By Greg Bennett
When my oldest daughter, Kate, started high school, I wanted her to find her tribe.
Her people.
I wanted her to find a group of friends that would create a place of emotional, physical and mental sanctuary where she could repair any damage done while wandering from class to class throughout the day.
I also wanted her to engage her time in something that engaged her intellect, buoyed her confidence and cultivated her creativity.
If there was a life-changing mentor available, all the better.
In the Spanish Fork High School drama department, Kate found all of these things — and more. From her first interactions with the senior class drama president, Rachael Jack, she felt she belonged. It didn’t matter how talented she was (although she is talented) or what she looked like or how she felt about herself, she was welcomed.
As is.
While her “as is” was solid, her current “as is” is off the charts. And much of that has come from the day-in-and-day-out efforts she has made to improve on stage, in her roles among her peers and her relationships with people. She went from a girl who was often described as a “pleasant surprise” featured ensemble player to a woman capable of commanding the stage as well as any of her peers — equally comfortable making people laugh with physical comedy or making them fall in love with a tender ballad.
More than on stage, though, the growth has come off stage. She grew in leaps and bounds during her service as drama department president. She became more organized, driven and had a perspective of leadership I haven’t seen in her before. She took a larger view of each class, each show and each person that comes with the expanded perspective of leadership. She also worked more closely with her council members as well as her mentor, Andy Hunsaker.
Now, as she takes on her largest role yet — adult in the real world — not only does she have a tribe cheering her on, but she has the skill set to meet each challenge as it comes.