ERIE, Illinois — Students at Erie Elementary School in 2002 are looking back at what they thought life would look like in 2022.
A time capsule was buried in town on Sept. 7, 2002, to be opened 20 years later for Erie's sesquicentennial celebration. The students' letters were on display at the celebration's history museum, along with other artifacts.
"When we got done with the museum, everyone's like, 'What are we going to do with these?'" Kathy Kuhnen said. "I said, 'Well, we can't throw them away.' So I just volunteered to take them and try and find their owners. And I've been carrying them around in my car with me in hopes that I either see them or maybe a family member."
Shannon James was one of the letter owners. She wrote hers when she was in third grade.
In 2022, she wanted to be a singer and to have met Michael Jordan. She also wanted to drive a silver Jeep with flames and have a boyfriend who drove a Harley.
"I do not come from a motorcycle Harley family, I don't know," James said. "I wasn't into sports. I don't know why I would have wanted to meet Michael Jordan. I have no idea... I guess I just had big goals for the future."
She jokes that she overachieved on the boyfriend goal because she's married with two kids. She drives a minivan, which she said maybe she'd convince her husband to paint some flames on the side, and is mostly a stay-at-home mom and works for Erie's ambulance department.
"I was really nervous to read mine," James said. "It's kind of nice to see just how different I thought my life was gonna be and how much better it is than I even imagined."
Katelyn McConnell wrote her letter when she was in second grade. She predicted she'd be a teacher. The dream ended up being true; she teaches at Erie Middle School now.
"I love working with the students. I love just having conversations with them, talking with them and talking about their futures too," McConnell said. "When I told my dad that this is what I said, he's like, 'I should have had you guess lotto tickets too.'"
In first grade, Koby Kuhnen had dreams to play for the Chicago Bears. Twenty years later, he's a project manager at a construction company.
"It'd probably help them out if I was playing for them right now," he said. "I think every kid probably wants to be a professional football player at some point. But I'm pretty happy with where I am and excited that I get to work for a good company."
Seth Ryan predicted in 2022 he'd be 29 (he was right about that) and he would work at Old County Buffet, making $500 a week.
"I mean, what child could resist that? The chocolate milk was like no other," Ryan said.
He does stay busy working several jobs as a car salesman, volunteer EMT and bartender.
Dylan Deshane's prediction was a little more far-fetched. He wanted to be a snake catcher in South America and a pro wrestler.
"I do not live in South America," he said. "But maybe let's say wrestling. I did wrestling in college, so I did get kind of close there. I coach now."
But if he sees a snake, he said he'd try to catch it.
As a fourth grader, Mariah Rudnicki predicted 2022 would bring flying cars and she did not want side pocket folders to exist anymore.
"I've liked that I wrote that you can bring your dog or cat to school," Rudnicki said. "Both my husband and I are teachers and we're actually getting therapy dogs soon in our district, so that's really exciting that that part at least will come true."
While many of the predictions didn't come true, the alumni said it was fun to get together and read what their imaginations thought up for 2022.
And as for the next 20 years? Many think flying cars are a definite possibility.
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