Ed and Benita Campbell are woven into the fabric of Kent Denver. Benita was a long-time faculty member, teaching French and English in the Upper School for 20 years before retiring in 2000. She was selected as an honorary member of both the Class of 1992 and the Class of 1995. She was also the faculty commencement speaker in 1995. Ed too was a member of the faculty for twelve years, teaching French and serving as Chair of the Foreign Language Department (now called World Languages) until 1983.

Their lives are still intertwined with Kent Denver, as they remain close friends with many faculty of the school. And, incredibly, they have been giving to the school for 50 years. We recently sat down with them to revisit Kent Denver memories and discuss the motivations for their extraordinary loyal support.

Benita shared that, while French and English were her areas of focus and expertise, it was actually football that brought one of her proudest moments. One of the courses she taught that was particularly memorable was a writing elective class that had quite a few football players. She figured she had the opportunity to learn as much about football as they had to learn about writing. So she started going to football games, which gained her extra points as she was very close friends with Scott Yates, longtime former KDS football coach and athletic director. She describes her and Ed’s traveling to football games all over the state with friend and former English teacher Karen DeAntoni—featuring long drives to places like Meeker, Rifle and Holyoke. 

As any skilled teacher would do, Benita described how she looked for opportunities to connect her students’ passions with her course material.

“I would try to find some intersections,” she explained. “For example, I would say, ‘This week, we are writing an action paper. Patrick, I remember at the game last Saturday in Elizabeth, you were part of a play for a touchdown. What did it feel like? Write it down.’”

She got so close to the players and their experience that she even suffered a football injury herself, resulting from an accidental collision while watching a practice offensive play from behind the endzone.. It gave her a bruised nose, and subsequently, a lot of clout among the players and faculty alike. 

Benita also remembers, with fondness, the excitement of the postseason. But more than that, what really has stayed with her is the sense of belonging she got from unexpectedly feeling a part of that team. 

“It was so wonderful—getting to know the players, getting to know the parents and being part of that wonderful program. It really was a part of the community for me.”

For the Campbells, even today, the Kent Denver community is their community. 

“Not a day goes by that at least one little memory doesn’t crop up,” Benita recalls. “We are very close to so many former faculty members. We are still in the family.”

Ed recalls how impressed he was with the faculty and how much education he felt that he received, even though he was a faculty member. He even jokingly refers to himself as an “alumnus,” despite not having been a student. It’s just because he learned so much. 

“I came to Kent Denver with a long background in public school,” Ed explained. “Over the course of the time I taught there, I looked to many faculty members as mentors. The quality of teaching and people was just so stellar and intense. I really was being mentored throughout all the time I was there.”

Both Ed and Benita discuss their appreciation and respect for this school that has stayed strong over the last half century. It is these powerful feelings that have led to a legendary tenure of support—with 50 years of giving to Kent Denver. 

“At least for my motivation, it is about giving to an institution that did much to educate me,” Ed explains. “In French, they use the word formation. It’s a good word because it conveys depth and how it informs who you are. I received a wonderful formation from Kent Denver. It makes it very easy to give, which is so important.”

As for Benita, her support is motivated by the incredible work of the faculty that continues to this day, making an extraordinary education possible for Kent Denver students. She’s been impacted by the demonstration of faculty support and giving that she had not encountered at other schools.

“My first acquaintance with giving was through Ben Cooper, who ran the Faculty Fund for Scholarships,” she said. “It struck me as very interesting that teachers were willing to give some of their paychecks back so that students could study there. It meant we believed in what we were doing.”

A heartfelt thank you to Ed and Benita Campbell for all the impact they’ve had on Kent Denver over five decades, through their teaching and support.