For Lake Orion graduate Karey Miller, there was no such thing as Senior Skip Day. Or playing hooky. Or even a sick day.
For the past 13 years, he has never missed a day of school, missed a single class or even been late to a class.
‘Some of its luck with not getting sick,? said Karey, who has always been pretty healthy. ‘The rest is just the will to go to school.?
Karey said that he didn’t start out with the conscious thought to never miss a day of school, but once he got so far along in his schooling, he decided that he wanted to make it all the way without an absence.
‘Everybody thought it was crazy that I had not missed a day, but by then, I didn’t want to stop,? he said with a laugh, remembering that in his last few weeks of high school he overslept and was almost late.
‘I flew to school that day,? he added, noting that he made it on time.
Besides the will to be at school, good health is the other part of Karey’s success.
‘I’ve been sick but not with anything really bad,? he said. ‘Basically, the flu and stuff like that.?
According to his dad, Craig, the times when Karey would get really sick would always luckily fall during vacations and breaks.
Karey’s health is extra impressive when you consider that his older sister, Samantha, had pneumonia four times in a three-year period. After moving, Craig said, they realized that there was black mold in their house. But luckily for Karey, he still stayed healthy and never missed a day.
And while at school, Karey took his studies seriously, saying that his favorite classes included AP Chemistry and AP Biology. He maintained a 3.87 throughout school and will be attending Ferris State in the fall.
Karey plans on studying pharmaceutical studies and has already been accepted into the honors program and the pre-pharmaceutical program. He has been awarded both an honors scholarship and the Dean’s Scholarship.
‘He’s nothing like Dad, that’s for sure,? Craig said with pride.
Karey said that he plans on taking his perfect attendance mentality to college, a fact that will most likely please most of his professors.
‘Especially since I’ll be paying for school out of my own pocket, I’ll definitely put the extra effort into showing up to class everyday,? he added.
In the meantime, he will spend his summer before college getting prepared to leave in the fall and working at his job at the movie theatre at Great Lakes Crossing.
‘Apparently, and I just found this out, they call him ‘Smiley? at work. He’s always smiling,? dad said of his son’s positive attitude. ‘He smiles in his sleep. He’s a happy kid.?
‘I’m very proud. I couldn’t have a better kid,? Craig added. ‘I brag to everybody.?
When he’s not at work or at school, Karey said that he enjoys watching movies, hanging out with friends and likes to go outside to fish and swim.