The halls of Eaglecrest are picked with students of all types. Some students stand out to us more than others.

You may recognize  these students by their choice of fashion to the people they know to the activities they do. Many of these faces are recognizable due to their individuality.

One of these unique faces is Ben Miller. That name may mean nothing to you, but picture this: tall, thin, striking short red hair, and a trench coat, every day.

Many students recognize Miller and in this way he is connected to all of us. His signature vest and coat make him stand out in a crowd, but differences are something we celebrate, not use to alienate.

Miller has experienced passing comments regarding his signature style–a .99 cent purchase that he says, “I’ve gotten more than my money’s worth out of it”.

From security guards checking to see if all his pencils and pens in his fishing vests are school appropriate to students recognizing him merely by his style, Miller wears the coat for nothing more than comfort and warmth. Unfortunately, this experience is yet another example of people judging before they have a chance to understand.

“My trench-coat gave them a quick scare.” It wasn’t just long stares, Miller has experienced hostile comments such as “You know, out of everyone here, I think you would be the most likely to succeed in a school shooting,” from an anonymous passing student.

But Miller’s desire to stand out isn’t because of his style choices, it is traced back to performing, like many other students. Miller said he has been singing since elementary school and is now in Jazz and Madrigals for Eaglecrest.

He went from having extreme introvertedness to social apathy, simply separating himself from the world and being himself while the world thinks what it wants. “I just  don’t care what other people think about me, whether they think on the positive or the negative.” Recently, through performing, he has become more objective with his thoughts concerning passing comments believes that, “such dilemmas inhibits self-growth and task completion.” All led to Miller being unapologetically himself.

He went on to say the arts are his way of expressing himself,  a way to release any stress and escape for a while.

Currently he has written 6 stories and is working on another with his group of friends. Miller is aware of his differences and states, “Among my friends is the joke that I should just mutate into some human-animal hybrid so people don’t have to talk to me directly to figure out I’m weird.”  He hopes to become a mechanical engineer and to continue standing out with a side career performing, as a way to keep himself creatively stimulated in life.

With a range of artistic outlets, Miller uses the arts to express who he is and grow into an even more unique, remarkable person…Unapologetically himself.