MARK MILLER

Daily Point of Light # 2124 Mar 26, 2002

The Metropolitan School was founded in 1967 as a private 501(c)(3) co-educational school serving grades five through twelve. They provide comprehensive educational services for children with learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders, and other atypical learning styles. These learning disabilities often lead to chronic failure in traditional school settings, resulting in higher dropout rates. According to the 21st Annual Report to Congress, only 29.4 percent of children with multiple learning disabilities receive a high school diploma.

Mark Miller fully understands that a high school diploma is essential to the learning disabled child along with the community. High school dropouts are, for the most part, lost in today’s job market. Productive, employed adults contribute to their community while those who are unemployed have a difficult time meeting basic financial needs.

Mark Miller is a volunteer who is definitely a benefit to the children he serves. He defines his organizational role by thinking how he can serve the school and its students, donating whatever the school needs at that particular time. He gives of his time, knowledge, contacts, and finances. He participates in all of the fundraisers, sits on the Financial Aid Committee, and conducts the school’s Annual Commencement Ceremony.

Miller brought both his business expertise and his fund raising expertise to Metropolitan. He has made numerous phone calls, wrote letters, and met with individuals on the School’s behalf. His efforts have successfully landed numerous funding sources that gave rise to several new programs like the Ethnic Percussion Group. The Metropolitan students would not have these programs otherwise. His full-time job is serving as Vice President of Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Through his employer, Miller has been able to secure grant money, which aids the Metropolitan School in its efforts to continue its mission.

Mark Miller is not only a volunteer with Metropolitan; he also supports the Springboard for Learning, Girls, Inc., the Kirkwood Public School District Foundation, and the Kirkwood High School Athletic Department. Healthcare is also a cause close to his heart, and he supports the Juvenile Diabetes and Cerebral Palsy Foundations. He has also maintained membership in the United Way’s Toqueville Society for six years. Miller is also committed to education through recreation, donating to the St. Louis Art Museum, the St. Louis Zoo, and the St. Louis Symphony, and Gash Voigt Dance Theatre.


jaytennier