Miller Earns Salutatorian Honors

Belmont High School senior Tom Miller's GPA may be responsible for him being named salutatorian, but it has been his dedication to the community that has earned him his other nickname, "Mr. Fractions."

Miller received the latter title from students at Chenery Middle School's extended-day program, where he volunteered and now works as a staff member, helping students with their homework and courses.

"I went to Chenery for my four years, and it was always a really positive experience, an encouraging community," the 18-year-old high school senior said recently.

"I always felt very safe and valued there. For me, I just wanted to contribute to that community, do my part, after I left. I always try to make kids feel like if they need help they can come to me. That feeling of belonging to a community is really great; it's always something that I strive for."

At the high school, Miller also found that camaraderie with great friends, like the ones he met as captain of the ultimate Frisbee team, and teachers, who always seemed enthused about their subjects and encouraged independent thinking and projects. He said the school's vast course offerings, such as economics, psychology and neurobiology, have exposed him to college-level material and have helped prepare him for the road ahead.

"It's great to have these experiences now," he said, "in a more relaxed atmosphere where we get more attention from our teachers."

Miller, a member of the National Honor Society, will attend Harvard University this fall with five of his classmates, including valedictorian Alison Liou. He plans to study one of the social sciences, such as sociology or political science, and, eventually, wants to work for the government or a non-governmental organization (NGO) involved in international affairs.

"It seems like an exciting place to be," he said of Harvard. "It seems like a lot of things are happening there, speakers and other opportunities that I could take advantage of."

However excited, Miller said it will be tough to leave the class of 2010. A class, he said, that has a wide-range of interests and a plethora of leaders that have brought their student groups or athletic teams to new heights, and a class that has also bonded over the years.

"For me the really special experiences are when a specific class really bonds," he said. "This year, in my calculus class (with teacher Anne Mullany), everyone came together, helped each other out, and that was a really special experience for me. It showed me how students can bond with their teacher and work with each other to learn more effectively."

Despite the salutatorian honor, Miller does not feel any different than his classmates. "It's not like I enjoy every single second that I'm in school," he said. "I definitely get bored in class sometimes, but I think that overall academic interest at this school is very high. A lot of people care about what they're doing, so personally, I don't feel very unique at all."

He added a number of students deserved the same honor.

As for graduating, Miller said he's excited to take on new challenges and become a part of a new community.