“Manny was the kid you wanted in your class,” said Roosevelt High School PALS teacher Mary Thompson. “He was so gung-ho about being a teacher. I think [Camelot Principal] Mrs. Payne would’ve hired him as soon as he got his credentials. You could just see it.”
The life and legacy of Roosevelt graduate Emmanuel “Manny” Peña lives on through the Academic Field Day at Camelot Elementary School. Manny dreamed of being a teacher and volunteered often at Camelot. But his life was cut short in a tragic car accident just three months after he graduated.
Thompson taught Manny at Roosevelt. Renaming the annual event to the “Manny Peña Academic Field Day” has strengthened his legacy.
The event is a collaboration between Roosevelt PALS, Gifted and Talented (GT) English students and Ready, Set, Teach students. It also features Design and Technology Academy (DATA), Engineering & Technology Academy (ETA) and Roosevelt students. Camelot students rotate through academic stations “field day” style. Each challenge was created by GT students with core Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in mind.
Kirsten Scott, an ETA sophomore, helped plan a lesson around synonyms.
“It took a few days to break down the TEKS and figure out exactly what we needed to teach them and do it in a way that would be fun,” said Scott. “It’s a really rewarding experience when their faces light up when they understand something – it makes me happy. It’s been a lot of fun.”
“It’s been really fun because everyone has been dedicated to making it interesting for the kids,” added ETA sophomore Gustavo Villalobos. “It’s easy to pass along information but it’s a challenge to do it in a way that sticks. It brings a whole new level of appreciation for our teachers.”
