Athlete and academic Ben Lance is a significant character in the 85-piece puzzle that is the Class of 2024 at Port Townsend High School. Throughout his life, and now, Ben has carried a rugged urgency to help others and hopes to continue that in his significant plans for the future, while simultaneously keeping himself entertained. 

“Ultimately, I want the most action in whatever I’m doing, but also to make as big of an impact as I can in other people’s lives,” Lance said passionately. From his perspective, Ben’s family, including his 14-year-old sister Molly, have shaped him into the selfless, focused, and driven individual his peers describe him as today, which was noticeable from a very young age. 

In high school, the biggest lesson Ben learned was how to be grateful for what you have, and to always consider how someone could be struggling more severely. Lance explained in an interview, “I realized it during freshman year Covid, when I went to a camp for people with medical conditions where some people couldn’t walk, breathe, or eat on their own. Seeing what other people have to go through 24/7 makes my problems seem very minor in comparison.” 

With the expectation of learning how to further help others in need, Ben, like his classmates, had to plan his own Senior Project to complete throughout his final year at Port Townsend High School. He decided to interview community members in jobs that don’t require a college degree. It was important to Ben that he connect with and understand employees who are still integral to “building and keeping our community working,” despite a lack of post-high school education. 

Learning from Port Townsend High School specifically, Ben expressed how much his experience here has developed his patience, amongst several other traits. Ben stands by the importance of patience, and the idea that it allows more positive results in all aspects of life, whether that be work, school, or your relationships, “Patience also gives a more positive look to life like being able to see the sort of path you’re on in life but have the patience to let it come to you,” Lance conveyed on the significance of this attribute.

A momentous part of Ben’s adventurous journey through high school was being a 3rd baseman of the East Jefferson Rivals Baseball team. Being on a sports team carries a lot of weight when it comes to the high school experience, and according to Ben, “It helps especially early on to help you gain social skills while making friends.” Sometimes it’s difficult to balance school with sports, while also occasionally juggling other components. Lance himself had periodic encounters with these struggles, however the joy ultimately outweighed the stress. “For me, baseball was a way to escape everything else in my life. Just being out on the field, putting in my best effort, playing my favorite sport with my teammates, and being able to walk away feeling like I worked as hard as I could that day, let me fall asleep at night.”

Ben Lance’s senior project prepared him for the career path he currently plans on taking in this next chapter of his life: firefighting. By the ripe age of 2 years old, Ben had gained a fondness for firefighting, a liking strong enough to carry itself through high school, and into Ben’s future. Ben is also interested in pursuing construction. “With the short firefighting hours I’m also interested in doing construction work on the side.” With Lance’s considerate and positive lifestyle, his goals will without a doubt be a breeze to accomplish, whether it be here right at the East Jefferson Fire Department, or, “somewhere in Eastern Washington.” 

Ben’s adaptiveness and willingness to learn will allow him to adjust to anything that life throws at him in his bright future. Ben accomplished a wondrous amount of goals in the past four years at Port Townsend High School, with the help of life lessons learned through his childhood to the present day. Whether they were originally anticipated or arrived along the journey, Ben dedicated himself to any and every action he took, and he’s not stopping here.