KCSD Principals Benson and Cameron announce retirements

Two Kershaw County School District principals announce plans to retire. Jackson School Principal Estelle Benson and Lugoff-Elgin Middle Principal Gene Cameron plan to retire at the end of the 2023-2024 school year.

Estelle Benson joined Kershaw County School District as an educator in 1995. She served as a teacher for 13 years, teaching grades 2-6 at Wateree Elementary and Jackson School.

She then transitioned into administrative roles, serving as an assistant principal for four years at Doby's Mill Elementary and three years at Blaney Elementary.

Benson has served for the past nine years as principal, previously at Mt. Pisgah Elementary and Bethune Elementary, before going to Jackson School.

She was named Wateree Elementary Teacher of the Year (1998-1999), Jackson School Teacher of the Year (2005-2006), Kershaw County School District Honor Roll Teacher (2006-2007), and Kershaw County Reading Council Administrator of the Year (2017-2018). Benson earned her National Board Certification in Middle Childhood Generalist from 2003-2013. 

“Being a product of this remarkable district myself, the journey has been particularly meaningful. The chance to give back to the very community that nurtured me has been nothing short of a blessing. Now, as I prepare to embark on the new adventure called retirement, I do so with a heart filled with appreciation for the memories created, the challenges overcome, and the growth experienced. While bidding farewell to my role within the Kershaw County School District, I remain excited for the chapters yet to unfold, knowing that the impact of my dedication will resonate long after my departure,” says Benson.

Benson has been married for 27 years to LeRicko Benson. They have two children, Devonte' and Amariya.

Gene Cameron began his educational career in KCSD as the band director at North Central High School in 1994, where he served for nine years.

In 2003, he joined the Richland County School District One staff as the band director at Dreher High. He returned to KCSD in 2008 as the theatre teacher at Stover Middle and Lugoff-Elgin Middle School. In 2010, he served as the band director at LEMS.

He joined the Lugoff-Elgin High staff as an assistant principal in 2011, where he spent 7 years until becoming the principal at LEMS in 2018, where he has served for six years.

“My career in Kershaw County School District has been rewarding beyond measure. I have been blessed to work with the finest in the education world right here at home in Kershaw County. Leading Lugoff-Elgin Middle School has been the pinnacle of my career and I will be forever grateful for the opportunity,” says Cameron.

Cameron was named the KCSD Principal of the Year in 2022. 

He has been married to Kerri Cameron since 1997, and they have two children, both products of KCSD schools and graduates of Lugoff-Elgin High School, Eryn and William. They are also the proud grandparents to their first granddaughter, Blaire.