Many staff and faculty members of Camas High School (CHS) have returned to the building after originally attending the school as students in hopes of passing down memorable experiences like those they have received in years past.

Camas is a tight-knit community, and thus, it is common for people to stay in the town or return after furthering their education.

Prior to working at CHS, Principal Kelly O’Rourke had different experiences in Las Vegas, Nev.

“It was strange for me when I came here, I’ll be honest, because I was not used to that,” O’Rourke said. “I can’t imagine supervising my former teachers.” 

Living and working in the town you have grown up in gives most of those residents a sense of comfort and familiarity. Knowing the community, the campus and the education system connects the person to the school.

Seth Albert, a CHS graduate and English teacher, moved to Los Angeles, Calif. for college after high school. After a few years, he realized that it was a tough place to live. After starting his family, he wanted to ensure that his kids were in a great school district, so he moved back to Camas.

“I love the city, I love the papermakers, I love the football team, everything about Camas I love,” Albert said. He thinks highly of the school’s program and its teachers. His family would thrive in the community and he would get to work at his admired old school. Along with the knowledge that his kids were attending a safe and prestigious school, Albert could also reconnect with his family and spend more time with them.

Matt Loop, like Albert, a CHS graduate and English teacher, began working for CHS after attending the school. It was the first full-time job he had been offered, Loop enjoyed school and strived to provide the same thing for others.

“I wanted to come back and make sure that the students had a positive experience here,” Loop said.

Both the school’s similarities and differences are talked about by its past students, a primary example being the Friday night football games. This is a tradition that CHS has held up strong for decades, and is one of the community’s most important events, filling the school with spirit every season.

“Our school has an immense amount of student participation and student pride,” Albert said.

The size of the school and student body is one of the aspects that has changed drastically at CHS. When Loop attended the school, less than 200 students were enrolled. He had never planned on working in a big high school, but as CHS got older, more students began to fill the halls.

“I sort of miss the small aspect of the school, but the size has kind of made us who we are today,” Loop said.