GILBERT, AZ — Principal Patrick Miller has watched Val Vista Lakes Elementary from the inside for 15 years. He has seen students arrive in car seats and leave as young adults. He has seen just about everything.
He had never seen anything quite like this.
When ABC15 reached out about bringing Kidcasters to his school near US-60 and Val Vista Drive in Gilbert, Miller's first instinct was hesitation.
"I don't like to be in front of the camera," he said. "And then I remembered my role here as a principal, and it's for the students."
He said yes. He hit send. Then he watched.
Twenty-four students walked up to that camera. Addison talked about the beauty of the Grand Canyon. Avery said Heber-Overgaard reminds her of Washington State. Jaylynn's favorite place in Arizona? Chick-fil-A.
And then there was James Patterson, a student who asked if the Coriolis force affects haboobs?
Miller watched all of it. Asked to sum up what he saw, the 15-year principal needed just two words.
"They're brave."
That was enough.
Miller saw kids who knew they were nervous, admitted they were nervous, and stepped in front of the camera anyway.
"They admitted they were nervous. To all of us at times. Some of the students, so to see them, know that they're nervous, admit that they're nervous, and then just get through with it. And then I saw the difference after they finished. A sense of relief and a sense of excitement as well. Some students threw their hands up like they had conquered that."
For all those years Miller spent building moments like that for his students, he had never built one for himself. This time, he did.
"We all have our anxieties," he said. "We all feel a certain way. But we can't not do things because of it."
He also said he would have regretted it had he said no.
"I'm taking that opportunity away from the students, just because of my not being comfortable speaking on camera. That's not fair to them."
