Walk down the back stairs at Topanga Elementary towards Room 1 and look right. At the slope of the hill lies a beautiful array of tiles under which, for ten years, through rain and heat and misty nights, laughing schoolchildren and silent weekends, rested four time capsules carefully buried by the students of the fifth grade class in the year 2000. On August 15, the kids, now young adults, came back to revisit their past.
Walking into the middle of their reunion was an instant upper – their vitality and happiness in reconnecting was contagious. Someone shouted: "Where's Henry?" Moments later, Henry Garf came running down the stairs and everyone laughed at the synchronicity: the party was now officially on.
Brooks Ellis, still in the Canyon, put the event together. He described how much Topanga, music and community meant to him and this deep affection was mirrored right back at him by his former classmates. A major theme of the afternoon was gratitude for the experience of growing up in Topanga.
Molly Collins, living in Koreatown and attending Pasadena City College, is studying anthropology with the goal of working with indigenous communities. She assessed the TES experience: "We didn't even realize what we were getting. Our science class went out into the creek, our teachers, like Mrs. Wallace, were inspiring as people."
PHOTOS BY KATIE DALSEMER  The big moment arrives when the heavy tile cover is lifted. In front (L-R) Conor Colburn, Ben Friedus, Cameron McCarthy, Terin Ector, James Hurst, Miles Lewis and Brooks Ellis. In background (L-R) Bill Naylor, Francis Villasenor and Henry Garth. |
Garf, now at Lawrence University Conservatory of Music studying classical and flamenco guitar, agreed. "It felt like absolutely the best place you could go to school."
Bonnie Andrus, now at UC Berkeley studying art and planning to move to New York City, continued the theme. She said that she "…felt closer to these people than the people from my high school because all of our families are friends. The school is still so beautiful, like it was when I was here."
Sachi Moskowitz, now living with her grandfather in Venice and taking classes at Santa Monica City College, also recalled the feeling of going to school in the middle of nature.
With everyone else talking about being in college or trying to afford staying in college, Connor Colburn was a refreshing voice for entrepreneurial adventure - growing up working at his family's bicycle store, Epic Cycles in Topanga; a stint working at Helens; a month studying at the United Bicycle Institute up in Oregon - he's got his own online bicycle business up and running. Some of the people he liked the most couldn't make it, but he said that Ricky Rupe just joined the Coast Guard and is stationed in Hawaii, while Derek Meyers is in the Navy , was stationed in Japan and is due to get out next year after four years.
Everyone smiled at the idea of his next ambition: Meyers wants to be a sheriff and the consensus was that he would be a good one. The former students' regret in missing some key friends was toned down by the fact that everyone is interconnected on facebook©, so the Topanga community grows and expands as young adults move across America and the globe.
 A group is amused by the essay a fifth grade version of Devon Farr (middle) wrote. (L-R) James Hurst, Jeremy Siegel, Griffith Frank and Cameron McCarthy. |
Representing the older generation was Bill Naylor, who helped Frank Villaseñor dig the hole for the time capsules back in the day. Long-time TES librarian (15 years) Barbara Metzenbaum came to say hello to the students she adored. Jane Terjung, who supported Ellis' efforts to organize the day, came with her daughter Becky Elfes-Terjung. Exiting principal Liam Joyce said that this was his last official event at Topanga Elementary and spoke with as much enthusiasm for his future doings as did the twenty-one year old attendees. Former principal Ms. Goodman did not attend, but Collins commented via facebook© that "…I wanna tell her that the fact that I tie my shoes wrong has never stopped me from accomplishing my goals."
The actual time capsules made for a bumpy trip: some of them had gotten wet, damaging the notes the children had written themselves and sweet photos from days past. Others, vacuum packed, or located in a better drained portion of the hole, were immaculate. Perhaps most charming was a quote from Danielle M. Powell, also not present, who asserted that "If Topanga turns into a city, society has lost it." After today, it would seem quite the reverse: this is a generation of cheerful, hard-working young adults, who love each other, revere nature and figure they'll thrive, one way or another. These are the people you want to time travel with any day.
