To many students at Greeley West, PE teacher Mr. Aaron Bensinger is one of the most energetic, disciplined people they know. But behind his strong presence at school and motivating words lies a story of past discipline and heart. This is because of his experiences growing up.
Growing up, Bensinger found himself hanging out with the wrong crowd of friends. “My trouble came from not really being parented right,” he said. “When you run the streets, you’re going to find other kids running the streets too. A lot of my trouble came from the wrong crew.”
He explained that his parents and family struggled with addiction and drug dealing, which surrounded him with the wrong influences. But he knew better in the back of his mind and focused on his goal. “I kind of met that style of people through my family. Thank God I didn’t go too far down that road, but those were the people placed in my life,” Bensinger said.
Through his rough beginnings, boxing became his escape. It was a way to fight back, not just in the ring but with the hate he had in his life and his struggle. “Boxing balanced out that street life,” Bensinger shared. “I had a lot of anger. Hurt people hurt people. I was hurting, and I probably did want to hurt people. But boxing gave me a place to go somewhere to release that energy. When I was fighting in the ring, I was really fighting my demons.”
Bensinger credits boxing for keeping him away from drugs and helping him find purpose. “That’s probably why I didn’t end up a drug addict as a youth,” he said. “Boxing taught me discipline. There were so many days I didn’t want to go to the gym, but I had men in my life who saw potential in me. That’s what we do as teachers we see potential in you, even when you don’t see it yourself.”
When asked what inspired him to become a teacher, his answer came from a place of love. “What inspired me to be a teacher is my life. I wanted to be what I didn’t have. If you really want to do what you do, be the man you didn’t have in your life,” Bensinger said.
Student at Greeley West say they can feel his love and care every day. One student, senior Julian Melendez, shared how Bensinger has made a difference in his life. “He tries to do it for us, you know? He’s just trying to help us out and keep us moving. He’s different, he likes to help us out,” Melendez said. “He obviously puts us first, you know.”
Bensinger’s story shows strength. It shows that discipline, guidance, can change anyone’s path. At Greeley West, he’s not just teaching students how to stay fit and be healthy in life like the rest of the gym teachers do he’s showing them how to fight their own battles, one round at a time.
