The Benson Orbit

Principal Wilson Bonds with Students Through Zumba Tradition

Principal Curtis Wilson Jr. doesn’t get much time with students, but wants to build strong bonds with his community. For more than a decade he has used dance as a way to connect. Every year he leads freshmen through a high energy Zumba routine.

Elizabeth Larrison • May 27, 2026

It’s not every day you get to watch your principal dance to ‘Baby’ by Justin Bieber, but on May 13th and 14th, freshmen at Benson Polytechnic High School got to see just that. Every year, for over...

How Principal Wilson Is Navigating PPS’s $50 Million Budget Cut

As Portland Public Schools faces a $50 million budget cut next year, the pressure falls on Principal Wilson to decide what stays, what goes, and how to minimize the impact on Benson Tech.

Nick Oates • Apr 20, 2026

As a $50 million budget cut looms over Portland Public Schools, principals across the district have to make some tough calls about next school year. What programs will be cut? What will the impact on students...