Senior Emily Bennett has definitely made her mark as a Lakeview Bulldog. From running for the Girls Cross Country and Track team to spreading her artistic abilities, she has stayed active in the community and will be missed after graduation.

The highlight of her Senior year so far has been the many Homecoming activities she attended. Bennett explains, “The dance was fun and after I hung out with friends and the next day we drove up to cedar point.”

Senior year has not been all fun for Bennett. With a future to plan, she quickly became stressed and it took some adjusting to “balance classes, sports, an art portfolio, a job, scholarships, and college applications” but it was all worth it.

The past years have created uncertainties regarding senior year. However, Bennett is determined to stay positive and is “thankful everyone is able to make the best of it.” Many traditional aspects of high school made their return this year. Bennett was most excited to attend her first football game this year, which “was fun, even if I had no clue what was going on.” 

Bennett’s final year as a Bulldog will be one she will never forget. She reveals, “The unconventional year just makes everything more memorable in the end.”

Looking back at Bennett’s time at Lakeview, she has created memories that will last a lifetime. A Lot of things! She remarks, “Lakeview is a very special community that molded me as a person. I will definitely miss all my teachers, coaches, and classmates.”

Bennett has made many strong friendships over the years. Her favorite memories with her friends include “any Halloween related gathering attended the past two years, or the rush up to Cleveland after school for concerts.”

Bennett is a very fast runner, specializing in distances. She was a vital member of Lakeview’s Cross Country team, contributing greatly to many of the team’s successes. Bennett has made many interesting memories throughout her Cross Country career, including “going to the splash pad during a run, cross country camp, water balloon fights, rewarding workouts (shoutout coach Quinlan!), ravine trips, and most notably team dinners.”

She is also an outstanding artist and is greatly inspired by Art teacher Jeff Piper. Bennett comments, “Without having an art teacher with so much passion I can guarantee I would be nowhere today. His class taught me that I can channel my love for art and make some really incredible stuff. Additionally, he got me involved in local/national art shows, which really inspired me to make art into a potential career.”

Bennett received inspiration from her fellow students as well. She explains, “I thrive to be my best self and I was able to pursue that wish because of help from classmates. Going to art shows and viewing student work from our area also inspired me to develop my voice as an artist.”

Many of Bennett’s greatest high school memories surround art. She really enjoyed the annual Butler field trip because it was “a fun way to engage with the art world without having to sit in a classroom.”  

If she could go back in time and change one thing, Bennett would “make sure to stress out way less over the technical aspects of school.” She explains, “Getting a 99% on every test really doesn’t change much about your self worth, reduce the hours of studying to work towards something you enjoy and take a lower A instead.” 

Passion is very important to Bennett, and she would advise everyone to find their own. “Do what sparks joy, pick up as many useless hobbies as you please. That’s what makes you unique,” she explains.

Lakeview has had a significant impact on Bennett: “This community has allowed me to see my potential as a student and artist. The students and faculty are uplifting and encouraging of all academic/extracurricular interests, their behavior has greatly impacted the person who I am today.”

After Graduation, Bennett plans to attend an Ivy League College, Columbia University. She wants to pursue an art adjacent career, such as visual art, architecture, sustainable development, or urban planning. Although she is nervous, Bennett remains “incredibly excited to explore a new city” and looks forward to developing herself as an artist and scholar.