Camelot Elementary School, located on 298th Street in Auburn, celebrated its 60th anniversary on Thursday, October 15. The milestone event brought together current and former staff, students, and parents to reflect on six decades of the school’s history and traditions, which are rooted in an Arthurian theme.
Attendees gathered in the school’s gymnasium, known as the “Great Hall,” which was adorned with medieval decorations, including banners used decades prior for the school’s 30th anniversary. Medieval music played as guests mingled, took student-led tours, and examined historical artifacts such as old school photos, blueprints, awards, and newspaper clippings. Many who attended the evening said they were returning to a place that felt like home.
The celebration’s scheduled program was entirely led by students, who called themselves the “Camelot Crew.” Fifth grader and event emcee Jayda Greene welcomed the audience, addressing them as “lords and ladies and everyone in the Kingdom of Camelot.” The crew was guided by fifth grade teacher Darcy Borg, who has taught at Camelot for nearly 40 years and played a significant role in organizing the event. Borg emphasized the importance of bringing out the school’s archives and time capsule to help new generations understand “the richness of what it means to be Camelot.”
Current Principal Brooke Perry and Assistant Principal Jasmine Dalton presented a time capsule discovered in their office, which they referred to as “Merlin’s Chamber.” This capsule served as a major source of inspiration for the evening’s events. It contained blueprints, old film photos of the school, and a handwritten letter from a student named Rachel from 1991, who wrote about a future where computers would be in every classroom.
Fifth grader Olivia Guarin delivered a presentation on the school’s history, detailing how architect William R. Reed designed the building in the early 1960s. She also recounted a fire in November 1980 that burned the school’s music room, noting that the gymnasium’s original stone walls likely prevented the fire from consuming the entire 1965 building. Guarin, who volunteered for the presentation due to her interest in writing and research, stated she thinks about what she has learned when walking the school’s hallways.
The program also featured a live talk show hosted by fifth grader Zoey Dmytriv, who interviewed former principals Phyllis Tellari (1986-1994), Sharon Stenerson (1997-2005), Paul Marquardt (2005-2011), and Andre Koch (2019-2022). Dmytriv opened the segment by saying, “We have 60 years of history to catch up on.” Each former principal shared memories and insights from their tenure, discussing challenges and joys. Tellari recalled a period when the school temporarily inhabited a different building, during which students and staff maintained Camelot traditions. Koch, who served during the pandemic, recounted staff driving to deliver laptops and materials for remote learning, calling such a culture unique to Camelot. Marquardt noted that through the years, students “always ran the place.”
Marquardt, who was a teacher at Camelot before becoming principal, said he experienced “flashbacks” seeing former Principal Stenerson onstage. He also shared that his wife often asks if he is “still trying to find your Camelot” in his subsequent career in school administration.
Darcy Borg reflected on a challenging period during the pandemic, stating it “really broke us” and that the school seemed to lose some connection to its history. However, looking around the anniversary celebration, Borg expressed that she felt that connection “coming back.”
Further adding to the historical reflection, Deshaun Lewis, father to event emcee Jayda Greene, displayed a 1997-98 yearbook containing a photo of himself and his sister from their time as students at Camelot. Attendees were also invited to write down their own memories of the school to be compiled into a memory book. James Haney performed the song “Camelot” onstage, with lyrics suggesting, “you leave Camelot but Camelot never leaves you.” Olivia Guarin also presented plants as gifts to community members.