While you’re sitting in class tapping your pencil away waiting for the day to end, do you ever stop and think what else your teacher does, besides teach? Some of them joke and say they don’t have lives, that they sleep at the school and never leave. But we all know that isn’t true. Teachers have families, and friends, and hobbies, and a life outside of school. And many spend their outside hours working within their subject matters toward amazing accomplishments–besides getting us ahead in life.

One such teacher served in the Air Force, performed for presidents, plays in a professional band every week, and serves on the board of directors for the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra. He founded a musical program and commands bands throughout the country that play for the soldiers who are being deployed. Mr. Bryan Miller goes well above and beyond standing at that podium conducting. He takes his passion for music beyond the classroom.

Mr. Miller has been teaching at Leyden for the past 21 years and also serves as the Music Department Chair. But he also teaches at Elmhurst College and has taught at Vandercook and North Central College. Mr.Miller founded the Chicagoland Educators Orchestra, where each year that group performs at the world’s biggest music conference: the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. He also serves on the board of directors for the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, which he played for in high school. Mr.Miller shared that he enjoys being able to give back. He loves being able to give the same opportunities he had to kids with exceptional talents.

Mr.Miller has not only a love for music but devotion to his country. He is currently serving in the Illinois Air Force National guard where he is a major. As if serving in the Air Force while teaching wasn’t enough, Mr.Miller also conducts one out of the five bands that play for troops deployments. He has played for troops being deployed all over the world: Southwest Asia, Africa, Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, and Qatar.

Mr.Miller has also played for President George W. Bush on Independence Day at Constitution Hall, and he participated in the memorial honors for President Ronald Reagan. Combining his love for music and devotion to his country Mr.Miller helped to begin the inaugural Veterans Day performance last year held in Northlake. He is hoping for it to become a new tradition, allowing students to study and perform music that relates to our history, as well as interact and engage with all the heroes in our community.

Mr.Miller is one of the many staff members here at Leyden who each and every day strive to take their skills beyond the classroom. We here at the Eagle’s Eye are hoping to capture these great skills and accomplishments made by different teachers here at Leyden. So next time you’re sitting in class take a second and think of all the amazing things your teacher could possibly be doing with his or her life outside of getting us ahead in life.