Senior Spotlight: Benson aims for balance of arts, service
From art to French to trapshooting, accompanied by a side order of two jobs and future military training, senior Kaitlyn Benson has made the most of her jam-packed senior year.
Band teacher Brian Wilson has known Benson since she was a freshman and admires her drive and accomplishments.
“She is a hard worker, she’s dedicated, and she’s very skilled,” he said. “She’s worked really hard; the dedication, perseverance, and ability to apply all of her talents are what she needs to do for all things in life.”
As a trumpet player, Benson has enjoyed fine-tuning her skills over the years. Memories of band trips, learning new instruments, and playing new pieces alongside her peers have remained some of her favorite moments.
“Band is where I've made a majority of my friends,” she said. “These extracurricular activities have allowed me to experience new things and meet new people. They are all family to you, but they are each different families.”
Wilson has appreciated Benson’s commitment to all she does.
“Kaitlyn is a great section leader for the trumpets,” he said. “It’s been really fun watching her skills grow over these four years. She’s a strong leader with a joyful personality.”
Along with playing in the band, Benson has also explored other artistic outlets at West.
“Right now, I'm taking photography two and global art, which is one of my favorite classes,” she said.
Photography and global art teacher Chelsea Schinker has only known Benson for one year but has thoroughly enjoyed watching her ideas come to life throughout her projects.
“Her willingness to try new things in the creative fronts have definitely expanded,” she said. “It has been great to watch her challenging herself by trying techniques out of her comfort zone and see success in that.”
An unlikely juxtaposition of a grin and a gun, Benson shows off her trapshooting gun. After high school, Benson plans to join the military to be a combat medic.
Benson has not only seen learning a new language as a class to list on a transcript, but also a skill to use in the world outside of the classroom.
“I can definitely use French outside of high school, maybe with the military because there are linguists that can be paid very well, so having that background is really beneficial,” she said.
Aside from academic courses, she has been a West trap shooting team member for two years. As the squad leader for the team, she works with the scorekeeper and manages the other squads.
“In trap shooting, there is a trap house, and it releases what is called a clay, or pigeon; it is an orange clay disk that is thrown by a mechanical arm into the air, and the athlete is supposed to shoot at the clay as a shotgun round,” Benson said.
Not only has Benson led as an example, but she also seeks every opportunity she can to help her other teammates, a quality admired by her coach, Thomas Bell.
“As far as I have known Kaitlyn, she has always been a strong team leader, helping the younger shooters when they were struggling or in need of some assistance,” he said. “She is always bright, kind, and hard-working with just the right amount of humor.”
Having already joined the military, she plans to leave for basic training in August to return around February or March and then attend UW Green Bay. Benson hopes to become a combat medic. This position requires quick thinking as she will administer emergency assistance to those in need.
“I felt like joining was a duty, something that I needed to do,” Benson said. “So I wanted at least one contract to contribute my part to the country. I grew up in a house where both of my parents were in the military, and it was definitely an influence, but I made that choice on my own.”
Military Recruiter Angel Faustoramos saw Benson’s undeniable leadership, confidence, and perseverance and agreed that this was the perfect place for her to be.
“She maintains an uncommon resilience that others can only wish to replicate,” he said. “In this sense, Kaitlyn Benson is not the typical American girl. She is better than that. She will soon be a leader in the US Army medical corps.”
By Abby Eaton
Oshkosh West Index Volume 117 Issue VIII
May 27th, 2021