by Malcolm Butler
Choudrant High School senior Benton Case had the surprise of his young life on Wednesday afternoon.
Case, who is set to graduate this spring, was asked by Choudrant High principal Chris Jones to attend an after school faculty meeting.
It was some made up excuse.
“I told him I needed him to come up there and talk to our teachers about the importance of them sponsoring clubs,” said Jones. “I told him I needed help recruiting these teachers for some of these clubs we have.”
Even the Choudrant teachers weren’t in on the big surprise.
“Yeah, the teachers didn’t know either,” said Jones.
The real reason for the gathering was to inform Benton that he had received his appointment to the United States Naval Academy.
However, it wasn’t Jones nor any of the CHS teachers or faculty that ultimately informed him.
It was Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Mike Johnson. One of Johnson’s aids was in the next classroom over and Benton was told he was needed in that room.
When he entered, he was handed the phone.
“When I heard he was on the other end of the phone, I was almost speechless,” said Benton. “I didn’t think it was real at first. But I’m sitting there talking with him … the Speaker of the House. I was deeply honored.
“I’m truly grateful. I have been in a lot of time working towards this goal. Seeing the fruits of that labor over all the years was a moment of awe for me. And hearing from Mike Johnson himself was almost a dream.”
As Jones said, Benton checks so many boxes. He scored a 32 on his ACT and boasts a 4.6 grade point average at Choudrant High. He is very involved in plenty of extracurricular activities, including being a member of the Aggies basketball and track and field teams.
Benton is a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), the Beta Club, and the Interact Club. He serves as the president for FBLA and the Beta Club. He also serves as an Aggie Ambassador.
This year he joined the Eco-Car at Ruston High this Year.
“He is one of those service-above-self kids,” said Jones. “He has great academic numbers when it comes to the ACT and his grade point average. He checks all the academic boxes. He is truly a selfless kid. He lifts others around him up. He is really driven in his faith. He is such a leader. He is a remarkable kid in every sense of the word.”
Benton’s desire to join a branch of the United States Armed Forces should be no surprise.
His late father, Jason Case, served as a Green Beret in the United States Army. His grandfather, James Reynolds, was a Naval officer. His brother, Jackson Case, is in the United States infantry. And his stepbrother, William Bartle, is in officer training school in the National Guard.
However, he said it was a couple of conversations and experiences that led to his decided to apply for the U.S. Naval Academy.
“I always thought the military might be something for me,” said Benton. “I saw some (Choudrant High School) upperclassmen that went into the military. Eli Watson came back and visited one time and was talking about the Naval Academy. I really looked up to him. He was one of my role models. I saw the honor he displayed.”
That conversation led to a little more research which then led to an opportunity to go to the US Naval Academy’s week-long “Summer Seminar” program this past June.
“I looked around and realized this was really something that I wanted to do,” said Benton. “The experience this summer pushed me beyond what I thought my limits were both academically and physically.”
According to Benton, the summer program includes physical training, educational classes, and some various Naval Academy activities. However, it was a speech that might have been the final factor in his decision.
“While we were there someone gave a speech about Travis Manion,” said Benton. “He was talking about serving his country and if not me, then who? I was just looking around thinking we aren’t guaranteed anything. Our families futures and rights aren’t guaranteed. It’s a product of the people who are able to defend it for us.
“There is no other path I want to follow then the one where I protect others and protect my family. Because if it’s not me, then who.”
