While Benton sixth-grader Pepper Jackson moved to town just before first grade, she shares that it’s the only home she’s ever really known. She has diverse interests and makes the most out of the life she’s built here over the last six years. Pepper shares that Benton “is where every single one of my friends are. It would be really sad if I ever had to move again.”

She adds, “Benton is like a story to me. It’s the story of my life. If I leave, it will start a new chapter in my life. But I’ll still have my friends with me. No matter what, I won’t be pulled apart from my friends [because they’re part of my Benton story].”

Some of Pepper’s friends are teammates on the basketball team, while others are neighbors. She describes the rest as random friends she’s made ‘along the way.’ Basketball has been a steady aspect of her Benton experience. While this marks her first year playing school ball, she’s played Basketball at her church since moving to town. She says she was a cheerleader for one year, but after watching her brother play, Pepper decided she’d rather be on the court than the sidelines.

Pepper’s passion is art, and her favorite medium is realistic drawings using graphite. She prefers to draw with a single pencil, using pressure and shading to enhance her work. “When I was younger, whenever I had free time, I would draw. I would love to express my feelings through my artwork,” says Pepper.

She comes from a family of artists, citing her father and grandmother as inspirations and sharing that she loves when her family visits museums. She is currently searching for art competitions she can enter and hopes to see her work displayed.

Pepper’s favorite school subjects—besides art—are math and PE, which she admits helps with her energy. She also enjoys history as she likes to learn about the past. Smiling, she adds, “I love every subject except maybe reading.”

Looking towards the future, it’s clear that Pepper has big dreams. Not only does she want to become a competitive artist, but she also wants to continue playing Basketball through college and aspires to play in the Women’s National Basketball Association.

But Pepper’s ultimate goal is to compete in the rodeo. “I don’t have a horse yet, but I am interested in barrel racing and roping. I haven’t competed yet, but I hope to.”

While Pepper hasn’t talked her parents into a horse yet, it’s clear they support her dreams. For her birthday, her father made her a lasso, which she uses to practice trying to rope a barrel in the backyard. While Pepper hopes to someday travel to Texas to attend the world’s largest rodeo, her family regularly attends local rodeo circuit events.

Pepper considers herself down to earth and prefers running outside or lying in the grass and watching the clouds pass by over playing on the Internet or cell phone. Despite using art as a refuge, she prefers living outwards and prioritizes the friendships she’s made since moving to Benton. As our conversation ends, Pepper summarizes her attitude towards life far more simply than I could have, suggesting that “Basketball, my artwork, and the rodeo are like second homes to me. I’m trying to make the most out of life.”