High school runner, debate student ‘will go far’ | FAB Spotlight
Published 6:00 pm Saturday, November 23, 2013
Wow, what a trip interviewing this lively Kingston High School junior at school. Alexa Benjamin is the featured artist selected by the Fine Arts Boosters for December.
Her forte is Dual Interpretation on the school’s debate team. Dual Interpretation involves a two-person team selecting a book that together they can interpret to the audience.
“It’s cool because we make basically whatever we want out of it,” she said.
They have 10 minutes to get you involved in the book. The book can be anything the students choose, but proper decorum does come into play. Anything with humor and seriousness. Presentation “usually includes a teaser, an intro and then the piece,” Alexa said. It’s “somewhat theatrical … very theatrical, actually.”
Her debate partner this year is Matthew Flaherty and their big goal is to make it to Nationals this and/or next year. Their book of choice this year is “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”
Last year, Alexa did Impromptu but felt “too darn nervous” to try it again this year. She said, “If I memorize, I excel. Impromptu or standard debate? No.”
Her freshman year, her Dual partner was Gillian McCormick, whom Alexa considers her major inspiration in taking on debate.
Alexa was also drawn into running. Her event is the 5K. She went to State as an individual. She feels it is hard to motivate herself to run alone and feels it’s much easier as part of a team. Alexa runs an hour-and-a-half each day, followed by another half hour of stretching and weights. She runs six days a week.
A little background: Alexa spent the first 10 years of her life in Cincinnati. Her dad is a retired French teacher and soccer coach. They moved west so her mom could take a job in data management. Alexa has a brother at Kingston Middle School.
Her passion other than debate and running is concerts. She likes alternative rock. Once she has memorized the lyrics of a song, Alexa is thrilled to see that star perform live, with all the lights, amp, etc. She said it’s “just one of the best things in the world.”
Through her studies and extracurricular activities, Alexa hopes to make herself look better through these endeavors as she applies to colleges. Alexa said she loves school and strives to do well in everything she attempts.
Alexa was invited to be a guest at the Dec. 11 Rotary meeting, where she and her debate partner will present a portion of their Dual Interpretation piece.
This writer is quite certain that Miss Alexa Benjamin will go far.
— Sally Christy is a supporter of Fine Arts Boosters and is covering for Marilyn Bode, who is out of town.
