CARAMAC students bury ‘Time Capsule.’

WESTERN BUREAU:

The 2015 cohort of students at the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC) at the Western Jamaica Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) started what they hope will become a tradition at the institution recently, when they buried a 20-year time capsule, which chronicles the memories of their three-year period of study.

A time capsule is generally planted, buried or kept in a safe holding area for a specified period of time. It holds items that help to preserve the history of a particular time, which could become relevant to archaeologists, historians and other interested persons in the future.

The CARIMAC students planted their time capsule at Hartmond (formerly Coopers Hill) adjacent to the St James High School and Harrison Memorial High School.

The students were led on the innovative mission by the director of the Western Jamaica Campus, Dr Luz Longsworth; Patrick Prendergast, coordinator of CARIMAC Western Jamaica; Steffon Campbell, lecturer; and Nicole Plummer, lecturer and coordinator, Institute of Caribbean Studies.

items in the capsule

The wide variety of items in the time capsule included timetables, pens, books, jewellery, clothing and letters. A plaque, which carries the name of the capsule and a schedule of the time of its planting and date for it's reopening, was buried adjacent to it.

The capsule planting formed part of a week of celebrations to mark the end of the Media Design and Production Two Course - Project Link and Up with the Link, which was part of the implementation phase of the course for which the students would be graded on the use of various media channels, including radio, television, print and Internet.

The other activities the students engaged in included Mural Monday, which was part of efforts to promote integration on the campus, and the Tek Wi Picha Tuesday.

Project Manager Paige Andrew said the aim of Project Link was to increase school spirit while creating avenues for integration and participation at the Western Jamaica Campus.

"Today, we stand on the ground of what will be, in the next couple of years, a world class campus for the medical students at the UWI, WJC," said Andrew.

"We are proud to be the foundation of the UWI, WJC. We have begun what we hope will be an annual tradition, and that the students coming forward will take it and improve upon it."

"... something that will enable students to create linkages that will last a lifetime. The time capsule dedication ceremony today also doubles as the end of an extra-happy week at the WJC," Andrew added.

grown in love

Dr Longsworth, who will be leaving the institution to take up an appointment at the Cave Hill Campus of UWI, Barbados, for a year, said the Montego Bay campus has grown in love and happiness and had become the happier campus in Jamaica.

"It has been my honour to be here, taking your love," said Longsworth.

"Wherever I go, I hope that the legacy will continue from generation to generation, and I am very happy to add my piece to the time capsule, so see you back in 20 years."

Prendergast said the time capsule represents an interesting project at a time when numerous changes have been taking place, including breaking new ground in the delivery of CARIMAC programmes.

"We are basically looking to see how we can have the students drive their own educational experience ... ," said Prendergast.

The time capsule will be unearthed in 2035.

- B. F.