Benjamin’s 10 character traits are virtues by which the School’s students have tried to aspire to for years. This year, “gratitude” was added to the list, and it’s one most people in the Benjamin community can relate to after being spared the brunt of Hurricane Irma’s wrath.

South Florida started worrying about the storm during Labor Day weekend – about a week before it made landfall in the Sunshine State. While heading toward the Caribbean from the African coast, Irma quickly became a massive Category 5 hurricane, measuring 400 miles wide with winds reaching 185 mph. It was responsible for significant damage in many of the Caribbean Islands, including Barbuda, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Anguilla, and the Virgin Islands. In terms of the United States, Irma was first projected to head up the eastern coast of Florida, but it continued to move west. However, when it made landfall on Sunday, September 10, it still devastated the Florida Keys and was responsible for significant damage on Florida’s mainland – felling trees, damaging homes, and knocking out power to more than 15 million Floridians according to The Washington Post.

When all was said and done, according to bloomberg.com, Hurricane Irma caused more than $50 billion dollars in damage to Florida, and took the lives of at least 112 people total as it tore through the Caribbean and Southern United States.

Benjamin’s Lower/Middle School campus, known for its naturalistic environment and arboreal variety, sustained significant damage to many of its trees and surrounding fences. As a result of the damage, the school was closed from Thursday, September 7 through Friday, September 15, following in the footsteps of Palm Beach County’s public schools. However, TBS needed that time to clear the debris from the campus, make repairs, and bring the power back online.

Some members of the Benjamin community were also not immune to Irma’s destructive force. “Some of the screens around our pool tore out, and we had a lot of tree damage and a big mess in our yard,” said Director of Student Services Mrs. Susan Poncy.

Many students, however, took advantage of the time off from school. “I got very lucky with the storm,” said seventh grader Jasper Wright. “I had power the entire time and because of that, I got to

go on my computer and watch Youtube along with playing Xbox on my television.”

Even those without power, though, still found ways to entertain themselves and pass the time. “Since I lost power,” said eighth grader Lucy Campbell, “I got to play cards with my family and play lots of board games with them as well.”

The seven day hiatus from school also caused some scheduling problems. The Middle School postponed its Picture Day/Honor Code Assembly, Back-to-School Night, and canceled several athletic games and practices.

However, as frightening and inconvenient as Hurricane Irma was, it could have been a lot worse. Many Floridians recognized that, and some even recognized the silver linings afforded by the storm. “We got to spend 10 days together as a family and visit my mom in the nursing home in West Point, Mississippi,” said physical education teacher and Head Football Coach Mr. Gregory Keller. “That would never have happened if the hurricane had not come through.”