Astronomy and Academics: Benavides Adventures
From Medical Excellence to Library Enthusiasm, Exploring Education, Astronomy, and Family Adventures.
Raul and Kristeane Benavides chose Lake Highlands as their home seven years ago. The couple moved here from Austin, but already knew Dallas well, having previously lived in White Rock Village and around the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical School since 2001.
With a BA in Psychology from UT Austin, followed by a Doctor of Medicine from the UT Southwestern Medical Center, physician and pathologist Raul is now the Core Lab Medical Director at Baylor University Medical Center. Kristeane graduated from UT Austin with a BA in German. After teaching in public schools for seventeen years, she took a short break from full time teaching and continued part time, working with advanced German speakers at the Dallas Goethe Center (DGC) on Saturdays.
The couple shares two children, Roberto (14) and Eva (11). Roberto is an avid gamer, enjoying playing Minecraft with friends. Eva plays viola in school orchestra, and is active in dance, volleyball, and the Girl Scouts with Service Unit 165. Their dog Sprinkles and cat Nermal complete the family.
As their children grew, Kresteane started substitute teaching and got the itch to return to full time education but in a different role. “I wanted to work with all students in a way that integrated academics with technology,” she explains, “so I decided to study for my Master of Science in Library Science at the University of North Texas.” Her current role is as the librarian at Thurgood Marshall Elementary, in the Richardson Independent School District. Thurgood Marshall is a Title 1 school, as determined by the number of students who qualify for either free or reduced-price lunches. Reading supports literacy, and she is elated to support her TME students in their academic journey because reading is a passion that she loves to share.
Raul’s passion is astronomy - “I am a member of the Texas Astronomical Society, participating in the astronomy related events we host,” he says, “for example, at Moon Day at the Frontiers of Flight Museum (by Love Field) we taught visitors about the upcoming eclipse and other astronomical events.”
The family enjoys photography, movies, museums, and exploring the food around the Dallas Fort Worth area. In particular, they recommend visiting the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden during the Christmas season, as well as downtown Grapevine's Main Street Historic District. Further afield, they make frequent visits to family in the Rio Grande Valley: a favorite outing while they are there is to the Turtle Rescue Center at South Padre Island. Equally, their ideal vacation destination is Lake Tahoe.
The Benavides family all enthuse about living in the Lake Highland neighborhood. “We enjoy the eclectic feel of the neighborhood, plus it’s very family oriented,” Raul concludes, “and we love walking the L streets - everyone is very friendly, so it is easy to meet and get to know neighbors and other families walking their dogs. And there are wonderful parks and outdoor areas: we love the view from Sunset Bay at White Rock Lake Park.”
***PULL QUOTE***
"We love walking the L streets - everyone is very friendly, so it is easy to meet and get to know neighbors."