It was a warm summer Wednesday afternoon when the Benson Polytechnic High School Class of 2025 graduated. The graduation was held at the PSU Viking Center, and the graduates were gathered outside. Students formed groups of chattering blue robes, decorated graduation caps dotting the scene. But before they crossed that stage, finally closing this blue and orange chapter of their lives, the Orbit asked them to reflect on their favorite memory from their time here at Benson.
The past four years have certainly had their ups and downs. Our Seniors were the first class to graduate from the renovated Benson, as well as being the first class (post-COVID) to spend all four years of high school free from lockdown and pandemic restrictions.
Despite the obstacles they faced, the Class of 2025 still knew how to have a good time. Nate, a KBPS major, said that Prom was the highlight of his high school experience. “Me and my friends went and got dinner before, and then we went to Prom and had a really great time. Had a lot of fun dancing.”
“Prom. It was really fun and I got to see a lot of people dress up.” agreed Farrah, a DMP major. School dances seemed to be a highlight in many Seniors’ experiences!
MiAngel, another DMP major, told me that one of her favorite memories was the 2024 Homecoming, “I definitely danced with a lot of people that I’d known, people that I’d just say ‘hi’ to in the hallways. [It was] just a moment that Benson orchestrated where I could be around the people that I appreciate.”
Outside of dances, students found lots of other ways to have fun. KBPS major Maki told me that “At the old campus — before we moved to the new campus — we had these big buildings by one of the fields […] and some of my friends would climb up on them and just hang out, and it was really fun. [Once] the dean showed up and we all kinda scattered and ran away. It felt a lot like a movie.”
It’s story was seconded by it’s classmate Dane who said, “My favorite memory is probably from Freshman year, when me and my friends climbed on the dugouts that were by the baseball field, and then the dean chased us down and called in all of the security guards. And there were like 30 of us leaping like lemmings off the roofs. It was great.”
Benson has tons of awesome teachers, and the Seniors held nothing back when voicing their appreciation. Electric major Andrew said, “As soon as I joined Electric I loved it. I loved Maceo’s energy, I loved how he taught. He was genuinely one of the greatest teachers I ever had. No. Is the greatest teacher I ever had, in all of my high school history,” and his friend Jonathan agreed, saying, “Mr. Maceo: Best teacher ever.”
Jazira, another Senior, shared that “I didn’t really know most of the people here, but I did really get to know a lot of the teachers. They really helped me out, and honestly, I wouldn’t have graduated without the SES teachers and there was a lot of good memories. Just like walking in and just being like ‘Jazira!!!’, y’know? Like everyone just happy to see you and it just made it a lot easier to get through the day, because there were teachers supporting.”
Alongside having fun and having great teachers, Benson ‘25 also excels at having a strong community. “We’re all one big family,” said Maki.
Health Occ. major Coraima said, “I feel like everyone just came in and became a community [in the last days of Senior year]. We embraced the sadness of graduating.”
“Our class has had a lot of drama,” explained Oliver, a DMP major, “But we kinda all looked past it […] I feel like it was very telling on the whole experience of high school in general. How a lot of things can happen, and a lot of stuff can happen between people, but it’s not gonna change who you are. [It’s not gonna change] your relationship with those people. It’s just something that kinda happens and you can move forward and you can look past it.”
