Benton is a 2003 graduate of the, whose main campus is located in Newark, Delaware, where she earned Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees with majors in psychology and sociology. She received a Master of degree in elementaryand secondary-school counseling with a 4.0 Grade Point Average in 2007.
During her reign as Mission Delaware United States of America, Benton helped raise thousands of dollars for charities around Delaware such as Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, The Epileptic Foundation of Delaware as well as made several visits to locals schools, children"s and veterans hospitals. She crowned her successor, Ashlee Greenwell, from Middletown, Delaware, in November 2005.
At the time of her pageant win, Benton was living in Wilmington, Delaware, but is originally from Milford, Delaware. After winning the Mission Delaware United States of America 2005 pageant, her first major-pageant experience, Benton represented the state in the Mission United States of America 2005 pageant, held in Baltimore, Maryland, in April 2005. That pageant was won by Chelsea Cooley, Mission North Carolina United States of America. In March 2005, it had been revealed that Benton had been convicted for driving under the influence a few years prior to her win. Although there were serious questions as to whether she should be able to compete in the Mission United States of America 2005 pageant and of her suitability as a role model for young people, the Mission Universe Organization, the organization that owns and runs the Mission United States of America pageant, eventually allowed Benton to compete.
