moving so far from home.
I [would] put in a picture of the Dream Center. [The] Dream Center opened this school year as what we envisioned and hoped would be a center and hub for learning, where people from all over Mason, the community, the student body, would come together and work on a variety of projects, collaborate, and build relationships. So, I think the hope is that in 30 years, we could look back and say, “Oh, wow, the Dream Center has been this space that they wanted it to be.”
I’d put in one of the many graduation photos of previous classes here at Mason in the Time Capsule. Those pictures always fascinated me, and if you had asked those people 30 years ago if they thought Mason would look the way it is and be as diverse as it is, they would have been shocked. Mason has changed so much, and that’s affected everything from education, to the way we run our businesses and the audiences we cater to, and so I’d like to put a graduation photo from 30 years ago and one from 2025 in order for people in the future to see.
I’d leave a collection of printed photos from my time at Mason. While it’s an academically rigorous place where I’ve spent countless hours studying and completing assignments, what I truly want to remember are the relationships I’ve formed. My friends have defined my experience here. These photos capture meaningful moments—hanging out at StuGo [Student Government], participating in the Investment Club and Science Bowl, celebrating at Nationals, winning regionals, and simply enjoying time together outside of school. These images represent what I’ll remember most about Mason: the fun times and friendships, not just the academic challenges and college applications.
I’d leave one of my police hats in the Time Capsule, as it would represent the various hats I as an officer here at Mason wear. Between making sure students on school grounds feel safe and preventing kids from getting into mischief, I’m adopting different roles. Despite the fact that I may have to be strict on students when it comes to certain rules, I view all the students at Mason as my own children and in that sense I’m usually wearing my “dad hat”. I don’t hold [students] to the same regard I hold a person my age, and my time here at Mason has been a balancing act between being an officer and being a father.
Graphics by Matluba Eshonkulova and Coco Meng
