The Reign Continues

Nile Garden Elementary Celebrates the 29^th Annual Medieval Faire

It’s good to be King.

For 29 years, this has been the outlook of social studies teacher Tim Lewis, who has coordinated Nile Garden’s annual Medieval Faire with his 7^th grade students.

The Medieval Faire gives 7^th graders the opportunity to experience firsthand what a typical day in medieval times might have been like. The day’s events included a costume parade through the school, jousting, a medieval feast, crowning of the king and queen, mural-sized tapestry displays, and more. This year’s faire was also the largest to date, with 140 participating 7^th grade students and over 30 volunteers.

The event supports students greater understanding of 7th grade history learning standards (7.6.1-7.6.9), which teaches all elements of medieval European culture and society including medieval attire, political and class structures, the role of the manor and the growth of towns, and the rise of modern democratic thought. 

Over the course of nearly three decades, the faire has become a cherished event that students, staff, and families look forward to with lots of excitement and anticipation.

However, this year’s event was also a comeback story, a tale of courage and heroism befitting a king.

In December 2023, Mr. Lewis suffered a stroke. Since December, with the help of family members and colleagues from Nile Garden, Mr. Lewis has overcome a mountain of obstacles, fighting hard to remain in the classroom with his students. Despite the adversity he battled, the court of nobles gathered on May 10^th as “King Lewis the Wise” returned to rule over the “Kingdom of the Garden of the Nile” for a remarkable 29^th year in a row.

Jayden Rodriguez, who was crowned “Class King,” shared that Mr. Lewis’ work as an educator is something students will remember for a long time. “Mr. Lewis is probably the most fun teacher I’ve had, and he works really hard to make social studies not boring,” Jayden stated.

Mr. Lewis has a way of making history come to life, not only with the Medieval Faire, but also with the way he teaches in his classroom. “He is very interactive and makes history fun, and he always makes sure everyone understands,” shared Jasmine Duong.

Because of his commitment to and passion for history, students at Nile Garden enter Mr. Lewis’ class with excitement, knowing that at the end of the year they will take part in the event they’ve been looking forward to for years. “It brings them in with the right attitude, intrigued and interested about history,” Mr. Lewis stated.

Mr. Lewis’ efforts are an example of the impact a teacher can make on the hearts and minds of students, and Manteca Unified is very fortunate to have “King Lewis the Wise” on the throne.