Throughout the 2020-2021 school year, the majority of Camas High School staff has been teaching classes remotely. Through the trying times, they have still‌ been able to find some joy and laughter in the little things. Staff reflected on a few of their most embarrassing moments over Zoom and contrasted them with some of their most hysterical incidents that took place back in the classroom.

AP Biology and Biology teacher Cory Marshall, recalls a funny Zoom moment that happened back in September. 

Marshall said, “Back in September my youngest son, Jack, was totally fine playing with books or toys sitting next to me while I’m working on the computer. But somehow at the very second that I turned my microphone on, and clicked the button, and try to talk to students he would belly-flop on top of the computer and stick his face in the camera and go “oooooooo.” I just don’t know how he does it.”

As for some other teachers, they recalled embarrassing moments that happened prior to COVID, when staff was still instructing in the classroom.

Anatomy, Physiology and AP environment teacher at CHS, Jennifer Roberts said, “(The) most embarrassing moment was probably when I was giving a lecture for biotechnology class (that my son was in…)- and I had a fully open cup of coffee I was holding.  I gave my son permission to go to the bathroom, he left out one door.  Then came in quietly behind me in another door.  I don’t remember if he said boo or hello or what, but he was right behind me and I jumped a mile high and spilled coffee everywhere.  The students thought it was hilarious. I did not. I am very jumpy in general, so things like that I tend to react more than most people.

Roberts added, “My dad, sisters, and I all have hyperactive nervous systems, I don’t twitch like my sisters and father, but I do have an overactive startle response. I find it embarrassing that my son finds it amusing.”

Another funny classroom moment happened to happen to Richard Mancini, the CHS Orchestra and Band director.

“The band was practicing a piece of movie music. The drumset player was having a hard time and making mistakes that were pretty silly—he was a good drummer. So I called him out with a smile, ‘Maybe you should learn to play the drums,” Mancini said. 

He added, “A saxophone player—great kid—yelled to me, ‘Maybe YOU should learn to play the drums!”

Mancini added, “I said to him, ‘Maybe YOUR MOM should learn to play the drums!’

“The class exploded in laughter. It became a running joke for the rest of the year as the same sax player set himself up to be on the receiving end of “your mom” jokes,” Mancini said.

This year, staff have been able to create humorous moments that they will hopefully be able to take away as a positive from Zoom classes. With hybrid learning on the horizon, there are bound to be more hysterical moments in the future!

Camasonian journalists Daisy Gooch and Madison Palek contributed to this article.