Justin Bennett is finishing up his eighth-grade year at Benton. Of course, he’ll go on to high school, a proposition that leaves him feeling a tad uneasy. It’s always hard to make a change, and for
some of us, the prospect of entering high school didn’t always instill feelings of comfort. Justin, when asked about the upcoming change, reasonably notes, “I feel nervous about it, because the music teacher that helped me a lot is in this school [won’t be coming with me].”
Of course, he’s talking about Mrs. Leffler, who has not only helped Justin feel comfortable but also, to sing and to sing well.

Justin is in choir, and his singing ranges from baritone to soprano. And a musical range like that is to be envied by anyone interested in music. Justin doesn’t just have range, though. He’s tried (and tried hard) at writing his own songs. That’s more than most of us do over the course of our entire lives, let alone by eighth grade.
And he’s been singing for a good part of his young life. He knows that talent matters, but also work, and he’s doing the work of writing and singing his own songs, whether he shares them with anyone or not. And he’s adding his voice and talents to the school choir, and when high school begins, he’ll be singing again, whatever the change brings.

Justin is a fan of pop music and disco, and even tunes from the 50s. He has a mind that can house diverse music, and he too has his own dreams. When asked about what he would wish for himself,
Justin said he’d like to be a pop star. “I’d like to be great at it. Maybe famous.” It’s been said that fame is in the lap of the gods, that it’s all luck or chance. But with driven singers like Justin, fame may come, due to natural talent and a driven work ethic. However chance shakes out, Justin is singing now, and will be singing when faced with challenges and adversities.

He notes that sometimes school is socially challenging for him. He mentions his best friend advocating for him and helping him get through difficult times. Fortunately, Justin has his friends, and he has his own voice with which to sing. He can also put the challenges of day-to-day problems into his own songwriting, as a catharsis, as a way of working out the problems that occasionally visit him. To hear him speak (he’s intelligent and thoughtful), Justin is already a star. He just hasn’t gotten his big break yet.

What is it to sing in the face of adversity? It’s courage, plain and simple. “Smile, though your heart is aching,” sang Nat “King” Cole. The habit of smiling (and singing) when we don’t feel like it, or when we aren’t motivated by those around us, is a heroic trait.
And Justin, whether he’s aware of it or not, exhibits heroism each time he sings. Even though he seems like a quieter type of kid, he sings in spite of that, too. To go into music in any profound sense is a risk, and risks take guts and determination. Eighth-graders who can do what Justin does are rare indeed, and to be admired. When high school begins, whatever it brings, we know Justin will be singing and doing it well. He’ll trust his voice, and some of the voices around him, and he’ll be a blessing to the choir. As high school nears, he will overcome any nerves, and he’ll sing. And in his songs there will be courage. If we would all stop to listen, we’d be better off. Justin has a voice, and unlike so many, he’s actually using it for the better. Along the way, he is making us all proud, and maybe especially Mrs. Leffler.