Farewell, Our Friend

This is an impossible job. Trying to capture the impact Cheryl Benson has made on the countless souls who have walked in and out of her office since 1987 in one simple article is almost a disservice.

Journalism style dictates that subjects in articles be referred to by their last names…but to all of her students, Cheryl Benson is simply Cheryl. This first-name basis speaks to the trusting, personal nature Cheryl has with her students; she treats them all as her equal, as her friend.

Everyone has a story, a moment where Cheryl swept in and offered unparalleled friendship and guidance. For senior Natalie Lam, this moment was her freshman year. She walked into the main office one day looking for someone to help her with her schedule when she happened to run into Cheryl.

“She was just very happy and so kind about everything,” Lam said. “She inspired me to take more rigorous courses because she knew I was capable.”

Since then, Lam and Cheryl have become incredibly close. Lam’s sophomore year, she struggled through some issues with her health, and Cheryl was there for her every step of the way: checking in on her from time to time, and getting her a scribe for all of her classes to make sure she could stay caught up. During her junior and now senior years, Lam has faced the insane pressure of IB, but knowing that Cheryl’s door is always open for her whenever she wants to talk has helped her get through it. In fact, if Lam is not in class there is a good chance she is in Cheryl’s office. Biology teacher Doug Jorgensen basically had to reverse pink slip her one class period because she was hanging out with Cheryl – he sent a note to get her out of the counseling center and into class.

“Cheryl just creates this connection right off that bat; when she first meets you she welcomes you into Highland. She really is a best friend. She cares about you, not just your schooling, but everything else,” Lam said. “She’s always there to listen and give you feedback, no matter what it is. She never doubts anyone, she calms you down and gives you advice and she just makes you feel comfortable when you’re talking to her.”

Lam’s experience with Cheryl is nothing out of the ordinary; Cheryl goes out of her way to develop strong connections with each and every one of her students. From talking about school or relationships, to providing a constant supply of candy, to regularly visiting juvenile court for one of her students who struggled with truancy, she’s willing to do almost anything for them.

The particular student with whom Cheryl attended court came back a few years ago to express his great appreciation for everything that Cheryl did for him. He felt that Cheryl was the only one who truly believed in him throughout high school, and it was that belief that helped him find success later in life.

Of course, Cheryl didn’t look at it as doing anything out of the ordinary. She was simply concerned about one of her students.

This gratitude for Cheryl is something that anyone who has ever had the pleasure of crossing paths with her shares. She has this way of making those around her feel like they are important and have a place in the world. For her, it is about making a true difference in the lives of those she meets and helping them to reach their full potential. She is always encouraging everyone to follow their dreams and makes an effort to remember the interests and passions of each and every one of her students, of which there have been hundreds.

“It satisfies my soul to connect with my students,” Cheryl said. “I love being able to see them go from awkward freshman to blossoming seniors ready to go into the world.”

Cheryl’s influential presence at Highland started in 1987 right after she finished graduate school. Over the course of her career here, she has seen the school grow and change in positive ways, and has met hundreds of students that have fueled her passion for counseling.

Some of Cheryl’s favorite experiences at Highland came from coaching girls softball and tennis. She began coaching her first year at Highland, and loved the relationships she was able to build with her athletes. Cheryl has always loved sports; she played both softball and tennis in high school and then went on to play women’s rugby for two years in college in Santa Barbara.

After her first few years at Highland, the students and teachers from South High School were divided up between the other schools in the district when it closed. This fateful distribution brought former basketball coach Keith West to Highland, giving Cheryl the chance to find her “high school” sweetheart.

The two met on a staff retreat up in Alta where they were put in a workshop together and discovered they shared a lot of the same interests and passions. After that, Cheryl and West started dating and ended up getting married on April 15th, 2003 in an effort to make tax day a good day.

Ever since, Cheryl and West have happily spent their time together golfing, fishing, travelling, and doing other active things.

“We are like a married couple that are also best friends. We do everything together,” West said. “Everybody I’ve ever talked to just says how lucky I am. I know I am — she is the most caring, loving person I think you would ever want to meet.”

After spending many years together making Highland a brighter, better place, Cheryl and West have made the decision to retire together. They plan to spend their next chapter in life moving between Utah and southern California to golf year-round. Both of them excel at golf, and spend most weekends golfing with friends and occasionally competing in and winning tournaments. For Cheryl, the sport is about having fun, getting a little bit of exercise, and improving her scores. West has a more competitive attitude towards it, but they are both equally excited for a lot of days spent in the beautiful, green scenery of golf courses across Utah and California.

It is not an overstatement to say that when Cheryl leaves Highland will not be the same place. She has been such a positive presence in this school, and students and teachers alike will miss her dearly.

“When I retire people might miss me a little bit…but it’s going to be a shock when [Cheryl] leaves,” West said. “I don’t think anyone is irreplaceable, but she is pretty darn close to it. They are going to have a hard time finding someone to take her place.”

Perhaps the best expression of the immense gratitude and love that people feel for Cheryl can be seen in the tears that welled up in West’s eyes as he marveled at the woman he married, or the sense of nervous incompetence that Lam felt as she struggled to find words that she felt were worthy of her counselor-turned-best-friend.

Although her absence will be difficult for all, it is important that we give Cheryl our best wishes as she moves on in her life. Many students are losing a best friend, but Cheryl is lucky enough to be spending retirement with her’s, capping a perfect career with a perfect ending.