A Super (Mario) Escape at Penacook Elementary School

Molly Rudis (right) and sisters Sophie and Caitlyn Kleiner run in the Mario cart race in the Penacook Elementary School gym during the Escape Room family engagement night at the school on Thursday, March 27, 2025. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Cooper LeMire and Penacook Elementary School teacher Jaki Egounis AKA Princess Peach work on solving a puzzle during the Mario Brothers-themed Escape Room during the family engagement party at the school on Thursday evening, March 27, 2025. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Student Cooper LeMire works on a castle game at Penacook Elementary School during the Mario Brothers-themed Escape Room during the family engagement party at the school on Thursday evening, March 27, 2025. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Molly Rudis (center) and sisters Sophie and Caitlyn Kleiner run in the Mario cart race in the Penacook Elementary School gym during the Escape Room family engagement night at the school on Thursday, March 27, 2025. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Sisters Sophie and Caitlyn Kleiner (left) and Alice and Molly Rudis walk in the hallways of Penacook Elementary School during the Mario Brothers-themed Escape Room on Thursday evening, March 27, 2025. The family engagement night had students and their families come and solve mysteries in the classrooms and enjoy pizza as well. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Sophie Kliener, 9, and sisters Alice and Molly Rudis greet “Bowser,” a.k.a. Penacook Elementary School assistant principal Zach Stephenson in the hallway of the school during the Mario Brothers-themed Escape Room night at the school on Thursday evening. GEOFF FORESTER / Monitor staff

Bailey Flood, 8, races Penacook Elementary School assistant prinicipal Zach Stephenson during a Mario cart race in the school gymnasium on Thursday, March 27, 2025. The Mario Brothers-themed Escape Room included the whole school where students and their families solved mysteries in classrooms and had pizza as well. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Penacook Elementary School assistant prinicipal Zach Stephenson AKA 'Bowser’ on Thursday, March 27, 2025. The Mario Brothers-themed Escape Room included the whole school where students and their families solved mysteries in classrooms and had pizza as well. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Penacook Elementary School assistant prinicipal Zach Stephenson tries to catch up to student Bailey Flood during a Mario cart race in the school gymnasium on Thursday, March 27, 2025. The Mario Brothers-themed Escape Room included the whole school where students and their families solved mysteries in classrooms and had pizza as well. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Penacook Elementary School student Petar Devone, 10, tosses a parachute on to a game board at the Marrio Brothers-themed Escape Room at the school on Thursday evening, March 27, 2025. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Cooper LeMire (center) and Penacook Elementary School teacher Jaki Egounis AKA Princess Peach work on solving a puzzle as assistant principal Zach Stephenson checks in during the Mario Brothers-themed Escape Room during the family engagement party at the school on Thursday evening, March 27, 2025. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Mario Brothers arch-enemy ‘Bowser’ AKA Penacook Elementary School assistant principal Zach Stephenson says goodbye to students and their families at the Mario Brothers-themed Escape Room at the school on Thursday evening, March 27, 2025. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

By GEOFF FORESTER

Monitor staff

Published: 03-31-2025 5:10 PM

When the third through fifth graders arrived at Penacook Elementary School last week, they found their building had been transformed into a Super Mario Kart course.

To escape, they had to speed past Bowser (assistant principal Zach Stephenson), collaborate with Princess Peach (teacher Laki Egounis) to solve a puzzle, and parachute down to the ground.

The annual family engagement event drew rave reviews from students and staff.

“When I was looking around the halls today, everybody had a pair of scissors in their hands. They’re cutting paper. They were duct taping. They were gluing all day long, during their prep periods, during their lunch time,” Stephenson said. “This is the embodiment of Penacook Elementary School’s hard work.”

The school puts together the annual event to provide a positive atmosphere for students.

“We want to see who our families are,” Stephenson said. “They come from all walks of life, from all socioeconomic backgrounds, and we’re all together, and we don’t notice those differences here. So, it’s really powerful.”

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