Ben Boyce is not Just a "Band Kid"
Updated: Oct 6
By: Madison Lantz
For Ben Boyce, band isn’t just band. It’s unifying. It’s inspiring. It betters him as a person!
WMHS has some pretty interesting people, you just have to look beyond where you usually do. Sophomore Ben Boyce is a great example of one of these people.
On the outside, you might think that Ben is just your average Watkins student. He grew up in Pataskala, like most, and has been going to school here since kindergarten.
Regardless of the time Ben has been here, it wasn’t until 5th grade when his mom encouraged him to look into it that he discovered his passion for band. He was introduced to band through a simple music class and now it is a huge part of his life.
When asked, "What does band mean to you?” Ben replied, “I try to use band to make me a better person. I want people to look up to me. I think everyone should always try to be a better person.”
Ben can play euphonium, french horn, alto saxophone, clarinet, flute, trombone, and on top of all of that, he is the field commander for the WMHS Marching Band.
However, band isn’t the only way that Ben has found ways to express himself. He’s also involved in theater and choir, which has given him more opportunities to perform and work with others, which is what he loves to do. Not only do these activities help Ben get his social time in, but it allows him to be a part of something bigger, and that is what he enjoys the most.
Outside of the artistic side of Ben, he is also involved in FFA, which is an organization he has been part of since eighth grade. Most people may assume that FFA is mainly focused on agriculture, but Ben sees it as something much bigger than that, saying, “FFA benefits me, especially in terms of life skills.”
Those skills have already given Ben opportunities that he wouldn’t have if he wasn't as outgoing and open as he is. One of his biggest accomplishments in FFA was making it to the state competition for a Career Development Event, or CDE. The event was a mock interview.
For Ben, experiences such as marching band, theater, and FFA, aren’t about competition. It’s about showing up, learning skills, and growing as a person. Throughout all of his extracurricular activities, there’s a common theme. He’s always looking for ways to improve himself and to become someone that others can look up to.
Whether he’s holding a euphonium, performing on stage, or competing at an FFA event, Ben continues to show that there is much more to a person than what meets the eye.
He may seem like an average Watkins student at first, but looking a little closer reveals someone who is constantly learning, performing, competing, and growing. For Ben, being a better person isn’t just something he talks about, (though he does love talking), it’s something that he strives to do everyday, and it shows.
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