Admission, Student Spotlight

Charlie Miller ’30 Offers Advice to Newly Accepted Middle Schoolers

Crystal DAngelo /

Recently, MICDS Middle School welcomed newly accepted students and their families to the Middle School Accepted Families Celebration on Wednesday, April 1. At the event, students got to meet current Middle School students, speak with members of the Middle School faculty, and get questions answered by MICDS administrators and current parents. At one point, attendees heard from Charlie Miller ’30 who gave some advice to the new accepts. Read Charlie’s remarks below!

Hi everyone,

My name is Charlie Miller. I’m in the eighth grade, and this is my fourth year here at MICDS. Prior to MICDS, I went to the Wilson School, which I’m sure some of you here are familiar with. I play football as my main sport, and this year, I picked up lacrosse. I am also in the Concert Choir, and this winter I participated in the Winter Term Musical, where I played Scar in The Lion King Jr. musical.

So to say the least, when I got into MICDS, I was super excited as I’m sure you are as well. There are so many things that I love about MICDS, from athletics, to academics, to the arts. With all these different aspects, I can assure that you will find the thing that you love to do. 

If I could go back and give myself advice, I would tell myself these three things:

  • Everyone (whether it’s your peers, teachers, or coaches) is here FOR YOU. They always have your back and are 100% willing to help with whatever you need. This year, I started playing lacrosse for the first time. We’re a few weeks into the season and actually have our first game tonight. But, even though at the beginning of the season I was the “new guy,” I was accepted into the community with such emphasis that it is pretty hard to describe.
  • This connects to the 1st but ASK QUESTIONS. Your teachers or coaches will never be mad at you for asking a question. 
  • And third, HAVE FUN. I’m not going to lie, MICDS is academically rigorous, and sometimes it seems intimidating. But, as I have been told my whole life, “WORK HARD, PLAY HARD.” This saying obviously can be applied to many different situations, and as you start your MICDS journey, you will learn what this balance means.

But to wrap things up, I want to emphasize to those of you who are either deciding between here and another school or have decided on MICDS that YOU DID IT! You made it. You have been accepted into MICDS. Congratulations! That’s a big deal. 

So, from here on, just do your thing, and be yourself, and I know that you will succeed.

Thank you for your time.