A New Mascot
Camden High School is proud to introduce the Camden Eagle — a powerful new mascot selected by the Camden High School student body that reflects the spirit of today’s Patriots. Following a student-led movement to change the name of Patrick Henry High School started in 2018, the mascot was the final piece that needed updating. According to the school’s website, “The Camden community worked with a Minneapolis design agency to gather input about what it means to be a Camden Patriot, and how that might look in mascot form.” The eagle honors the school’s strength and unity, while design elements of the star, Minneapolis skyline, and Lowry Avenue Bridge over the Mississippi River, tie its identity to the heart of the community. You can read more about the design’s origin, including student sketches, on the MPS website.
Graduates visit elementary schools
The 1st graduating class of Camden High is the class of 2025. Before the day of the grad ceremony they took the traditional graduation walk at neighboring Lucy Craft Laney Community School, Jenny Lind Elementary School and Loring Elementary School, reflecting on their past while inspiring the young students for the future.
Graduation ceremony of the Camden High School Class of 2025
The commencement ceremony of 2025 of Camden High School was held on June 6 at the Minneapolis Auditorium with 190 individuals graduating. The Camden Band and Known MPLS, a Minneapolis based community youth and young adult choir led by Courtland Pickens, provided music. Students selected the keynote speakers who were teachers Aron Kozicky and Conor Wells. “The class of 2025 has never been afraid of stepping out of their comfort zone in high school and challenging themselves,” stated Wells. “These have been amazing students, and now that they’re graduated, I hope they keep pushing themselves to see how far they can go,” Kozicky said, “Next year I don’t want to worry about who is out in the hallways; instead, I will be thinking about who is out there in the world making it a better place than what my generation left it.”
Receiving highest honors for being in the top 2% of their class academically are Lela Sabin, Tou Xiong, Hannah Lee and Damien Yang. Valedictorian Lela Sabin earned a 4.00 GPA. She was on the dean’s list this past fall at the University of Minnesota for Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO). Lela was active in and played leadership roles in the following sports at Camden High: mountain bike team, Nordic ski team, and the softball team. She’s also a musician and participated in the school’s jazz band, and has been a part of the professional choral organization Vocal Essence and its Singers of This Age. You may have heard her performing in Minneapolis concert spaces or singing on various Minneapolis news channels. In the fall, Lela will be attending the University of Northern Iowa majoring in biology with an honors research emphasis and a minor in psychology. She is planning to participate in choir. Lela hopes to one day be a genetic counselor. She has received the Panther Success Scholarship for UNI and a scholarship for participation in Vocal Essence.
Salutatorian Tou Xiong achieved a GPA of 3.9965. He took the course Computer Science Essentials as part of the CTE (Career and Technical Education) Program designed to connect students with high-skill, high-demand science, technology, engineering and math fields. Tou participated in the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program, an academic elective designed to support students in preparing for college. He says he has enjoyed all the electives at Camden High from Mythology to Ceramics. According to his teacher, Tou mastered Egyptian, Norse, and Greek mythology. He received a top score on his final exam and was presented with a pendant for his knowledge of ancient games. Tou is considered an accomplished ceramic artist by his instructor and is noted for a Vikings chess game he designed and molded. In his spare time he enjoys reading. After graduation, he plans to take a gap year.
Some Special Shorts
*The 9th Grade Class of Camden High School was treated this spring to a half-day trip of outdoors adventures in our very own National Park, The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA) led by the organization Wilderness Inquiry.
*For more coverage of activities and information regarding Camden High School check out the school’s website and Camden School on Facebook.
*Summer School for Camden High students is being held at Edison High School while the school is getting a new roof.
*Orientation for incoming 9th graders will be held on August 28 followed by a barbeque for the neighborhood, students, families, and staff from 4-6 p.m. at the school, 4320 Newton.