PORT NECHES — Standing over a CPR dummy, Port Neches-Groves High School senior Julianna Benson carefully placed an Ambu ventilation bag over the dummy’s mouth and practiced her life saving skills.

Benson, who is in her second year in the Health Occupations Students of America course at the high school, is looking toward a career as a nurse anesthetist.

Her interest in the medical field began some years ago and was spurred on when her uncle opened his own business, Mid-County Urgent Care.

“I’ve done a lot of research into the field,” Benson said of her chosen career.

Students in the HOSA program spend their junior year learning the basics with some hands-on experience with CPR and taking vital signs. The seniors spend time in the field, teacher Sherri Fontenot said.

Fontenot, who worked as a high-risk obstetrician nurse in Houston before coming to the teaching field, said the students are spending time in nursing homes this semester.

“Julianna is a very grounded person. She’s highly intelligent and a very responsible student,” Fontenot said. “She is also caring and compassionate which is needed in this profession.”

Benson plans to attend Texas State University at San Marcos.

“After I graduate from there I’ll go back to California. I lived there for nine years and half of my family is there. While I’m there I will get experience in the field then school to be a nurse anesthetist.”

Benson has a busy schedule. Besides the work in HOSA classes she is an Indianette, president of the school’s chapter of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America and is a member of the National Honor Society.

Benson’s father is in the construction field and the family moved around a lot when she was younger.

“But he always promised me that when I got to middle school we’d come back to where I was born,” she said.

Benson actually began planning her future way back in the sixth grade. She put pen to paper and thought out what she wanted in life and how to achieve those goals.

“When I was in the sixth grade I thought ‘what do I want to do when I’m older?’ This is where I started planning out what I wanted to do,” she said.

Julianna Benson is the daughter of Douglas Benson and granddaughter of Judy Benson.