Since the end of February this year, Ms. Sammy Miller has worked as a paraprofessional here at Normal West.

Her job mostly consists of her acting as a teacher’s assistant and helping with school work, lunch, community outings and students’ care.

Miller graduated from Normal West in 2017, and while here, she was a mentor in the Best Buddies Program.

“It [The Best Buddies Program] was definitely an inspiration for my Special Ed journey. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, but not sure what kind. Best Buddies showed me that I really enjoyed working with high school students that have disabilities,” Miller states.

Miller being a Wildcat alumni has given her a unique perspective with her work and has made her transition into a new job a lot easier.

“It had already made me familiar with the staff and the teachers and had given me an idea of what being a teacher at West is like”,” Miller adds.

Miller plans on continuing her higher education career towards becoming a special education teacher, primarily focusing on secondary education.

“I have always loved working with students, and I think that working with students with disabilities has interested me because people with disabilities teach you to communicate in a different way, and they give you a different perspective on life. I think its really beautiful to see the world in a different lens. I honestly feel that the students teach me more than I teach them!” Miller states.