Andrew Miller hopes his journey from a struggling student to an Assistant Principal inspires his students to accomplish their goals. In his early years, Miller faced significant challenges with reading, writing and focusing, making it difficult for him to keep up with his peers. Without understanding the cause of his struggles, he had negative experiences at school and began to feel like school wasn't for him. "I struggled a lot in reading and writing in school," Miller said, reflecting on his early years. "I actually repeated the first grade."
Thanks to his mother's support, Miller soon learned he wasn't unable to learn, but had learning disabilities to overcome that other students didn't, including dyslexia, dysgraphia and ADHD.
In the third grade, Miller found a support system among his teachers and mother as they instilled positive language, patience and self-motivation.
Miller credits his mother with teaching him confidence. My mom used to say "the world may see this as a disability or a negative, but there's a way you can turn it into a gift," Miller recalls. "The obstacles we face today can become gifts tomorrow."
Miller attended Hughes STEM High School, where he thrived utilizing the tools he learned in elementary school. "Hughes was real-world and experience-led. They offered various forms of support, which I believe played a pivotal role in my success," Miller noted.
With support from the teachers and specialists at Hughes, Miller graduated as the Valedictorian with honors. This support fueled Miller's desire to pursue a career in special education. He earned his teaching degree from the University of Cincinnati, a Master's in Special Education from Xavier University, and a Master's in Educational Leadership from Concordia.
Today, as an Assistant Principal at Cheviot School, Miller brings a unique perspective to the classroom and understands the challenges that some of his students may face. "I want kids to know that no matter what happens, you can overcome any obstacle. You can achieve anything you set your mind to," he says.
